It's actually quite easy to determine the shape of your eyes as long as you have a mirror and a few minutes to spare. In addition to the shape of the eyes, you may also want to pay attention to the position of the eyes on the face, as this can also affect the overall appearance of the eyes.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Identify the Eye Shape
Step 1. Look at your eyes in the mirror
Go to a well-lit room with a mirror. Point the mirror as close to you as possible to have a clear view of at least one eye.
- A magnifying mirror is an ideal piece of equipment, but any type of mirror is fine as long as you can see clearly. Mirrors like this include mirrors that you can't carry around, such as those that hang on a wall or cupboard, as well as mirrors that you can carry around, such as powder mirrors.
- Natural light is often the best light, but as long as you can see your eyes clearly, artificial lighting is also fine.
Step 2. Ask yourself whether your eyelids have creases or not
If your eyelids don't have creases, then you have "single-lid" eyes. On the other hand, if your eyelids have creases, you will need to continue before identifying the shape of the eye.
- Note that the eyelid crease does not need to be visible to be identified. Eyes that do have "one eyelid" do not have a crease.
- “One eyelid” eyes are considered the basic eye shape, so if you have eyes like this, you don't need to proceed to the steps in the “Shape” section of this article. However, you can proceed to the section on “Positioning”.
Step 3. Pay attention to the position of the outer corner of the eye
Imagine that there is a straight horizontal line running along the center of both eyes. Ask yourself whether the outer corner of the eye is above or below this center line. If the corners of your eyes are above this line, then you have a “looking up” eye. Likewise, if the corners of your eyes are below this line, you have "downcast" eyes.
- It can be difficult to visualize the center line of the eye, so if necessary, you can place a disposable coffee stirrer or thin pencil over the horizontal part of one eye. Use the unobstructed eye to observe the position of the outer corner of the unobstructed eye.
- If the outer corner of the eye falls near the center line, you will need to further identify the basic eye shape.
- If you have “upturning” eyes, you can stop grouping your eyes in the steps in the “Shape” section and move on to the “Position” section.
Step 4. Take a closer look at the crease on the eyelid
With your eyes wide open, ask yourself if the eyelid crease is visible or hidden. If the crease is hidden under the top lid or brow bone, then you have a "hooded" eye shape.
- Stop here if you have identified your eye shape as a “hooded” eye. This is your basic eye shape, so you can skip the other steps in this section and move on to the “Position” section of this article.
- If the eyelid crease is visible, you need to proceed to the last step of this section.
Step 5. Check the whites of the eyes
More specifically, look at the white part around the iris of the eye, which is the colored part of the eye. If you can see the white around the top or bottom of the iris, you have a "round" eye shape. If you can't see the white above or below the iris, you have almond-shaped eyes.
- The “round” and “almond” shape eyes are the basic eye shapes.
- If you do not have an identifiable eye shape as indicated in the previous steps of this section, then your eye shape is simply “round” or “almond”.
- This is the last shape that can be observed when identifying the shape of the eye. The only other thing to think about after this is the position of the eyes on the face.
Method 2 of 3: Identify Eye Position
Step 1. Look again in the mirror
Like when identifying the shape of the eye, you need to take a closer look at the eye using a mirror in a well-lit location. However, unlike before, you have to make sure both eyes are visible in the mirror. One eye is not enough to determine eye position accurately.
Step 2. Examine the inner corner of the eye
More precisely, examine the gap between the inner corners of the eyes. If this gap is less than one eye long, then you have narrow eyes. If this gap is greater than the length of one eye, you have wide eyes.
- It is also possible that this gap is about the size of an eyeball. In this case, the gap length is not very important and should not be considered.
- This step only identifies the width of the eye. This doesn't affect depth or size, so you'll still need to move on to the other steps in this section even if you have wide or narrow eyes.
Step 3. Pay attention to the depth of the eye
Most people don't need to pay attention to eye depth when determining eye position, but some people have deep or protruding eyes.
- The deep eye appears as if it has entered the eye socket, causing the upper eyelid to appear short and small.
- On the other hand, bulging eyes actually appear to stick out of the eye sockets and towards the upper lash line.
- Since this step only identifies the depth of the eye, you will still need to proceed to the next steps of this section to determine the eye size.
Step 4. Compare the eyes to other parts of the face
Compare eyes with mouth and nose. The average eye size will be the same as the mouth or nose, if not a little smaller. However, if the eyes are really smaller, you have small eyes. If your eyes are bigger than the rest of your face, you have big eyes.
As with eye depth, most people don't need to pay attention to eye size
Method 3 of 3: Preferred Makeup Instructions for Eye Shape and Position
Step 1. Apply makeup according to eye shape
For most women, the shape of the eyes will determine the best way to apply eye makeup.
- For single-fold eyes, create a slanted tint for added dimension. Apply dark colors near the lash line, soft neutral colors towards the center of the eye, and bright colors near the eyebrows.
- If you have upturned eyes, apply dark or shadow eyeshadow along the lower outer corner of your eye, so that the outer corner of your eye appears lower.
- If you have drooping eyes, apply eyeshadow close to your upper lash line and blend the eyeshadow around the eye socket, but only on the outer two-thirds of the eye. This will "lift" the overall appearance of the eye.
- For hooded eyes, use medium to dark colors and apply as little eyeshadow as possible to avoid over-looking eyes.
- If you have round eyes, apply medium to dark colors to the center of your eyes and use light colors to highlight the corners of your eyes. That way, you "reduce" the overall shape of the eye.
- If you have almond eyes, you have what is considered an "ideal" shape. You can try any look with eye makeup.
Step 2. Consider eye distance
If you have wide or narrow eyes, you also need to consider those characteristics when deciding how to apply eye makeup.
- For narrow eyes, use light colors on the inner corner of the eye and dark colors on the outer corner of the eye. Also line the outer corner of the eye with mascara. This will lengthen the outer corner of the eye.
- For wide eyes, apply dark shadow to the inner corner of the eye as close as possible and apply mascara to the eyelashes from the center of the eye towards the nose. As a result, the eyes will look narrower.
Step 3. Also consider the depth of the eye
Eye depth doesn't really play a big role in makeup application, but there are a few things to consider.
- If you have deep eyes, apply light colors on the upper lid and darker colors above the eye socket line. This distracts the eye and draws it out.
- If you have bulging eyes, use medium to dark colors around the top and bottom of the eye, extending the tint no longer than the crease on the other side. Using a little more color than usual can add more hue to the eye, making the eye appear deeper into the eye socket.
Step 4. Pay attention to typical things including small or large eyes
The amount of eye makeup you should use will vary if your eye shape is determined to be out of the norm.
- Small eyes tend to look overdone when they're painted in dark colors, so stick to light to medium colors and avoid making your lash line look heavy with too much eyeshadow or mascara.
- Big eyes provide more space, so you can play around with different looks. However, medium to dark colors tend to make the appearance better, as light colors can actually make your eyes appear bigger.
