What are hooded eyelids? If you’ve ever spent ages perfecting your eyeshadow look only to have it disappear under your eyelid the moment you open your eyes, you probably have hooded eyelids.
This totally common trait means that excess skin can make it hard to see your eye makeup once it’s applied, and it can be frustrating for those who have it.
What are hooded eyelids?
A hooded eyelid is one that has excess skin which folds down from the brow bone to the eyelash line. This common trait can be caused by genetics or may develop as you age, and there are lots of ways to work around it if you want to.
Hooded eyelids might be a little trickier to apply makeup to but they should be embraced for their beauty.
To help you find out how to make the most of this unique trait and see which celebrities also enjoy a hooded eyelid, we’ve created the ultimate guide to get you started.
What Are Hooded Eyelids?
Hooded eyelids are a specific eye shape where excess skin covers down from the brow bone to the lash line.
A hooded eyelid is named as such because this skin creates a hood over the top of the eye and underneath the eyebrow, but doesn’t cover the eye itself, and it shows a crease rather than the eyelid.
While there’s no harm in having this facial trait, some people find it annoying, particularly when trying to apply eyeshadows, eyeliners, and mascaras to the area.
However, with a little persistence and some tricks, you can learn how to accentuate the eyes instead, just as others do with their unique eye shape.
If you’re still not sure whether you have hooded eyelids, you can usually tell with a quick glance in the mirror.
Open your eyes without forcing them and if most or all of the skin of your upper eyelids has been covered by the skin underneath your eyebrows, you likely have hooded eyelids as well.
The Causes of Hooded Eyelids
Hooded eyelids are considered one of the most common eye shape types, even if it can feel like you’re all alone if you have them.
Most of the time, hooded eyelids are simply caused by genetics and are a hereditary trait that you’ve picked up from someone in your family, whether it be a recent or ancient ancestor.
If you already have hooded eyelids, you may find the problem becomes more prominent as you age, due to the natural sagging and loss of fat in the skin.
Unless you’re experiencing issues with sight because of how much skin s covering your eyes, or if the eyelids are starting to droop, there’s no harm in having hooded eyelids and they should be embraced with the rest of your facial features.
Treatments and Procedures Possible
Although it can be annoying to deal with at first, there are lots of tips you can use to accentuate your eyes and work with the hooded feature.
For those wanting to go beyond some carefully placed eyeshadow though, you might want to consider the surgical route for dealing with hooded eyelids.
A blepharoplasty is the most common surgery used for this trait and is surgery that focuses on the eyelids. During this procedure, a surgeon will remove any excess skin and fat from your eyelids by making a small incision and then reconnecting the tissue with stitches.
Although it can be effective when done right, there are lots of risks involved any time you undergo surgery and especially in an area as sensitive as your eyelids.
Some of the risks involve permanently blurred vision, visible scarring, and developing a hematoma, so they all need to be discussed with a doctor.
Hooded Eyelids vs Droopy Eyes
If your hooded eyes are starting to cause you problems with vision or you’re noticing they’re drooping more than usual, this is likely caused by a condition called ptosis.
Ptosis is where the eyelids droop and it can be caused by an injury or underlying medical problem, so if you’re concerned you should seek medical advice.
People often confuse their hooded eyelids with droopy eyes, but they’re very different things.
Hooded eyelids are usually a genetic trait and have to do with the excess skin underneath the eyebrow, and droopy eyes will physically prevent you from being able to open your eyes the whole way.
Although there are mild cases of ptosis and drooping, it can become serious, unlike hooded eyelids that will usually cause no issues.
If you want to find out more about your eyelids and whether they fall into the drooping or hooded category, a visit with a health professional will be able to clear it up.
Famous Celebrities With Hooded Eyes
People who have had hooded eyes their whole life or find the problem getting worse as they age might start to feel self-conscious about the facial trait.
To put your mind at ease and show you there are plenty of beautiful and super-famous people who share these hooded eyelids with you, check out these celebrities with them as well:
- Jennifer Lawrence
- Emma Stone
- Blake Lively
- Taylor Swift
- Brad Pitt
- Tom Cruise
Makeup Tips for Hooded Eyelids
Everyone deserves a makeup routine that accentuates their best features and minimizes their worst, and when it comes to hooded eyelids, there are loads of famous faces you can copy off.
Here are a few tips for creating a look for your eyes that will take away some of the effects that your hooded eyelids have:
- Find a quality eyelid primer and apply it liberally before you get started. By keeping the eyelid moisturized, you’ll prevent the obvious creasing and ensure that your eyeshadow stays put for longer.
- Choose a neutral color for your eyeshadow base and use this as your go-to for all of your looks. The color should be just one shade lighter than your skin tone and applied directly on top of your primer once it’s set. Matte eyeshadows work best and are the easiest to work with.
- Apply another neutral shade, but this time slightly darker, and cover the socket and then blend outwards. While applying the eyeshadow keep your eyes open so you can see the areas that will actually be visible when you’re done.
- Choose the final neutral shade that’s slightly darker again and use this to connect the outer edge of the lash line through to the socket. This will form a natural V shape that gives your eyes a deeper look.
- Apply some liquid eyeliner to the root of your eyelashes at the waterline and avoid putting any liner above the lashes at all. Doing this can minimize the appearance of the eyes and take away from the smaller space we’re already working with.
- Curl the lashes and coat with mascara, both the top and bottom lashes. If you want to apply false lashes, choose separated ones that let you create a wide-eyed look to make your eyeshadow.
Eyes That Work For You
One of the great things about the world is that we’re all different and each of us has special facial traits that make us who we are.
If you’ve always looked at your hooded eyelids as a negative it’s time to change your thinking and accentuate this unique facial trait so you can learn to love them.
Related Questions
Hooded eyelids are just one type of eyelid shape that people have, with each person requiring a special approach to doing their eye makeup.
To find out more about the uniqueness of eyes and what they mean for your facial structure, read on for a few FAQs.
Resources
https://aestheticplasticsurgeons.org.au/news/hooded-upper-eyelids-causes-treatment-and-benefits/
https://www.visioncenter.org/conditions/hooded-eyes/