Ever follow a makeup tutorial step-by-step only to end up wondering why it looks… off?
You’re not alone — and the secret isn’t the pricey palette or perfect brush technique It’s your eye shape. Every pair of eyes is unique, and understanding yours is a total game-changer for how your makeup lands.
In this guide, we’ll help you identify your eye shape, uncover what makes each one special, and share pro tips that actually work. Do check out the fascinating eye facts you’ll definitely want to drop at your next party.
Click here to find your eye shape with 👉 AI EYE SHAPE FINDER
What kind of Eyes do you have? A 3-Step Guide to Find Out
Figuring out your eye shape is way easier than you think. Seriously. You don’t need any fancy tools, just a mirror. Let’s do this right now.
Step 1: Check for a CreaseÂ
First things first, stand in front of a mirror, look straight ahead, and just relax your face. Do you see a visible fold or crease on your eyelid?
- If you can’t see a crease at all, you’ve likely got monolid eyes. This is a fantastic canvas for bold looks!
- If you have a crease, but a little bit of skin droops over it, then you’re probably looking at hooded eyes.
Step 2: Find the Angle of Your Outer CornersÂ
Okay, for this next part, imagine a perfectly straight horizontal line going right through the middle of your eyes. Now, look at the outer corners. Where do they sit?
- If the corners flick upward, you’ve got upturned eyes. Lucky you, that’s a natural cat-eye!
- If they point slightly downward, you have downturned eyes.
- And If they sit right on that imaginary line, you’re likely in the almond or round eye family. We’ll figure that out next.
Step 3: Look at the Overall Shape and SpacingÂ
Last step. Look at your iris (the colored part) and the whites around it.
- Can you see the whites of your eyes above or below the iris when you’re looking straight ahead? If so, you’ve got round eyes.
- If your iris touches both the top and bottom of your eyelid, then you have almond eyes.
Also, check the space between your eyes. Is it smaller than the width of one of your eyes? That’s close-set. If it’s wider, you’ve got wide-set eyes. Simple as that!
👉 Find your eye-shape now with AI Eye-Shape Detector
Eye Shape Chart: 12 Types Explained
Alright, let’s get into the details of each eye shape. You’ll probably see yourself in one of these descriptions.
Almond Eyes
- Often called the most versatile shape because almost any makeup look works. It’s the luck of the draw!
- You’ll see a clear crease, and your iris touches both the top and bottom lids.
- There’s a little upward lift at the outer corners.
Round Eyes
- These eyes look big, bright, and open. The whites are usually visible all around the iris.
- They’re pretty much equal in height and width, giving them that circular appearance.
Monolid Eyes
- A monolid means there’s no visible crease on the eyelid, creating a smooth surface.
- This shape is common in East Asia and is an amazing canvas for graphic liner or a dramatic smokey eye. A smudge-proof kajal is your best friend here!
Hooded Eyes
- With hooded eyes, an extra layer of skin folds down from the brow bone over the crease, making your eyelid look smaller.
- This is super common and can also happen as we get older [Source: Plastic Surgery]. The trick is to apply eyeshadow a bit higher than the crease.
Upturned Eyes
- Just like it sounds, the outer corners of the eyes point upward, giving a natural winged effect.
- People often call these ‘cat eyes,’ and they bring a beautiful, lifted look to the face.
👉 AI EYE SHAPE FINDER
Downturned Eyes
- The outer corners slope downward, which can create a really soft, romantic, or even sultry look.
- Think of classic Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe. It’s a very vintage, beautiful shape.
Close-Set EyesÂ
- The space between the eyes is less than the width of one eye.
- This can create a very striking and intense gaze. The key with makeup is to use light colours on the inner corner to create an illusion of more space.
Wide-Set EyesÂ
Here, the space between the eyes is wider than one eye’s width.
This shape gives the face a very open and exotic appearance. You can play with bold colours on the inner corner to balance things out.
Flattering Makeup Tips for Every Eye Shape
Here’s the fun part—using makeup to play up your gorgeous, unique eye shape. These aren’t rules, just pro tips to get you started.
Eyeliner Techniques to Enhance Your ShapeÂ
- Almond Eyes:Â Honestly, you can pull off pretty much any liner style. Go wild!
- Round Eyes:Â To create a more elongated, almond-like shape, extend your eyeliner into a wing.
- Monolid: A thick, bold line along the upper lash line looks incredible. Don’t be shy with it.
- Hooded:Â The key is a thin line right against the lashes. A thick line can get lost when your eye is open.
- Upturned:Â You already have a natural lift, so a small, subtle wing is all you need to enhance it.
