It’s no secret that we have to adapt our makeup as we age, but learning how to work with hooded eyes can feel like an uphill battle in itself. When makeup already feels tricky, the last thing we want is to master complicated new techniques. But as Queen Camilla proves, opening up hooded eyes doesn’t have to be difficult – sometimes, a great lash is all it takes.
The Queen was spotted looking incredible yesterday in Aberdeen, en route to a service at Crathie Kirk Church. Of course, her signature blow-dry was in tow, along with her classic pink lip. But what immediately had the GH beauty team entranced were her fluttery, eye-opening lashes.
Her long, dark lashes completely lift and open up the eye, softening the appearance of her hooded lids altogether. No complicated ‘hacks’, just proof that a good mascara can be one of the hardest-working products in your beauty bag.
As celebrity makeup artist and brand founder Ruby Hammer puts it, ‘with hooded eyes, the heavy skin of the lid can sometimes make the eyes look smaller or slightly tired, but a lifted, separated lash acts like an invisible corset for the eyes.’
She explains: ‘By opening up the vertical space and drawing the eye upward, it creates an immediate, wide-awake effect. It’s the easiest, most non-invasive way to look instantly more refreshed.’
Of course, a good formula will help. But with a few simple tweaks to your routine, Ruby says you can make your mascara work even harder for you.
‘Before you even apply the mascara, it’s worth tightlining for hidden depth, this will remove pale gaps along the lash line for the illusion of a thicker fuller lash,’ she explains. ‘Use a precise pencil to work the pigment right underneath the top lashes.’
Here, she recommends her own Precision Eyeliner. Handily, it comes in both black and brown, so you can match it to your favourite mascara shade.
Ruby Hammer Precision Eyeliner Pencil
When it comes to Camilla's eye-opening effect, it’s all about the lift. According to Ruby, prep is just as important as a good mascara. ‘Never skip the curler! This creates an arch to keep lashes from pressing against the hood,’ she explains. ‘Start right at the root, and gently squeeze all the way to the middle.’
With your lashes prepped, the last step is, of course, mascara. Ruby recommends her own Mascara & Brow duo, which boasts a micro-spiral brush that works beautifully on both the top and bottom lashes.
How you apply it can make a big difference, too. ‘To create the lifted, wide-eyed shape, try focusing mascara on the outer corner and centre of the eyes, wiggling the wand at the base to build fullness,’ explains Ruby.
Coaxing the lashes into shape is one thing, but keeping them in place is another. With decades of experience under her belt, thankfully Ruby knows exactly how to make that lift last. ‘With the tip of a mascara wand, lightly tap the very tips of the top lashes backward against the brow bone for a few seconds while they’re still wet to “set” the lift in place,’ she tells GH.
All it takes is a few simple steps – and opening up hooded eyes really can be that easy.
