Winged Eyeliner with Hooded Eyes – 40+ Edition

Winged eyeliner with hooded eyelids? Absolutely! Let me show you my method for winged eyeliner over 40.

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Are you sure you can wear winged liner if you’re over 40?

Indeed, you can! The beautiful thing about makeup is that there are no truly hard and fast rules, only guidelines. If a certain style of makeup makes you feel beautiful, then wear it! Age doesn’t matter. What matters is finding what works for you.

Alright, then, how does one do winged liner on hooded eyes?

For my method, you will need an eyeliner pen. I find that felt tip eyeliner pens are easiest to work with. They are like magic markers for your eyes and are pretty easy to handle. A waterproof formula is preferred as they seem to resist creasing the best.

For this post, I will be using the Essence Waterproof black eyeliner pen.

I prefer eyeliner pens with a larger tip, but it seems that fine tipped pens are what is widely available. So, that is what I will show you how to use.

Step 1: Line your eyes.

I like to do the liner along my lash line before moving onto the wing. Once your eyeshadow is done, use the side of the liner pen tip to draw on the liner in short, overlapping strokes. By using short, overlapping strokes you will have more control over the thickness of the line. (I have never been able to put on liquid eyeliner in a single stroke. The few times I have tried it, it was a complete disaster!) This initial line doesn’t have to be perfect. We’re gonna come back to it in a minute.

Step 2: Stamp on your wings.

Place the side of the liner pen along the lower lash line so that the tip is at the outer corner of the eye and points toward your temple, continuing the line of the lower lash line. You can use the outer corner of your nose to help line up the pen to the outer corner of the eye for consistent angle of placement. Do not touch the tip to the skin just yet.

This part is super important: Relax. Your. Eyes. I cannot stress this enough! Relax your eyes and eyebrows. If your eyebrows are raised, or you stretch out the skin with your fingers, your wing will not be straight when you release everything. We’re trying to work WITH the hoodedness, not against it. There will be gaps in the line, but we’re going to fill those in.

Once your eyes and eyebrows are relaxed and in a natural position, gently press the side of the eyeliner pen tip against the skin. You will press the liner on over the fold(s) of the hood. The line should extend out and away along the curve of the lower lash line. Give the liner a few seconds to dry. Repeat on the other side.

Step 3: Examine and fill.

Now when you close your eye, you will notice there are gaps in your wing where your hood fold(s) is. Now is the time to raise your eyebrow to smooth out the skin and fill in the line where necessary and connect it to the liner on the upper lash line.

Keep in mind that the line on the outer corner of the eye may end up thicker than the inner corner, but I like that look for winged liner. Also, the winged liner may not look straight when your eyes are closed, but it should look straight when your eyes are open. Make sure to give the liner a few seconds to dry before you relax your eyes, or the liner will smudge.

At this point, you can extend the wing a little more if you feel like it, or leave it as it is. Try to keep both sides even, and remember to relax your eyes when you extend the wing to make sure the line stays straight and even on both sides.

If your wings get a bit out of hand, throw on a pair of false lashes that flair at the outer corners. (It’s what I do if my winged liner ends up a little… exaggerated.) This method can be used for small flicks or big wings. Voila! Winged liner for hooded eyes!

That is how I do winged liner my hooded, over 40 eyes. What tips and tricks do you have for winged liner on hooded eyes? What eyeliner pens would you recommend? Let’s chat in the comments below!