How to Find the Best Eyeliner Look for Your Eye Shape (2025)

If you’ve been doing your eyeliner the same way for years, here’s some motivation to bust out of your rut. In addition to defining your eyes, the right eyeliner application has the power to make you look less tired (insert praise hands emoji here), make your eyes appear bigger, and even enhance their shape. I asked celebrity makeup artist Alexandria Gilleo, who creates stunning looks on soccer stars Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris and author Gabby Bernstein for the liner looks that make each eye shape look, as she says, “lifted and gifted,” adding, “there aren’t any rules in makeup so have fun while trying different looks.”

1. Monolid Eye Shape

You know you have monolid eyes if you don't have a crease in your eyelids.

Eyeliner look you’ll love: Winged

“Creating a winged look helps to elongate the eye shape and add definition,” Gilleo explains. Draw a thin line along the upper lash line and extend it slightly upward towards the end, she says. “Then, wing it out towards the outer corner of the eye.”

2. Hooded Eye Shape

If you have a hooded eye shape, the part of your eyelid that's above the crease is more prominent, and appears like a "hood" over the lower part of your lid.

Eyeliner look you’ll love: Tightline

“Since hooded eyes have a fold of skin that covers the eyelid, tightlining—drawing eyeliner on the waterline—helps to define the eyes without overwhelming the space,” Gilleo says. Apply a thin line along the upper waterline, just beneath the lashes.

3. Upturned Eye Shape

The upturned eye shape is pretty self-explanatory—the outer edges of the eyes turn up a bit, giving you a little bit of lift there.

Eyeliner look you’ll love: Dramatic flick

Emphasize the natural uplifted shape by creating a winged liner with a dramatic flick, recommends Gilleo. “Apply eyeliner along the upper lash line, extending it slightly past the outer corner of the eye and flicking it upwards at a sharper angle.”

4. Downturned Eye Shape

Essentially, a downturned eye is the polar opposite of the upturned eye, as the outer edges of your eye slant down instead of up.

Eyeliner look you’ll love: Cat eye

Lift and balance the appearance of downturned eyes with a cat-eye look, says Gilleo. “Start by lining the upper lash line, gradually thickening the line towards the outer corner,” she explains. Then, extend the line slightly beyond the outer corner and slightly upwards, creating a subtle upward flick.

5. Round Eye Shape

As the name suggests, the shape of the eye is more rounded than other eye shapes. People with this eye shape don't have strong corners on their eyes.

Eyeliner look you’ll love: Smudged

Soften and elongate the shape of round eyes with a smudged liner. “Apply eyeliner along the upper and lower lash lines, and use a smudging brush or a cotton swab, blend out the lines for a softer look,” she explains.

6. Almond Eye Shape

Essentially, an almond-shaped eye is more oval and shaped like everyone's favorite nut, with defined outer corners on the eye.

Eyeliner look you’ll love: Thin liner with a wing

“Almond-shaped eyes can pull off various eyeliner styles, but a classic thin liner with a wing accentuates their natural shape,” Gilleo says. Apply a thin line of eyeliner along the upper lash line, extending it into a subtle wing at the outer corner.

7. Close-Set Eye Shape

If you have close-set eyes, they are spaced noticeably closer together than the average person's eyes.

Eyeliner look you’ll love: Double winged liner

“Create the illusion of wider-set eyes by adding a double winged liner,” suggests Gilleo. Start by lining the upper lash line as usual, but extend the wing outwards beyond the outer corner. Then, apply a shorter wing at the inner corner of the eye, pointing towards the nose, she says.

8. Wide-Set Eye Shape

If you have wide-set eyes, your eyes appear to be spaced farther apart than average.

Eyeliner look you’ll love: Intensified inner corners

“Enhance the natural width of wide-set eyes by focusing on the inner corners,” Gilleo says. Apply a thin line of eyeliner along the upper lash line, gradually thickening it towards the inner corner. Extend the line slightly past the inner corner to draw attention inwards, she explains.

9. Deep-Set Eye Shape

Deep-set eyes appear to be recessed into your eye socket, moreso than the average person.

Eyeliner look you’ll love: Smoky

“Deep-set eyes benefit from a smoky effect that brings depth to the eyes,” Gilleo says. “Apply a darker eyeliner shade along the upper lash line, then softly smudge it with a smudging brush or a cotton swab. For a more intense look, also apply the liner along the lower lash line and smudge it out, she adds.