Wide, open eyes are a sign of youth and beauty. As we age the space between our eyebrows and eyelids decreases and gets smaller as the supporting structures and muscles that elevate the brow weaken. Hooded eyes are a common sign of ageing and appear when excess skin creases and folds over the lid (due to the lowering of the brow), which makes the eyelid appear smaller or, in some cases, makes it disappear completely. Some people have hooded eyes as a result of genetics or because of their ethnicity.

There are a number of reasons your eyes could appear hooded. The most common cause is ageing. The skin around our eyes is the most thin and delicate and is therefore one of the first areas to exhibit signs of ageing. As we age, we lose collagen and elastin in our skin. This is what makes it plump and firm and taught. As those levels diminish and gravity takes its toll, the skin begins to wrinkle, crease and sag. In the eye area, this leads to the lowering of the brow, creating a hooded-like appearance to the eyelids. Elevating your eyebrows may alleviate the problem temporarily but when relaxed the hooded appearance returns.

People from all ethnic backgrounds can have hooded eyes but it is a more prominent feature among certain ethnicities, in particular those with Asian ancestry. Men and women with Asian heritage may have deeper set, almond shaped eyes with a characteristic feature being little to none of their eyelid being visible. This is a hereditary factor and not associated with premature ageing. This crease of skin is known as the “epicanthic fold”. Ethnicities most likely to have an epicanthic fold are people from East Asian countries such as China, Mongolia, Japan, Taiwan, North Korea and South Korea;  Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore; Polynesians; Native Americans and people from South Asians countries such as Bhutan, Northeast India.

There are various online make-up tutorials which show people how to apply make-up to hooded eyes. One of the main issues is that when your eyelid has become obscured by folds of skin it is difficult to put eyeliner or eyeshadow on or eyeliner can smudge and transfer onto the upper part of the lid. Try using a primer to help make-up stay in place and not smear. Waterproof mascara is a good idea too. Other advice is to enhance your lower eye by applying eyeliner to the lower lid and to use white eyeliner to make the eyes pop and appear more open. Enhancing the brows can also help open up the eyes.

There are plenty of beautiful celebrity women who have hooded eyes, or minimal visible lids. Examples include Gemma Chan, Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone, Blake Lively and Katie Leung.

Eyelid surgery, known as blepharoplasty, can be performed on both the upper and lower lids. The procedure involves removing excess skin and, when necessary, fat, from the eyelids. For hooded eyes it is the upper lid that is usually the area of concern. During the procedure, the surgeon will make a cut along the natural crease of your eyelid using either a laser or a scalpel. They will then remove the excess skin that is causing the hooded or drooping look to you lids. A thin strip of muscle is also taken out to give the eyelid better shape and unwanted fatty tissue is removed before the lid is stitched up. Using this technique ensures that the scar will be hidden in the crease of the lid and will not be visible. Many people combine blepharoplasty with other treatments such as a brow-lift, especially if the hooded appearance of the eyes has been caused by or is being made worse by a lowering of the brow.  Blepharoplasty is a relatively minor but delicate cosmetic surgery procedure and as with all surgical procedures carries some risks and recovery time.

Certain make-up techniques can help you enhance your hooded eyes without the need for any cosmetic procedures. Try using a white liner on the lower lid or have a look for make-up tutorials that show you how gest top apply shadow and what colours to use. In terms of tweakments, non-surgical options such as Botox injections can lift a drooping brow and open up the eye area. Non-surgical blepharoplasty treatments such as plasma can also be really effective. Plasma is basically a form of energy that is used to trigger a wound healing response in the skin which then leads to lifting and tightening.