How to Apply Makeup to Hooded Eyes Over 50 (Step-by-Step Tutorial)
If your eye makeup stopped working somewhere in your 50s — you’re not imagining it. Hooded eyes change everything about how eyeshadow, liner and mascara sit on your lids, and the techniques you’ve used your whole life simply don’t apply anymore. The good news is that once you understand the mechanics of what’s happening, it’s completely workable. Here’s exactly what works now for hooded eyes over 50, step by step with photos, from someone who lives with them every day.
*This post contains affiliate links.
I want to give you some tips and tricks to help in dealing with hooded eyes. FYI-before we dig in to hooded eyelids over 50- If you are looking for the best lashes for women over 50, you’ll want to see this post: The Best Lashes over 50 and if you want an “instant fix”(ex. special occasions) these lid correcting strips work instantly to lift the lids -they’re easy to use and you won’t feel them at all.
Table of Contents
Products used in this post
Everything I use in this tutorial is linked below. I’ll walk you through exactly how and where I use each one in the steps that follow.
Before
Here is a “before” photo, sans make-up……(Stifle that gasp, please 😂 .)
You can see that I definitely have hooded eyes going on. The skin from the upper part of my eye is beginning to droop onto my mobile lid.
After
And here is the “after” photo, with a natural-look makeup (It was also a little later in the day so the sun was brighter coming into the window).
It’s still only me- and my eyes still look mature- because they ARE mature BUT the difference is quite amazing considering it’s all just using color to play with the light! My eyes appear less hooded, brighter and generally just more AWAKE! The lighting washed out the colors a bit, but I always tend to wear a lighter, more natural look and you can see the effect is still very visible.
Your eyes now require a different approach when applying makeup. Don’t be scared to experiment with colors and applications. Find colors that you enjoy and that compliment your eye color and then work on placement.
Best Tip For Makeup Application on Aging Eyes
**Think about this when applying your eye makeup: Place darker colors on the places you would like to hide or make less noticeable…..creating a shadow. Place lighter colors on the areas that you would like to “bring forward” or accentuate…….creating a highlight.
Eye Makeup I’m Using for My Hooded Eyes
I am using an inexpensive and easy to find palette. It’s predecessor is by NYX and is called the “Ultimate Shadow Palette”. If you want something a little more substantial for the long haul the Tarte Tartelette In Bloom Clay Palette is a holy grail for mature eyes because the Amazonian clay formula doesn’t settle into fine lines or accent crease lines
I use this brush set and I’ve had them for years now. You just need a decent set of essential eye makeup brushes. The ones I’ve linked are perfect, about $20 and you’ll use them again and again. I will note the ones I use for each step.
Step by Step Hooded Eyelid Tutorial
Step 1: Use a lid primer
Use an eyeshadow primer. If you’re over 40, this is a MUST if you are wearing anything at all on your lids. Now that the skin on our lids is looser, anything that touches them will end up settling into the crease. The only one that works for me is Two Faced Shadow Insurance. This holds everything on my lids right where I put it and it lasts all day. (and because you use so little, a tube lasts forever!) I highly recommend it. You can get it HERE, on Amazon.
Step 2: Add a flesh toned neutral shadow
- Find a flesh toned nuetral, matte shade and sweep it from the lash line to the brow bone to give you an even, all over matte canvas to begin. This will even out any discolorations on the lids as well. I used the third one over from the top with the #9 oval shadow brush, seen below.
If the skin on your eye is quite loose, reach over with the other hand and lift the skin while applying shadow, to create a smooth lid.
Step 3: A Medium Matte Shade
- A medium matte shade will be your new best friend. It can be any color, but it needs to be matte. This is the color you will use to create an illusion, and cause your hood to appear receded. It takes some practice but looking straight into the mirror and using a crease brush, place this color above your ACTUAL crease, right on the puffy part and sweep along the natural shape of your eye.This will probably seem quite high on your eye the first time you do it. This color MUST be VISIBLE when you look straight into the mirror. If it isn’t you need to place it higher.
Try doing one eye and look at the effect created, compared to the other eye. It is quite dramatic in the way that this shadow appears to push the hood back.
I used the 4th color over from the top with the #4 pointed crease brush, seen below.
Step 4: Blend
- Use a soft blending brush to softly blend and blur any line, using a small circular motion. I used the #5 blending brush.
Step 5: Accentuate the main part of the eye lid.
- To further enhance the look, use a very light catching matte or shimmery shade on the center of the mobile part of your lid. You want this color to be light and bright to draw attention to the main lid and make it pop out more. I find that this color placement goes on best just using my finger. I used the first one on the top, seen below. Place it directly in the center of your main eye lid and bring it to the lash line, so that it’s visible.
