The inverted eyeshadow hack is what K-pop idols use to flaunt their monolids; learn it for yourself

Those with monolids and oily eyelids may often complain about how eyeshadow isn’t made for them.

If you find that applying eyeshadow on your upper eyelids is a challenge, try the inverted eyeshadow hack, which is all about accentuating your lower eyelids instead!

This is an eyeshadow application style that  enhance your eyes and have been seen on our favourite K-pop idols such Red Velvet’s Seulgi and Twice’s Dahyun.

What is the inverted eyeshadow hack?

We’re probably already familiar with makeup tutorials that show us how to apply eyeshadow on our upper eyelids. But Douyin user Mia (@Mia是鱼/Douyin) recently shared a method that is said to help enhance monolid eyes. h

This hack is all about focusing on your lower eyelids. Instead of sweeping bright colours onto the upper lid, you’ll be enhancing and defining the shape of your eyes by dabbing the more prominent pigment onto the lower lid.

Besides accentuating your eye shape, this method also helps reduce puffiness around your eyes and give your peepers more definition, thanks to the shadow effect that’s created.

Who is suitable to try the inverted eyeshadow hack?

While it works best for those with monolids, this hack is going to be great as long as your upper eyelid and eyebrows have a short distance between them.

Not sure if it works for you? The great thing about makeup is that it can be removed anytime, so why not give it a go and decide for yourself if it’s something you’d want to adopt permanently?

How to do the inverted eyeshadow hack?

Step 1: Contour the upper eyelid

Even though we’ll be focusing on the lower eyelids, we won’t be neglecting the upper eyelids completely.

Use your fingers to feel for a dented region of your eye socket, then dab on a contouring shade from this area down to your lash line.

Grab a small soft brush and sweep on some light concealer all over this area. Make sure to pick a contour shade that’s only one to two shades darker than your skin tone. Blend everything to avoid a seamless shadow effect.

Step 2: Contour the outer corner of your eyes

With the same contouring shade you’ve used in step 1, drag your brush to the end of your upper lid, before shading the outer corner of your eye.

Once you’ve created a subtle shadow effect there, bring your brush to your lower lash line. The contour on the bottom lash line will help enhance the aegyo sal you’ll be creating later on.

Step 3: Lining your eye with eyeshadow

Swap your small soft brush out for a small flat-tip one. Pick up a dark, warm eyeshadow and then trace the pigment to extend a line from the outer corner of your eye.

Make sure the line you draw follows the natural shape of your eye and looks like it’s simply extending your lash line.

Step 4: Lining your lower lash line with eyeshadow

Now, bring your brush to your lower lash line and swipe a dark-toned shadow over it.

Make sure the line you draw follows the shape of your lash line. You’ll only need to draw this line from the outer corner of your eye to around the centre of the eye.

Step 5: Layer the slightly lighter shade on the lower lash line

Pick up a bigger flat tip brush and layer a slightly lighter shade on top of the line you have just drawn  on your lower lash line.

Lay your brush flat against your lid and swipe outwards to blend everything together. By blending outwards, the colour will look like it is blooming outwards.

Step 6: Add the same shade to the inner corner of your eyes

Lightly dust on the eyeshadow shade from the last step onto the inner corner of your eye with the same brush.

Step 7: Add the same shade onto the outer corner of your upper eyelid

Apply the same shade on top of the line you’ve extended from the outer corner of your eye.

No worries if the pigment can’t be seen when you open your eyes. This step is to give your upper eye lid a little more definition and naturally balance the entire eye look out. By doing this step, you’ll also help your makeup look more natural even as you blink.

Step 8: Fill in the outer half of your waterline with a beige or white gel liner

Pick either a concealer liner or any gel liner that features a light beige or white shade and fill in the outer half of your waterline.

Don’t forget to blend this line out to from your waterline to your lower lash line to make your eyes pop even more.

Step 9: Fill in the inner half of your waterline with a darker gel liner

Feel free to pick any shade of your choice for this step as long as it’s darker than the gel liner you picked for the outer half of your waterline.

Start from the inner corner of your eye, follow the line all the way until it reaches the other half that’s been filled with the beige or white gel liner.

Step 10: Define your aegyo sal

Grab a light, liquid liner that comes in a light nude shade and draw your aegyo sal. For the uninitiated, you can identify this line be finding the small roll of skin beneath your eyes that frame your lower eye lids.

Step 11: Add highlighter

Pick up a glittery gel liner and fill in the area of skin that’s diagonally below your iris, in between your lower lash line and your aegyo sal.

Always remember to highlight the inner corner of your eye too.

Step 12: Define your lashes

Since there isn’t much eyeshadow makeup on your upper eyelid, it’s important to give your lashes a boost.

For those of you with straight lashes and monolids, it may be difficult to get luscious eyelashes just by using mascara.

Try falsies instead. Go with whatever feels comfortable for you but Douyin user Mia (@Mia是鱼/Douyin) recommends to attach individual falsies to your upper lash line, which is very similar to what you see in the manga lash trend.

A pro tip to take away is to always curl your natural lashes before attaching your falsies. Curling them will help open the eye up even more so you can make the most out of the falsies.

Lastly, grab a black eyeliner and draw a few strokes at your lower lash line. These lines will help create the appearance of eyelashes in case you’re not a fan of attaching individual falsies to the lower lash line.

Step 13: Draw your eyeliner

Using the same black eyeliner, draw your eyeliner according the the line of eyeshadow you extended from the outer corner of your eye.

Once again, make sure the line you draw follows the shape of your eye.

Step 14: Add some glitter

While this step is optional, if you’re not one to stick to subtle eyeshadow looks, we suggest adding a little bit of pressed glitter on the roots of your lash line.

The added shine will make your entire look stand out even more.

Step 15: Set the entire eye look

Dust on some setting powder around your eye area. Not only will this set all the makeup into place, but it will also clean up the entire look and blend everything into the skin.

Afterwards, you’ll get a seamless and natural eye look that perfectly enhances and defines the eyes.

Featured image credit: @dahhyunnee/Instagram and @Mia是鱼/Douyin