There’s a great scene with Michael Douglas and Paul Reiser in a Season 2 episode of The Kominsky Method that runs on Neflix. And by the way, if you haven’t seen this series, give it a try. Many of the challenges, issues, and concerns that we face after 50 are explored through wonderfully written scripts that include great humor.

Michael Douglas is getting to know his daughter’s boyfriend who happens to be Douglas’ age. Needless to say, Douglas is not the least bit thrilled that his daughter is dating a man old enough to be her father.

But all of a sudden, as they start talking, the topic of Woodstock comes up, and they immediately become energized and bond as they share their love of music from that era.

Certainly, there are many things that bond those of us who are 50+. We may remember watching Neil Armstrong take that first step out onto the Moon. And who can forget 45 records, hula hoops, transistor radios, and seeing The Beatles for the first time on Ed Sullivan’s show?

And then there are those interesting issues that start to crop up that bond us as well… think disappearing eyebrows and – for many of us – hooded eyes.

Be sure to check out Elise’s new YouTube channel which specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those of us 50+. And don’t forget to subscribe!

What Exactly Is a Hooded Eye?

So, what exactly is a hooded eye? Hooded eyes form when we have excess skin folding down from the brow bone to the lash line which makes our eyes look smaller. We can be born with hooded eyes or they can be a result of our skin changing as we get older.

There are varying degrees of how hooded our eyes can be. We might have just a small amount of skin that folds down, or might be so large that it looks like we don’t have a crease above our eyelid.

Makeup Techniques That Can Help Hooded Eyes Look Larger and More Lifted

Since hooded eyes tend to make our eyes look smaller, it’s important that we use the right makeup techniques that will make our eyes look larger and more lifted.

Here are my 9 tips:

Fill in Eyebrows to Lift the Eye Area

Filling in our eyebrows is one of the four research-proven makeup techniques that can help us look our best. And, filling in the brows provides a frame for our eyes which helps lift our eye area.

Avoid Low Brow Tails

Be sure to avoid bringing the “tail” of each eyebrow too low which creates eye droopiness. To find out where your brow should end, put a thin pen along the edge of your nose and angle it so it goes across the outer edge of your eye up to your eyebrow. This is where the brow should stop.

Use Light Eyeshadow Color

Light eyeshadow colors can have a great lifting and enlarging effect when used in the proper places. Those would be the eyelids, under the arch of the brow, and the inner corner of your eye.

Apply Mid-Tone Eyeshadow Colors

Use a mid-tone eyeshadow in the crease. If the mid-tone color cannot be seen when you look straight into a mirror, carry the mid-tone color up higher. In essence, you are creating a “new crease.”

Bring the mid-tone color straight out toward the “tail” of the brow rather than following the curve of the eye crease toward the bottom of the eye. This helps lift the eye.

Go for Backward 7

Create a “backward 7” on the outer area of each eye with a darker eyeshadow color.

Use Eyeliner in Specific Places

Apply a very thin line of eyeliner to each eye. If the hood of your eye prevents eyeliner from showing, dot eyeliner between your lashes and/or apply waterproof eyeliner to the waterline of your eyelid under your top lashes.

You could also use a bent eyeliner brush and apply a very thin line of cream eyeliner directly on top of your upper eyelashes.

I also advise putting eyeliner only on the outer 1/3 of the bottom of your eye and smudging it out softly with a “smudger” or a Q-tip.

Flesh-toned waterproof eyeliner pencils look very good on the bottom waterline of the eye.

Eyeshadow as Eyeliner

If you choose to use eyeshadow as eyeliner, make it waterproof by adding a drop of a product such as Makeup Forever’s Aquaseal or Inglot’s Duraline to your eyeshadow. How?

Put a drop of this product on the back of your hand. Dip your brush into the eyeshadow and then into the Aquaseal or Duraline product. Be sure to wash your brush off quickly afterwards since these products can stiffen brushes and make them unusable.

Go Waterproof for Mascara

Often, mascara will transfer onto hooded eyes so you may wish to select a waterproof product.

Choose a Lighter Colored Concealer

Apply a slightly lighter than your skin tone colored concealer in the area from under your eye toward the tail of your eyebrow. This technique will also help lift the eye area.

Were you born with hooded eyes or have you developed them as you’ve gotten older? If you have hooded eyes, have you discovered any eye makeup techniques that work for you? Do you plan to give any of the techniques listed above a try? If so, which one(s)? Let’s have a conversation!