Permanent eyeliner is like the ultimate beauty hack—wake up, skip the shaky morning wing ritual, and still look put together. But here’s the catch: eyeliner isn’t one-style-fits-all. What looks killer on almond-shaped eyes might drag down hooded lids, and what makes round eyes pop might overpower smaller ones.

After 12+ years as a permanent makeup artist, I’ve worked on every type of eye you can imagine—almond, round, monolid, hooded, you name it. I’ve seen clients bring in inspiration pics that look great on that celebrity but wouldn’t flatter their own eye shape. That’s when I break out my favorite line: “Your eyes are the frame, eyeliner is the art—we just need to choose the right brushstroke.”

Let’s dive into the best permanent eyeliner styles for different eye shapes (with some behind-the-chair stories from me to keep it real).

Why Matching Eyeliner to Eye Shape Matters

Eyeliner isn’t just about “adding drama”—it’s about balance. The right style can:

• Lift eyes that look droopy or tired
  
• Make small eyes appear bigger and more defined
  
• Soften sharp features or add boldness where needed
  
• Complement natural lash lines without looking “stamped on”
  

Think of it like tailoring a suit. Off-the-rack might work, but when it’s customized? Chef’s kiss. That’s why choosing the best permanent eyeliner styles for different eye shapes matters so much.

Almond Eyes: The Universal Canvas

If you’ve got almond eyes, congratulations—you’ve basically hit the eyeliner jackpot. Almond eyes are naturally balanced, so almost any style works.

Best Styles:

• Classic top liner: A thin-to-thick taper that hugs the lash line. Timeless and elegant.
  
• Winged liner: A sharp flick elongates the outer corners.
  

Smoky or shaded liner: Soft pixelated shading enhances their natural lift without looking heavy.

I once had a client with almond eyes who swore she couldn’t pull off eyeliner because her makeup always smudged by noon. After giving her wedge liner, she sent me a selfie two weeks later with the caption: “Amber, why didn’t I do this five years ago?!” She was right—she had the perfect shape to pull it off! I was so thankful she trusted my custom design and gave me freedom to design what would heal and age best on her!

Round Eyes: All About Elongation

Round eyes are naturally big and open, which is beautiful. The trick with eyeliner is to stretch them a bit, so they don’t look overly “wide-eyed.”

Best Styles:

• Extended wing: Draws the eye outward and creates balance.
  
• Thicker outer corners: Adds length without crowding the lid.
  
• Avoid overly thick liner on the entire lid—it can shrink the openness too much. I try to avoid “blacking out the entire eye”
  

Pro Tip: A wing that angles slightly upward (not straight out) keeps the look youthful without pulling the eye down.

One of my round-eyed clients wanted a dramatic cat-eye. When I mapped it out, she loved it! I really accentuated her eye shape. I explained during the eyeliner mapping that if we follow the natural curvature of her eyeshape designing within her eyelid creases it would age well and she wouldn't have to worry about the design aging wonky! She couldn't believe I design every wing eyeliner tattoo for each client! She was blown away by my design!

Hooded Eyes: The Subtle Lift

If you’ve got hooded eyes, you know the struggle—eyeliner disappears into the fold or smudges the second you blink. With permanent eyeliner, the key is subtle definition that lifts without overwhelming.

Best Styles:

• Thin lash enhancement: Just a whisper of color along the lash line to define.
  
• Tiny flick upward at the corner: Just enough to counteract any droop.
  

Pro Tip: Avoid thick, graphic styles here—they can make lids look heavier and the design may not age well as the eye ages.

A hooded-eye client of mine was terrified of eyeliner tattoos because she’d seen bad ones online. I convinced her to try just a lash enhancement. When she came back for her touch-up, she said: “I wore mascara for the first time in years, and for once it didn’t feel pointless—people actually noticed my eyes.” A lash line enhancement or even a small tiny wedge can make a super impactful look! It really makes the lashes look fuller and darker! Win-win!

Monolids: Definition is Everything

Monolids - often lack a visible crease, so the right eyeliner adds depth and contour.

Best Styles:

• Thicker liner at the outer third: Creates dimension.
  
• Lash line enhancement: Makes the lashes look fuller and darker

Bottom eyeliner: If the client has no eyelid space and is very hooded bottom eyeliner will really make the eyes pop.

One client with monolids told me she that she didn't think she was an eyeliner candidate because of her hooded eyes. We went for a lash line enhancement and a soft shaded bottom eyeliner to give her eyes definition. She came back saying: “My boyfriend keeps asking what new eyeshadow I bought—haha he doesn't know it's tattooed. Thank you so much my eyes really pop!”

Downturned Eyes: Lift, Lift, Lift

Downturned eyes have outer corners that tilt slightly downward. The wrong eyeliner can exaggerate this, so it’s all about creating a gentle lift.

Best Styles:

• Upward flick at the corners: Instant facelift effect.
  
• Skip extending liner downward: It drags the eye down more.
  

Focus liner on upper lash line only for maximum lift. No bottom in this case.

A client in her 50s came in saying, “Amber, I always look like I need a nap.” With a carefully designed wedge it created a lift at her outer corners, she left my studio looking 10 years younger. She sent me a thank-you message later that said: “Everyone keeps asking if I had a facelift! You have saved me so much money!  I just wink and say it’s a secret.”

Upturned Eyes: Balance and Softness

Upturned eyes already have that natural cat-eye vibe, so eyeliner should enhance rather than overdo it.

Best Styles:

• Balanced liner top and bottom: Keeps proportions natural.
  
• Wing: Adds an added lift, almost like extending an eyelash.
  

Avoid overly long wings—always design within the eyelid creases.

A younger client of mine had beautiful upturned eyes but she felt she was missing the "elongated appearance” After giving her a balanced liner with just enough wing, she told me: “It looks as though it's an extension of my eyelashes, really accentuating my eyes and looks sultry - love it!”

Small Eyes: Subtle Enhancements

For smaller eyes, the goal is to open them up without crowding the lid space.

Best Styles:

• Lash enhancement liner: Tiny but mighty—it gives definition without stealing lid space.
  

Avoid heavy liner all around the eye—it can close things off.

I once worked on a client who said, “Amber, my eyes disappear in photos.” After a delicate lash enhancement, she emailed me her wedding pictures a year later with the subject line: “Guess whose eyes finally showed up on camera?”

The Wildcard: Combination Eye Shapes

Not everyone fits neatly into one category—sometimes you’ve got almond eyes and a hooded lid, or round eyes that tilt up slightly. That’s where customization comes in.

Pro Tip: Don’t obsess over labels. Work with your artist (like me!) to design a liner that enhances your unique features.

Final Thoughts

Permanent eyeliner is powerful—it saves time, boosts confidence, and gives you that “effortless” polished look. But the best results happen when the style is matched to your natural shape.

So next time you’re scrolling Pinterest for eyeliner inspo, remember: what works for Bella Hadid might not be your perfect fit. And that’s okay—because your eyes deserve their own spotlight.

The bottom line? If you want to wake up flawless, choosing the best permanent eyeliner styles for different eye shapes is the key.

My takeaway after thousands of procedures:

• The right eyeliner isn’t about following trends—it’s about enhancing your natural beauty.
  
• Subtle often ages better than bold, but with the right mapping, bold can still look timeless.
  
• Trust your artist’s eye. We see things in lines, angles, and balance that most people overlook.
  

If you’re thinking about permanent eyeliner, consider this your permission slip to stop struggling with smudged pencils and liquid liner meltdowns. Your perfect style is out there—it just needs the right match to your eye shape.