Eyeliner Tips and Tricks for Every Eye Shape

How to really flatter those peepers

Eyeliner can be tricky, especially when we feel like our eye shape is limiting us from getting the look we want.

Some eyes are close set like Jennifer Aniston's and may be able to use a little space. Perhaps others out there have big eyes à la Nicole Richie and want to make better use of all that lid. Maybe your eyes are like Emma Stone's—large and doe-eyed. Whatever your shape, there are millions of eyeliner moves that are sure to make you flip your lid.

Here, we offer up a few tips and tricks for the most prominent eye shapes.

Big Eyes

Usually big eyes are characterized by ones that protrude from the eye socket similar to stars like Nicole Richie, Sarah Hyland or Emmy Rossum.

If your goal is to tame those peepers, always remember that "dark pushes back." For example, smoky eyes or a very thick cat-eye can help give you the illusion of the eyes moving inward a bit.

Fun looks: Elongated cat-eye wings can help to balance the bulge.

Monolids

If you feel like your lash line simply carries on to your brow bone or that you have minimal eyelid space, you might find you have eyes similar to celebs like Lucy Liu or model Devon Aoki. Your eyes have a minimal crease or lack of orbital bone prominence (the bone above your eyeball). Good news is you basically have a blank canvas to work with.

Starting darker at the lash line and blending your liner upward across the entire lid will give the eyelid definition. For a cat-eye, keep your line pretty close to the eye along the lid and then go as Winehouse as you want, with a thick wing at the end to give the eye some "lift."

At the bottom of the eye, either forgo liner or steer clear of your waterline so that you're not enclosing the eye and making it look smaller.

Fun looks: Thick winged cat-eyeliner or a soft smudged liner around the entire eye can give an enlarging effect.

Hooded Eyelids

If you have an extra layer of skin that seems to completely diminish your eyelid, you have something in common with Jennifer Lawrence, Blake Lively or even Emma Stone.

These types of eyes are kind of like cousins of the monolid in some ways. Keeping liner tight to your lash line and saving the outer edges of eyes for the ultimate liner lift are similar techniques that work well for both eye shapes.

Lining the upper waterline under the lash line can help to give you more liner space without encroaching on lid real estate.

Get low! Open those eyes up by getting a little smudgy with your lower lids. Keep the lines thicker toward the outer edges of the eye to help avoid feeling too racoonish.

Fun looks: Thick winged cat-eyeliner and soft smudged liner around the entire eye offers up an enlarging effect.

Small or Close Set Eyes

It's time to open those bright eyes. A fun way to acheive this is with all-around smoky liners that steer clear from the lower waterline. Instead of tight-lining the lower lid with a dark liner, try a nude or white color in this space before defining the lash line underneath.

Keep dark liner as far from the nose as possible to give the illusion that the eyes are further away from the nose.

Fun looks: "Elongate" the eye with either a double liner (where you give both the bottom and top lids a winged liner) or just an awesome extended winged cat eyeliner.

Wide Set Eyes

Kate Moss, Jessica Alba and Brandi all have wide set eyes. They are said to be the most beautiful based on the famous "golden ratio." Wide set eyes usually have a whole eye's worth of space in between your eyes.

To "bring them together" you might want avoid that shimmery eyeshadow in the tear duct trick to avoid emphasizing the amount of space. Whale-shape eyeliner is where the thickest part of your liner is closer to the nose and might prove a better choice to help close up some of that space.

Another cool trick is to not wait until the end of the eye to start the lift of a cat-eye. Perhaps start the lift between the iris and the end of the eye to give a shortening effect.

Fun looks: Heavy smoke eyeliner on the outer edges of the eyes.

Deep Set Eyes

If your brow bone seems to be on the forefront of your lids, chances are you have deep set eyes similar to those of Julianne Moore, Megan Fox or Julia Roberts. to give the illusion of your lids moving to the forefront, keep your lids on the lighter side and your liner closer to the lash line.

As with hooded eyes, keep the thickest part of your eyeliner on the outer edges of the eye to essentially "push back" that orbital bone.

Fun looks: Soft smoky liner that lies close to the lash line is a great look for deep set eyes.