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Key takeaways
- Do it with your eyes open. A crease shade placed with your eyes closed disappears into the fold as soon as you open them.
- Place the crease color just above your natural fold, where you can still see it with your eyes open.
- Matte shades do most of the work. Keep shimmer to a small touch in the center of the lid for evening.
- A thin line pressed into the lash roots, or a tightline, shows more than a thick wing that folds under the lid.
- Curl first, then use a tubing mascara on the outer lashes so the color holds instead of transferring onto the lid.
- Six product types cover everything: primer, a matte palette or cream stick, a pencil, a curler, a tubing mascara and a good mirror.
In this post11 sections
- Why Hooded Eyes Need a Different Order (Eyes Open, Not Closed)
- The 6-Step Makeup Over 40 Routine for Hooded Eyes
- Step 1 and 2: Prime the Lid and Place the Crease Shade Where You Can See It
- Step 3 and 4: Light Matte Lid, Thin Liner Close to the Lashes
- Step 5 and 6: Curl, Then Tubing Mascara on the Outer Lashes for Lift
- Eye Makeup Mistakes That Hide Hooded Eyes After 40
- The 10-Minute Evening and Wedding Version (Mother of the Bride Friendly)
- What to Buy by Product Type and Price Tier
- Droopy or Partially Hooded Eyes: Two Small Adjustments
- Finish the Look: Date Night and Wedding Guest Outfits Over 50
- FAQ
Why Hooded Eyes Need a Different Order (Eyes Open, Not Closed)
A hooded eye has a fold of the upper lid that sits lower and covers some or most of the moving lid when your eyes are open. That fold is why the usual advice, close your eyes and sweep color into the crease, does not work. When you open your eyes, the color you placed goes under the fold and the lid looks bare.
The fix is simple. Look straight into the mirror with your eyes open and your chin level, and place every shade where you can see it from that position. You may need to lift the brow gently with one finger to blend, but you always check the placement with your eyes open.
The 6-Step Makeup Over 40 Routine for Hooded Eyes
Here is the whole routine in order. It takes about five minutes once you have done it a few times. The sections below explain each step.
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Step 1: Prime the lid
Tap a small amount of eyeshadow primer from lash line to brow bone so shadow stays in place.
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Step 2: Place the crease shade with eyes open
A soft taupe or light brown matte, just above your natural fold, blended up and out.
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Step 3: Light matte on the visible lid
An ivory, bone or champagne matte across the small visible lid area to brighten it.
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Step 4: Thin liner close to the lashes
A brown or black pencil pressed into the lash roots, or a tightline, with no thick wing.
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Step 5: Curl the lashes
Close the curler at the root, hold for a few seconds, then move halfway up and press again.
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Step 6: Tubing mascara on the outer lashes
One coat all over, then a second coat on the outer third for a lifted shape.
Hooded eye step card (print or screenshot it)
Step 1 and 2: Prime the Lid and Place the Crease Shade Where You Can See It
Step 1, primer: a hooded fold touches the lid when your eyes are open, so shadow and liner can move or gather in the fold line by lunch. A thin layer of eyeshadow primer gives the shadow something to hold on to. Use a small amount, tap it on with a fingertip and let it set for a minute before shadow.
Step 2, crease shade: choose a matte taupe, soft brown or warm brown that is one or two shades deeper than your lid. Look straight ahead with your eyes open. Using a fluffy brush, place the color slightly above your natural fold, then blend it outward toward the tail of the brow and a little upward. Check with your eyes open again. If you cannot see the color, it is too low.
Step 3 and 4: Light Matte Lid, Thin Liner Close to the Lashes
Step 3, light lid: sweep an ivory, bone or soft champagne matte over the visible lid, from the inner corner to about the center. It brightens the small area that does show and makes the crease shade above it look deliberate.
Step 4, liner: a thick line or a long wing folds under the hood and can look broken when your eyes are open. Instead, use a soft brown or black pencil and press it into the roots of the upper lashes in small dashes, then smudge it lightly. If you want more definition, tightline: gently lift the upper lid and run the pencil along the upper waterline. Keep any flick short and angled toward the tail of the brow, and stop before it reaches the fold.
Step 5 and 6: Curl, Then Tubing Mascara on the Outer Lashes for Lift
Step 5, curl: curled lashes open up the space between the lash line and the fold. Close a metal curler at the base of the lashes and hold it for a few seconds, then move halfway along the lashes and press again for a soft curve. Always curl before mascara.
Step 6, mascara: a tubing mascara coats each lash in small polymer tubes that hold the curl and tend not to transfer onto the lid above, which matters when the fold touches your lashes. Apply one coat to all the upper lashes, then a second coat to the outer third only. More length at the outer corner gives the eye a lifted shape. Skip lower-lash mascara or use the lightest touch.
Eye Makeup Mistakes That Hide Hooded Eyes After 40
These are the habits that most often make hooded eyes look smaller. Each one has an easy swap.
Do this instead
- Matte shades in the fold and crease, placed with eyes open.
- A soft matte or satin on the brow bone, or nothing.
- Thin liner pressed into the upper lash roots.
- Mascara mostly on the outer upper lashes.
- Shadow blended up and out toward the brow tail.
Skip this
- Glittery shimmer in the fold, where it gathers in the line.
- A bright frosty highlight right under the brow.
- Heavy liner all around the lower lash line.
- Thick wings that fold under the hood.
- A dark crease color placed with your eyes closed.
The 10-Minute Evening and Wedding Version (Mother of the Bride Friendly)
For a party, a wedding or a dinner out, keep the same six steps and add four small changes. They add about five minutes.
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Step 1: Deepen the outer corner
After the crease shade, press a deep matte brown into the outer third and blend it up toward the brow tail, eyes open.
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Step 2: Add a touch of satin to the lid
Tap a soft satin or champagne shade onto the center of the visible lid with a fingertip. Keep it off the fold.
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Step 3: Set the liner
Press a matching dark matte shadow over the pencil line with a small flat brush so it lasts through the evening.
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Step 4: Use waterproof mascara
For a wedding, choose waterproof or tubing mascara and add a second outer coat. Keep cotton swabs in your bag.
Planning the outfit too? Our holiday party outfits over 40 and wedding guest outfits for women over 50 cover what to wear with it, and the Holiday Outfit Planner includes a dress code decoder so you know what each invitation means.
What to Buy by Product Type and Price Tier
You do not need a large collection. These six product types, plus a good mirror, cover the daytime and evening versions. Prices are typical ranges for drugstore and prestige versions.
| Product type | What to look for | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Eyeshadow primer | Sheer or skin-tone, small tube | $8 to $12 drugstore, $20 to $24 prestige |
| Matte neutral palette | Ivory, taupe, soft brown, deep brown | $12 to $35 |
| Cream eyeshadow stick | Matte taupe or champagne | $6 to $10 drugstore, $20 to $35 prestige |
| Eyelash curler | Metal, wide curve | $4 to $16 |
| Waterproof eyeliner pencil | Soft brown or black, creamy | $5 to $14 drugstore, $21 to $27 prestige |
| Tubing mascara | Black or brown-black | $10 to $26 |
| Lighted magnifying mirror | Compact or tabletop, daylight LED | $10 to $45 compact |
Shop the hooded eye kit
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Eyeshadow primer
Typically $8 to $24
Helps shadow and liner stay in place under the fold.
Check price on Amazon for Eyeshadow primer -
Matte neutral eyeshadow palette
Typically $12 to $35
Light, mid and deep matte shades for the lid, crease and outer corner.
Check price on Amazon for Matte neutral eyeshadow palette -
Cream eyeshadow stick
Typically $6 to $35
The one-minute crease shade for busy mornings.
Check price on Amazon for Cream eyeshadow stick -
Metal eyelash curler
Typically $4 to $16
Opens the space between lashes and fold.
Check price on Amazon for Metal eyelash curler -
Waterproof eyeliner pencil
Typically $5 to $27
Creamy enough to press into the lash roots, then stays put.
Check price on Amazon for Waterproof eyeliner pencil -
Tubing mascara
Typically $10 to $26
Holds the curl and tends not to transfer onto the lid.
Check price on Amazon for Tubing mascara -
Lighted magnifying mirror
Typically $10 to $45
Clear light for thin liner and eyes-open placement.
Check price on Amazon for Lighted magnifying mirror
Droopy or Partially Hooded Eyes: Two Small Adjustments
Partially hooded eyes: if some of the lid still shows when your eyes are open, place the crease shade right on the natural fold instead of above it, and bring the light lid shade a little wider. You have more room, so a slightly longer flick of liner can work too.
Droopy outer corners: if the outer corner of the fold sits lower than the inner corner, keep all the deeper color and the mascara focus angled up toward the tail of the brow, never down along the lower lash line. Stop any liner at the point where the lashes end.
Finish the Look: Date Night and Wedding Guest Outfits Over 50
A five-minute eye goes best with a five-minute outfit. For evenings out, see our date night outfit ideas for women over 50, and if you are blending your gray, the gray hair blending guide covers what to ask your stylist. The free capsule planner below helps you build a closet that is as quick to put together as this routine.
Frequently asked questions
How do you apply eyeshadow to hooded eyes over 40?
Prime the lid, then look straight into the mirror with your eyes open and place a soft taupe or brown matte shade just above your natural fold, where you can still see it. Blend it up and out, put a light matte shade on the visible lid and keep any darker color to the outer corner.
Should hooded eyes use matte or shimmer eyeshadow?
Mostly matte. Matte shades in the fold and crease keep the shape soft and do not settle into the fold line as obviously. A small touch of satin or soft shimmer in the center of the lid works well for evening if you like it.
How do I keep eyeliner from smudging on hooded eyes?
Use an eyeshadow primer on the lid first, choose a waterproof or long-wear pencil and keep the line thin and close to the lashes. Setting the pencil with a matching matte shadow on a small brush also helps it stay put.
Where does the crease go on hooded eyes, eyes open or closed?
Eyes open. Look straight ahead and place the crease color slightly above your natural fold, so it shows when your eyes are open. If you do it with your eyes closed, the shade usually folds under the lid and disappears.
How do I make hooded eyes look lifted without false lashes?
Curl your lashes, use a tubing mascara with most of the color on the outer third and angle any liner flick slightly up toward the tail of your brow, keeping it short. A matte crease shade placed above the fold adds shape without lashes.
What is the best mascara for hooded eyes?
A tubing mascara is a good choice, because it wraps each lash in small tubes that hold a curl and tend not to print onto the lid above. Look for one in black or brown-black and apply it mostly to the outer lashes.
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