- Downturned: A sharp, upward wing is your best friend. It’ll lift the outer corner beautifully.
Eyeshadow Placement for Balance and DefinitionÂ
- Almond: A classic technique is to sweep a darker shade into the outer ‘V’ of your eye to add depth.
- Round:Â Keep darker colours on the outer half of your lid to elongate the eye.
- Monolid:Â Create a gradient effect, with the darkest shade closest to the lash line, fading upwards.
- Hooded: Here’s the thing: you need to apply your crease colour above your actual crease so you can see it when your eyes are open.
- Upturned:Â You can balance the lift by adding a pop of darker shadow on the outer part of your lower lash line.
- Downturned:Â Focus your darker eyeshadow on the upper lid, blending it up and out to create lift.
The Best Mascara and Lash StylesÂ
- Almond:Â Again, most lash styles work perfectly.
- Round:Â Go for lashes that are longer and more flared at the outer corners to create a cat-eye effect.
- Monolid:Â Individual lashes can give you a really customized, natural look.
- Hooded:Â Curling your lashes is non-negotiable! It opens up the eye instantly.
- Upturned:Â Focus mascara volume on the center lashes to really open up the eye.
- Downturned:Â Emphasize the lashes on the outer corner to help with that lifting effect.
Did You Know?
Ready for some fun facts? Here are a few things about eye shapes that might make you go ‘huh!’.
1. Rarest Natural Feature:Â While we talk a lot about shape, did you know that only about 2% of people worldwide have naturally green eyes? Meanwhile, hooded eyes are incredibly common, especially as people get older. [Source: All About Vision]
2. Nature’s Perfect Canvas: Makeup artists often say almond eyes are the most versatile shape to work on. It’s because their balanced proportions and visible lid space make them a breeze for trying out different looks. [Source: Byrdie]
3. Aging Can Change Things: Yep, your eye shape isn’t set in stone. As skin loses elasticity over the years, many people find their eyes become more hooded. It’s a totally natural process. [Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology]
4. A Classic Beauty Secret:Â Downturned eyes, which sometimes get a bad rap today, were actually a signature feature of bombshells like Marilyn Monroe. It just goes to show that beauty standards are always changing. [Source: Byrdie]
The ‘Most Attractive’ Eye Shape: Unpacking the Myth
Let’s get real for a second. You’ve probably seen articles or posts claiming one eye shape is the ‘ideal’ or ‘most beautiful.’ Most of the time, they point to almond eyes. But here’s the truth: that’s complete nonsense.
Beauty Standards vs. Your Unique Features
There is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ eye shape. Period.
What’s considered beautiful in one culture might be totally different in another.
The goal should always be to enhance what you’ve got, not try to fit into some random mold.
Your makeup should be a celebration of your features, not a mask to hide them.
Why Every Eye Shape Is Beautiful
Every single shape has its own unique charm and creates different expressions.
Think about it—iconic celebrities and public figures represent every eye shape out there.
Plus, with the right techniques, any shape can be a canvas for stunning makeup. It’s all about knowing how to work your angles.
At the end of the day, confidence is what really shines through, not the specific geometry of your eyelids. Find your eye type with AI Eye type Finder
Frequently Asked Questions
Almond eyes tend to be one of the most common shapes you’ll see around the world, with round eyes not far behind. But honestly, most people are a unique mix of different features, so don’t worry if you don’t fit perfectly into one box.
Yes, it can. A procedure called blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, can alter the shape by removing extra skin or fat. It’s often used for hooded eyes. [Source: Mayoclinic]
Not at all! It’s totally normal for one eye to be slightly different from the other. In fact, perfect facial symmetry is incredibly rare. Most people have slight differences, and that’s part of what makes your face unique.
They sure do. As we get older, our skin naturally loses some of its elasticity. For the eye area, this often means developing more of a ‘hooded’ look as the skin on the brow bone starts to droop a little. It’s a completely normal part of aging.
Makeup artists often point to almond eyes as the most straightforward canvas because of their balanced shape and ample lid space. But that doesn’t mean they’re ‘better.’ Every shape has its own strengths—round eyes are amazing for big, doll-like looks, and monolids are perfect for sharp, graphic liner. [Source: Allure]
Conclusion
So, now you know! Understanding your eye shape is the first real step to becoming your own makeup artist. Remember, there’s no ‘best’ or ‘perfect’ shape—each one is beautiful and has its own unique advantages. The goal isn’t to change how you look, but to celebrate your natural features. So grab your eyeliner, have some fun, and experiment with what makes you feel amazing. You’ve got this.