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There are no good or bad eye shapes. Whether your eyes are round, deep-set, or hooded, all eyes are beautiful and different makeup tricks will bring out the best in each eye shape. But when it comes to versatility in makeup, almond eyes are often noted as one of those shapes that can benefit from pretty much any and all eye makeup looks, whether you want to rock a slick later of pastel green eyeshadow or go bold and beautiful in smokey tones and lots of eyeliner.
Almond eyes have a distinctive shape: they’re slightly oval with upturned outer corners. Another characteristic of almond eyes is that your iris will be able to touch the top and bottom of your eye lids. If you have almond eyes you’re also in good company: feel free to steal any and all of the makeup looks you see almond-eyed celebs like Beyoncé, Mila Kunis, Zendaya, and Kim Kardashian sporting.
All of the makeup tips out there for almond eyes may make it sound like you can pretty much do your makeup in the dark and come out a winner (lucky you!), but of course the reality of makeup application requires a tiny bit more skill than that. Kerrin Jackson, a four-time Emmy-nominated makeup artist and creator of The Makeup Refinery, offers up her tips on the best way to apply eyeshadow to make almond eyes pop.
What eye shadow tips help almond eyes stand out?
When it comes to making almond eyes look their absolutely best, Jackson keeps three easy tips in mind.
Apply a single shade of color
Push aside those eyeshadow palettes you have that feature no fewer than 20 colors — minimalism can take almond eyes to new heights. “I like to use one single shade across the entire lid, and intensify the color on the outer corner of the eye,” Jackson says. “It can help the eyes to really pop.”
Create a thinner cat eye
A super-thin cat eye, or winged eyeliner feels like it’s made for an almond eye, according to Jackson. “Keep the liner thin along the eye line, and then you can sweep it out at its winged end,” Jackson says. “Another take on the winged liner is to use a soft pencil for it, and then soften it with a small eye shadow brush for a more smokey look. Sp pretty!”
Don’t forget to curl lashes
While not strictly an eye shadow technique, Jackson reminds us to always try to use an eyelash curler for almond eye shapes. “The curler can really work wonders with opening up your eyes and helping them to stand out once you have applied your eye makeup,” she says. “And then finish the look with your favorite mascara.”
What should you never do to almond-shaped eyes?
Although Jackson says she prefers to live by the adage that there are no rules in makeup, she admits that the first thing that comes to mind is using black eyeliner inside the waterline. “It can create the illusion of a smaller eye shape,” Jackson says. “And if you’re fortunate enough to own a pair of almond shaped eyes, I say celebrate them, accentuate them and color them as loud and proud as you can.”
Jackson’s favorite products for almond eyes
Going shopping?” Jackson says these are her faves for flattering almond eyes:
“Inglot AMC Eyeliner Gel for your winged eyeliner look is a must,” Jackson says. “Pair it with your favorite eyeliner brush for an easy application — I love to use the Bdellium Studio 762 Small Angle Brush for precision liner made easy.”
As far as eye makeup goes, Jackson loves Viseart Eyeshadows. “The Neutral Mattes 01 Palette is a must have for natural browns and taupes. However, on an almond eye, the sky is the limit with your shade choice, and Viseart have so many gorgeous color combinations for any season, mood or undertone so I say have a play and get creative!”
Jackson says she also loves a Tweezerman eyelash curler, or her Kevyn Aucoin or Shu Uemera lash curlers, depending on the eye size and shape.
And, no matter what your eye shape, don’t forget to frame eyes with healthy and groomed eyebrows.
“For eyebrows, I love to use Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Whiz pencils to really extend that outer brow edge up and out, to follow the natural shape of the almond eye, and give maximum space for eye makeup,” Jackson says.
If you have gorgeous almond eyes, be proud — and rev up your makeup look to show them off even more.
