8 Things Women with Monolid Eyes Need to Know

For almost every eye-makeup tutorial or article you see, you’ll likely come across some mention of “blending the shadow into the crease.” But here’s the thing if you, like us, have monolid eyes: We have no crease, and therefore most of the same rules don’t apply. After years of trial and error (which thankfully took place before social media existed), we’ve finally figured out what works best for us. 

Buy the Right Lash Curler
For starters, get yourself a lash curler that’s less curved (and more straight) at the base. It will sit better against your lash line (which tends to be flatter) and actually reach all of the hairs.

Move Your Curler from Base to Tip
Ladies with monolids tend to have straighter lashes, so in addition to getting the right curler, you'll want to switch up your technique, too. Instead of clamping down once (which can bend your lashes into that dreaded “L” shape), start by holding the curler at the base for a few seconds, then in the middle and end with a short hold at the tip. 

Apply Eye Shadow in a Gradient
The darkest shadow should be applied along your lash line, followed by the second darkest color along the middle of your lid and ending with the lightest shade just underneath your brow bone. This will open up your eyes and create some dimension on your lids.

Make Chubby Eye Crayons Your Best Friend
And if you’re in a rush (or just can’t be bothered with all of those shadows), run a chubby eye pencil in a dark, coppery brown along your lash line and smudge it gently upward and outward using your fingertip to get a similar effect. 

Highlight the Inner Corners
A little highlighter placed on the inner corners of your eyes will give them depth while having the bonus effect of brightening up any dark circles. Apply a pearly shade in a small “V” shape just over where your tear ducts sit.

Skip the Bottom Liner
Not only is it likely to smudge, but it also closes off your peepers. For the most part, we’d recommend keeping the lower lash line free of any makeup. But if you want a more dramatic look for a night out, try to keep any color on the outer thirds of your eyes so you get some smokiness without the severity.

Frame Your Eyebrows
Without the depth of a crease, monolid eyes can draw more attention to the surrounding areas like your brows. Keep yours well groomed and pronounced with some brow pomade or gel.

Make the Most of Your Lids
Having monolidded eyes means you have more room (literally, you have more lid space) to play and experiment with makeup. Want to try a fun color like blue? Add a touch of liner or shadow right on top of your regular liner. And that trendy glossy lid look that’s on runways and red carpets? It works especially well for you because it’s less likely to crease and catches light against the surface of your lids.