10 Must-Try Makeup Tips for Almond-Shaped Eyes
There are no good or bad eye shapes—all eyes are beautiful and unique. But it’s helpful to understand your specific eye shape so applying eyeshadow and eyeliner is both easier and more flattering. Today we’re talking about almond-shaped eyes. You probably have almond-shaped eyes if the iris (the colored part of your eye) hits both the top and bottom waterlines. You probably have a visible crease in your eyelids, and the outer corners of your eyes may be slightly lifted.
To help those with almond-shaped eyes nail any and all eye makeup looks—from lowkey daytime makeup to edgy nighttime styles—we chatted with celebrity makeup artist Jamie Dorman for her expertise. She’s painted the faces of stars like Madison Davenport, Gabriella Pizzolo, and Dascha Polanco, so she has the inside scoop on creating the most flattering looks for any eye shape.
Keep reading to learn about her top tricks to embrace almond-shaped eyes. We threw in a few we love, too!
Meet the Expert
Jamie Dorman is a New York-based celebrity makeup artist.
1. Keep your top eyeliner thin.
“To emphasize the almond shape, keep eyeliner thin on the upper lid and thicken it towards the outer 1/4th of the eye,” Dorman says. You can see how Kim Kardashian keeps her inky black liner from being too heavy towards the inner corners, which would take over her lids. Tip: Adding eyelashes and/or mascara can make the eyes look even bigger.
2. Apply thicker eyeliner in the middle.
Some folks with almond-shaped eyes like to exaggerate the shape, while others like to fake the appearance of round eyes—it’s all a matter of preference. If you prefer the latter, Dorman says to “make the thickest part of your liner be at the center of the top lid.” This draws the line into the middle and creates a rounder shape. We love IL MAKIAGE Black Card - Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner because it’s ultra-pigmented and lasts all day.
3. Curl your lashes.
It’s so simple but so easy to forget. Grab your lash curler and give your lashes a squeeze for a few seconds. Just be sure to find a curler with a shallower arc and wider opening so you’ll get every lash. Then, apply mascara and marvel at how wide and open your eyes look. And be sure to use your curler before mascara, not after. That way, you won’t pull some lashes out by mistake. Eek!
4. Apply lighter eyeshadow on your lids.
“On an almond eye it usually looks best if the crease shade is blended very lightly through the front of the crease, with the bulk of the intensity on the other half of the eye,” Dorman says. That means, when you do a cut crease, apply a lighter eyeshadow on the lids and blend heaving, deeper tones towards the back and top of the lids. Get all the natural-looking shades you need in the BELLE EN ARGENT Panchromatic Eyeshadow Palette in Nude Intuitive Vision.
5. Keep the end of your brows light.
It’s not just eye makeup hacks that can help your eyes pop. Grooming your brows can make a difference, too, since heavy brows can make eyes look smaller. “To bring more brightness to this eye shape, go light and thin on the outer part of the brow after the arch,” Dorman explains. “This will make the eye appear more open.”
6. Create a dramatic cat eye.
It’s not all about making your almond-shaped eyes look bigger and rounder. Sometimes, all you need to do is embrace your shape. Cat eye makeup (aka winged eyeliner), seen here on Lily Rose Depp, makes your eyes look even more almond-shaped and tells the world you love your eyes just the way they are.
7. Apply one color across the lids.
With almond-shaped eyes, it’s sometimes better to have less dimension. Crazy, right? Applying one eyeshadow color, like Lily Collins’ makeup artist did here, looks especially pretty—but you could also take it one step further by creating a wing shape with eyeshadow to accentuate the almond shape. We love using a bronze shade like DITO Eyeshadow in Mars for an all-over wash of color.
8. Apply eyeshadow on the lower lash line.
Accentuate your eye shape by applying eyeshadow only on the lower lash line (bonus points if you use a bright color!). Shay Mitchell went with a golden brown hue with more pigment on the outer corners of the eye, making the eye look more flirty. This is easiest with a skinny brush, such as REAL TECHNIQUES Fine Liner Brush.
9. Use lighter eyeliner on your bottom waterlines.
“If you choose to do liner on the inner rim of the eye in this shape, go for a lighter shade than your liner, like a light bronze,” Dorman says. “This will make the eye appear wider and will keep you from looking tired.” Opt for a white or cream eyeliner for the biggest eye-brightening effect. ESSENCE COSMETICS Kajal Pencil in White is creamy and easy to smudge if you so choose.
10. Be strategic with your smoky eye.
Instead of applying a typical smoky eye, another option is to go for more of a “halo” effect. That means applying a darker shade on the outer and inner corners of the lids and a lighter one in the center, which will brighten up the eyes instantly. Go the extra mile with a shimmery shadow as your lighter shade (if you need inspo, pick one of the shades in ORYZA Precious Platinum Shimmer Eyeshadow), then step back and watch your eyes glow.
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