Step 6: A tiny highlight for brow lift
- Next, use a light highlighting shade and a very small, stiffer brush. Only place brow highlighter just below the arch of the brow in a thin line. It should give a nice effect when it catches the light, but don’t bring it down any further, to avoid highlighting a puffy, upper lid. I used the first one on the bottom with the #10 brow/liner brush, seen below.
Optional: Eyeliner
- Eyeliner is a personal preference. When using eyeliner on hooded eyes, keep it extremely tight. You don’t want to take up any of that precious lid space. Use an eyeliner with a tip that is very fine and gives you great control. Depending on your own eye shape, play with the looks that look the best on you. But for MOST mature eyes, when it comes to liner- less is more and placement is everything. Today I used Wet n’ Wild liquid liner in electric purple which helps to accentuate my hazel eye color.
Step 7: Lashes
- Curling your lashes and adding mascara (BEST for mature lashes!) will really make your hooded eyes pop. I’ve personally obsessed with this lash system for years and you can read all about that here if you’re interested. But you can add some really great false lashes for about $10 now that last for a week or more to make them even more dramatic .
Step 8: Brows
- Do your brows. Your eyebrows are the frame for your face. There are many brow kits out there now. The one I’m using is from Ulta and is quite easy to use. You don’t have to do anything dramatic. Just pluck any major strays and use the brush to lightly fill in where your brows are sparse using a shade that’s closest to your brow color. A brow shape that is straight across will accentuate your hooded eyes, whereas a lifted arch will automatically give the eye a more “lifted” appearance.
Frequently Asked Questions — Eye Makeup for Hooded Eyes Over 50
*What is the most important step for hooded eyes over 50?
Eye primer without question. Once the skin on your lids loosens, nothing stays in place without it. I’ve tried many and the only one that truly works for me is Two Faced Shadow Insurance — a little goes a long way and a tube lasts months.
Where do you apply eyeshadow on hooded eyes?
Higher than you think. The key shift with hooded eyes is placing your crease shadow above your actual crease — on the puffy part itself — so it’s visible when you look straight ahead. If you can’t see it looking straight into the mirror, it needs to go higher.
Should you wear eyeliner with hooded eyes over 50?
Yes, but keep it minimal and tight to the lash line. Thick liner takes up precious lid space and can make hooded eyes look heavier. A fine-tipped liner tight to the lashes — or a subtle tight line — works far better than a traditional liner application.
How do you make hooded eyes look bigger?
Three things together make the biggest difference: a light shimmer shade on the center of the mobile lid, a brow highlight just under the arch, and well-curled lashes with a good lengthening mascara. The combination draws attention upward and opens the eye.
What eyeshadow colors work best for hooded eyes over 50?
Matte shades for the crease and hood — shimmer on the hood emphasizes puffiness. Save shimmer for the center of the lid only. Neutral tones are the most forgiving but any color works as long as the finish in the crease is matte.
That’s it!I hope you found this mature eye makeup tutorial helpful. If you’re bothered or frustrated with your hooded eyes, don’t be afraid to play and experiment with eye makeup. It takes some practice, but it’s fun and when you find the right shades and colors, you can actually love the way your eyes look! Makeup is art, so do what you want and what makes YOU happy. But the above tips will work for anyone who is looking to help reduce the look of hooded eyes.
Everything I used is linked throughout the post and in the products section above. If you have questions about any of the steps drop them in the comments — I read every one. And if this was helpful, share it with a friend who’s been struggling with the same thing. It’s one of those posts that tends to get passed around.
Do your older eyes give you trouble? I’d love to hear any of your eye makeup tips that work for your more mature eyes.
You may also be interested in:
My skin care essentials over 50.
European Skincare I’m Loving Over 50
Makeup Hacks for Women Over 50
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I’ve had hooded eyes for as long as I can remember. A girlfriend of mine got eyelid surgery and loved it. I’m too scared to go under the knife.
You did a great job on the makeup. I do find that highlighting under the brow helps my issue.
bisous
Suzanne
Great post! I think you should do a video! I have always had hooded eyes and it is hard to wear shadow. Thanks for the tips!
Peace!
Cheryl
This was a great post, thanks for the tips! As a fellow over 40 make up addict, Iv noted every tip to use in my next application. Thank you
Hi – I enjoyed your post and thank you for the great make-up tips! FWIW, I think you still look very pretty in your before post – certainly nothing to scream or get divorced over. I have more crow’s feet and more deeply hooded eyelids than you. Should I scream in despair over how I look without make-up? Aging isn’t shameful. Wrinkles are just a fact of life for all of us, even Kylie Jenner! Let’s celebrate the women’s natural beauty at all shapes, sizes, colors, and ages. Fashion and make-up are for personal expression, not to ‘fix’ us (when we are not really broken.)
Thank you for the reminder Beverly. I guess I was forgetting how to grow old gracefully