I’m an Over 40s Makeup Artist & Here Are 7 Easy Ways to Do Makeup for Hooded Eyes
Amanda Ramsay is an award-winning professional makeup artist who specialises in makeup content and education for mature skin. Known as your over 40s makeup expert, Amanda has worked with thousands of Aussie women, including celebrities and personalities like Julia Gillard, Sophie Monk, Delta Goodrem, Collette Dinnigan, Jackie O, Miranda Kerr and Mia Freedman.
Low on time? Check out our key takeaways below
Key Takeaways
- Stop applying highlighter on your brow bone to avoid emphasising the fold of skin that can make it appear more prominent.
- Use a long-wear cream eyeshadow stick for easy application that doesn't settle in creases, making it perfect for those over 40.
- Change the way you apply eyeshadow by creating a "false" socket to achieve lift and dimension, especially for hooded eyes.
- Mascara is essential for making your eyes stand out; apply it at the root and consider tubing formulas to prevent smudging.
- Invest in a magnifying mirror which becomes invaluable as your eyesight changes, making makeup application significantly easier.
- Line the lower lash line first when using eyeliner to create an uplifting effect for hooded eyes.
- Do what makes you feel fabulous; if your makeup style doesn't adhere to typical rules, embrace what works for you!
As a professional makeup artist and over 40s makeup expert, around 80 per cent of people I work with struggle with their eye makeup.
For some, it’s the old "I can’t bloomin’ see what I’m doing" scenario (aka failing eyesight).
Then, there are those who have hooded eyes and are completely stumped by how to do hooded eye makeup in a way that enhances their eye shape, without it smudging or creasing.
If this is you and you've given up on eyeshadow, mascara and eyeliner for hooded eyes, I promise all is not lost.
Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about the best makeup techniques for hooded eyes, plus my favourite products for mature eye makeup.
What Are Hooded Eyes?
All of us are born with our own unique eye shape, and hooded eyes are just one of them.
Hooded eyes are characterised by skin folding down from the brow bone, creating the appearance of a smaller eyelid. They can be genetic, or something that happens over time as we age.
Factors like bone loss, gravity, loosening and crinkling of the skin and a reduction of collagen and elastin can cause the skin around the eyes to droop. But it's not all doom and gloom: it's called ageing, and it's a privilege!
You can learn more about hooded eyes in this helpful video below!
Mature Eyes and Hooded Eye Makeup Tips.
Makeup is meant to be fun above all else, but it can also be used to enhance and flatter your individual features.
Hooded eye makeup is no different - all it takes is a few changes to how you apply your eye makeup.
Here are my expert tips to enhance your natural or changing eye shape, and make your peepers shine.
1. Please, Stop Applying Highlighter on Your Brow Bone.
You know that heavy-ish fold of skin sitting under your brow bone you may have been born with or inherited with age?
When you “highlight” this, you’re making it appear more prominent and drawing more attention to it.
So, for the love of life itself, stop putting shimmery shadows or highlighters under your brow bone.
The good news is, your shimmery shadow days are far from over. Instead, pop that shimmery shadow on the inner corners of your eyes for extra sparkle.
The shimmer shades in the Designer Brands On The Go All in One Face Palette are some of my favourites.
2. Use a Long-wear Cream Eyeshadow Stick.
A long-wear cream eyeshadow is the most fool-proof way to wear eyeshadow for anyone, but it's one of my favourite game-changing makeup tips for over 40s.
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick and MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Resist Smoky Shadow both come in lots of awesome colours.
Long-wear cream eyeshadows don’t sit in the crinkles of your eyelids either. Plus, they don’t transfer and are dead-easy to apply.
Even if you struggle to see what you’re doing, trust me, you can do this. Simply choose an eyeshadow crayon, twist it up and colour in your eyelid.
It’s instant eyeshadow, without all the fuss.
3. Change the Way You Do Eyeshadow for Hooded Eyes.
Traditionally, we're taught to add dimension to the eye by blending a darker eyeshadow colour into the crease of the eye.
But if that hooded fold of skin has dropped down over your socket, there's no point.
Instead, achieve dimension, shape and lift by creating a "false" socket in another spot. Bronzers are a great tool for giving your eyes lift and balance.
Take a bit of matte bronzer like Benefit Hoola Matte on a pencil-shaped eyeshadow brush and run it under your lower lash line, then kick it out a little and upwards at the end.
This will give the illusion of more lifted-looking eyes and create balance.
You can watch exactly how I do this makeup technique for hooded eyes in this TikTok video below.
@adorebeauty Top 3 makeup tips for mature eyes with Amanda Ramsay 🥰💕 #maturemakeuptips #beauty #maturemakeup #beautyhack #makeuphacks #eyeshadow #fy #fyp
♬ original sound - Adore Beauty
4. Mascara for Hooded Eyes.
We want to see your beautiful eyes and mascara is the quickest way to make your eyes stand out.
Apply mascara to the root of your lashes first, really get stuck into it! Wiggle the wand close to the lash bed, then drag the mascara through the lengths of your eyelashes.
If you struggle with mascara transferring onto your eyelids, try a tubing mascara like Mirenesse Secret Weapon Mascara or Blinc Mascara Amplified because they're smudge-proof and won't budge, even if your eyes water.
5. Buy a Magnifying Mirror.
Magnifying mirrors are practically illegal until... you begin to lose your eyesight. I think they're essential once your eyesight has been compromised.
Do yourself a favour, get one. It'll make doing your eye makeup infinitely easier.
6. Eyeliner for Hooded Eyes.
Eyeliner does not always suit everyone's eye shape, particularly as eyes begin to “down turn” at the outer corners because it can accentuate that droopiness.
The best way I've found to do eyeliner for hooded eyes is to always line the lower lash line first.
By following the upwards angle of your lower lashes before applying eyeliner to your top lash line, your eyes will look more upturned.
Take a soft, waxy eyeliner pencil like Inika Mineral Eye Liner and line the outer third of your lower lash line. Kick it ever so slightly up beyond your upper lash line.
7. Do Whatever Makes You Feel Like a 10/10.
Finally, if you love your current makeup look and it doesn’t fit with the above guidelines, stuff it!
These are some of my expert tips to lift, flatter and enhance ageing eyes, but you do you.
Please just keep doing what makes you feel fabulous, because that, my beauties, is what makeup is all about.
P.S. I’m here to help you every step of the way to makeup confidence. If you're after more mature skin makeup tips, check out The Shine Sessions.
The Shine Sessions is your pro-age online makeup masterclass series that breaks everything down for you in 25 step-by-step makeup video tutorials. Plus, you can practice, re-watch and practice some more until you’ve confidently got the hang of it and makeup feels fun.
Watch more great over 40s makeup tips in the video above, or check out these stories:
