10 Best Makeup Tips For Almond-Shaped Eyes

Use a Lighter Color on Your Bottom Waterline

To add dimension to your eye shape, Dorman suggests using a black eyeliner on your upper lids and lighter color under your bottom lashes. It's a subtle change that will accentuate your eye color. "For almond-shaped eyes, I like to use a lighter eyeliner on the waterline than I use on the top, as this prevents the eye from looking small," Dorman says.

"For example, if I use a Westmore Beauty Wing Effects Liquid Eyeliner ($20) in Black on the top, I will use Beauty Pie Ultra Colour Pro Gel Eyeliner ($32) in Turkish Coffee on the bottom waterline and lashline," she says.

Apply Eyeshadow Underneath to Emphasize Eye Shape

On the flip side, Dorman also touts adding eyeshadow on the bottom lash line to instantly emphasize your eye shape. Her technique for almond-shaped eyes is to add eyeshadow to the lower lash line with more exaggeration on the outer corners of the eye, as seen in the photo above. 

Use Eye-Popping Liner

"Applying darker eyeliner shades can sometimes make the eyes appear smaller," says Maalouf. Instead, he suggests using nude liner "to give an eye opening effect." Additionally, "brighter shades like Nectar or Jumbo Colorslide ($15) by Glossier are great options for bringing attention to the eyes and won't shrink their appearance."

Simply filling in the waterline or adding a small wing will suffice. "To amplify this look, apply a matching shadow or use the same liner to create a cut crease," says Maalouf.

Create a Cat Eye

"I love a cat-eye look on almond eyes," says Bartlett. "Pencils, liquids, and gels are all great options here. Lightly smudged or super specific, liner on almond eyes is quick and easy to achieve." She loves Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner ($23) to create the classic winged look and recommends using a jet-black shade for added drama.

Do a One-Shadow Eye Look

For high-impact with low-effort, Maalouf suggests doing your whole eye with one shade. "Fill your entire lid from the lash line to the crease using a deeper shade of shadow like Xtreme Burgundy by Pat McGrath Labs (Note–this shadow is included in the Mothership VIII Artistry Eyeshadow Palette - Divine Rose II Collection, $128) creating a cat shape towards the outer corner (like you would with eyeliner," he says. Then, add a little shadow in the same shade to the lower lash line for an edgy monochrome. "This look will be as soft or as bold as the color you choose," says Maalouf.

Try a Cut Crease

"A cut crease can really accentuate almond-shaped eyes," says Maalouf. There are many ways to do a cut crease, and the look ranges in intensity, but it is defined by a sharp line of shadow above the fold of the eyelid, as pictured above. You can find countless cut-crease tutorials in different styles on YouTube and TikTok, but the key is to apply color a little at a time and not to over blend. You can always go over the edges with concealer to sharpen the lines.

Open Up Your Eyes With Light Eyeshadow

Another trick Bartlett implements for almond-shaped eyes is sweeping a lighter shadow over the iris of the eye, which is pretty much your entire lid, to give the illusion of a wider eye. Try mixing a few lighter shades together from a neutral eyeshadow palette to create the exact color you're looking for if you don't have it in your collection.

Create a Winged Shadow Effect

Bartlett's final tip is all about enhancing your natural eye shape. "Accentuate almond-shaped eyes by adding a dark color on the outer half of the eye and smudging it beyond the lash line, out towards the temple," she instructs. To try out this tip, Bartlett recommends using a smoky eyeshadow shade that has more of a charcoal hue. The Lancôme Hypnôse 5-Color Eyeshadow Palette ($50) in Smokey Chic has some great shade options.

Use an Eyeliner Marker

"To give almond-shaped eyes a fierce effect, use an eyeliner marker," says Maalouf. These are pigmented liquid liners, often with a thicker sponge tip rather than a thin brush, perfect for creating bold, geometric looks that complement almond-shaped eyes.

"I'm loving Haus Laboratories EYE-LIE-NER ($20) right now," Maalouf adds. He suggests applying "from the inside corner to the outside corner, winging your eyeliner up towards the outside edge of your brow. The key here is to keep the liner as fine as possible from the inside corner to about three quarters in, then you can start to add thickness as you extend it out for a 'cat eye' effect."

"Next, go into your inside corner with a black pencil liner like MAC Smolder ($21) and only fill in the top and bottom of the inside corner, keeping the rest of the waterline and bottom lash line clean."

Use the Right Brushes

Brushes are just as important (if not more so) as the makeup in your collection. The right brushes can help you get the perfect blend or apply eyeliner in a flawless winged swoop. Maalouf likes the Morphe M210 ($6) "to chisel in the details for a cut crease," the Fenty Tapered Blending Brush 210 ($24) for buffing and blending, and the Sephora Collection Pro Eye Liner Brush #22 ($16) for eyeliner.