Eye shapes, opening
Round eyes: how to tell, and makeup that suits them
Round eyes are tall for their width, with an upper lid that arches high and a lower lid that curves down, so the whole iris is visible and a little white often shows below or above it. They read open and bright, and they are easy to spot: if you can see the full circle of your iris when you look straight ahead, your eyes lean round. Makeup either plays up that roundness or stretches it into a longer, almond-like line.
How to tell if you have round eyes
Look straight into a mirror in daylight, with your face relaxed and your chin level, and check these:
- Looking straight ahead, you can see the whole circle of your iris.
- A thin band of white shows below the iris, above it, or both.
- Your eye opening looks about half as tall as it is wide, or taller.
- The upper lid arches in a high, even curve rather than a gentle slope.
- Your eyes look wide open even when your face is relaxed.
How round eyes vary
Some eyes are round because the opening itself is tall. Others look round because the eyes sit forward, which shows more of the lid and the white of the eye; that is a prominent eye, and it is often round as well.
White below the iris has a name in eye surgery: inferior scleral show. In small amounts it is common and normal. When it appears after surgery or along with a lower lid that has started to pull down, an eye doctor can check the lid.
Round eyes can carry any lid type. A round eye with a visible crease and plenty of lid space is the most common version, but round eyes can be hooded too, especially later in life.
Round vs almond vs protruding eyes
Round vs almond
Check the iris. On almond eyes the lids cut across the top and bottom of the colored part, while on round eyes the whole circle shows. If only a hint of white shows below the iris, you are on the border, and the advice for both shapes works.
Round vs protruding
Look from the side. Prominent eyes sit forward of the brow bone and cheek, and the lid looks large and curved. Round eyes can sit at an average depth and still look round from the front.
Makeup for round eyes
Eyeliner
To lengthen, keep the line thin at the inner corner and thicken it from the middle outward, then extend it past the outer corner in a horizontal wing. To play up the roundness, line the full upper lash line evenly and add a soft line under the center of the lower lashes.
Eyeshadow
Concentrate the deepest shade at the outer corner and blend it outward, not up, which stretches the eye. A shimmer pressed only on the center of the lid makes it look rounder still, so use it when you want the doll-eyed look and skip it when you want length.
Mascara and lashes
Lashes that are longest at the outer corner, such as cat-eye or flared strips, pull a round eye sideways. Even, fluffy lashes all the way across keep it round.
What to skip
- Heavy liner all the way around the eye: on a round eye it makes a ring and shrinks the opening.
- Shimmer across the whole lid when you want length: it rounds the eye further.
An everyday look, step by step
- Prime the lid and set it with a skin-tone matte.
- Blend a medium brown from the outer corner outward toward the end of the brow, keeping it low and horizontal.
- Line the upper lashes from the middle outward and finish in a flat wing.
- Smudge the same shade under the outer third of the lower lashes to connect the line.
- Coat the outer lashes twice, or add a short, flared half lash.
Brows and glasses for round eyes
Brows
A brow with a defined arch toward the outer third adds angles to a round eye. Keep the front of the brow soft and the tail extended slightly, which draws the eye outward.
Glasses
Angular frames, like rectangles, cat-eyes, and squared wayfarers, contrast with round eyes. If you love round frames, pick them a little wider than your eyes so the lenses do not repeat the circle.
Common combinations
Each eye shape describes one part of the eye, so most round eyes come with other traits too. These pairings come up most often:
Round, prominent eyes show the most lid and white of any combination. Matte shadow and liner on the outer corner keep them from looking startled in photos.
Round eyes with a slight downward tilt read soft and sweet. Lift the outer corner with liner angled up, not straight out.
Round, wide-set eyes are open and striking. Bring color into the inner third of the lid so the eyes look a little closer.
Check your eye shape from a photo
The detector divides each eye's height by its width, measured square to the line between the corners. An opening of 0.40 or more reads round; relaxed almond eyes usually read 0.33 to 0.35. It also finds your iris and checks where the lower lid crosses it: an opening down to 0.37 still reads round when white shows below the iris.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have round eyes?
Look straight into a mirror with a relaxed face. If you can see the whole circle of your iris, often with a little white beneath it, your eyes are round. The eye shape detector measures the height and width of each eye from a photo.
Can round eyes look almond-shaped with makeup?
Yes. Keep shadow and liner horizontal and heaviest at the outer corner, extend the line past the corner, and leave the center of the lid matte. That pulls the eye longer without hiding its shape.
Is it bad to see white below the iris?
A thin band of white below the iris is common and harmless. If it appears or grows after eyelid surgery or an injury, or along with a lower lid that has started to sag, have an eye doctor check the lid.
Do round eyes need eyeliner?
No eye needs it. On round eyes, liner is most useful for shaping: a horizontal wing lengthens, while an even line across the whole upper lid keeps the round look.
