Quick answer: Yes — you can visually lift droopy, hooded eyelids with makeup and a transparent eyelid tape, no surgery needed. In this Fierce Aging tutorial Nikol places discreet double-eyelid tape along the crease to hold excess lid skin back, then keeps the eye makeup light: a matte wash of shadow, a thin liner drawn right at the lash base and angled up, and volumizing mascara. The result is an eye that reads more open, lifted, and awake.
Key takeaways
- Transparent tape does the lifting. Double-eyelid tape placed along the crease pushes excess skin back to reveal more lid — Nikol says it stays invisible even when you look down.
- Go matte, skip cream primer over the tape. A cream base does not sit well on top of tape, so Nikol works with a matte eyeshadow palette instead.
- Thin, lifted liner. Keep the line right at the lash base and come straight up, just outside the tape, so you do not eat into the lid space.
- Mascara finishes the lift. Volumizing mascara worked from the base opens up thin lashes.
- It is makeup, not a medical fix. This is a confidence-boosting alternative for anyone who does not want surgery.
Hey ladies! This episode of my Fierce Aging series is a little different — I sat down with Meg, a fierce and funny 66-year-old, and used eyelid tape on camera for the first time. If you have hooded or droopy lids, feel like your eyes look a little tired, or just want to refresh them without thinking about surgery, this technique is for you. Here is exactly how the lift comes together.
Can you fix droopy eyelids without surgery?
You can create a real visual lift with makeup — no procedure involved. The trick is a transparent double-eyelid tape that pushes excess lid skin back so more of your lid shows, paired with makeup placement that opens the eye. As Nikol describes it, the tape works almost like a bra for your eyes, holding the skin in place. It is optional, too: careful liner and mascara do a lot on their own. This is a cosmetic technique, not a medical treatment, so if you have any eye or skin condition, check with a professional first and patch-test any adhesive.
How does eyelid tape lift hooded eyes?
Close your eye and find where the lid creases — that fold is where the tape goes. Nikol places a strip right along the crease so it pushes the skin back and holds the lid open, then adds a second, slanted piece to catch any skin still folding over. Every eye is different, so she customizes the placement side to side (Meg had more hooding on one eye than the other). The tape she used is thin, clear, and comes with tweezers and multiple shapes; she found it on Amazon, and it is genuinely invisible — she even wears it with contacts.
How do you apply eye makeup over eyelid tape?
Here is the part everyone asks about — yes, you can wear makeup over the tape, as long as you keep it light and matte. Normally Nikol starts with an eye primer, but she skips it here because a cream product does not translate well over tape. Follow the order she used:
- Prep and hydrate first — eye serum and her silicone under-eye pads — before any tape or color goes on.
- Place the transparent eyelid tape along the crease, customizing each eye, and clip hair back out of the way.
- Skip cream primer over the tape and reach for a matte eyeshadow palette. Nikol used a light wash of the mid-tone shade on the lid, the lightest shade on the brow bone to lift, and the darkest shade to softly define.
- Draw liner right at the base of the lashes, coming straight up and staying just outside the tape — a soft powder liner first, then a charcoal waterproof pencil pressed gently into the lash line. Keep it thin; do not take up lid space.
- Coat lashes with a volumizing mascara, wiggling at the base and pulling up to grab even thin lashes.
A cotton pad, or a Q-tip wrapped in one, is your eraser — Nikol cleans up any liner that drops and lifts the outer tail so it looks tapered, not abrupt.
What makeup completes the mature-skin look?
Because the eyes were taped and lined first, Nikol saved complexion for last so nothing smudged. She color-corrected under the eyes with a peach corrector, neutralized redness around the nose and chin with a green corrector, added a light concealer, then a fragrance-free BB cream buffed in for a semi-matte, skin-like finish. A brightening banana powder set the under-eye, a soft hybrid bronzer and cream blush warmed the face, and the lips got a berry liner, lipstick, and gloss layered together for a wash of color rather than a heavy bold lip. The whole point, in her words: look fresh and lifted, not made-up.
The bottom line
Droopy, hooded lids do not need surgery to look lifted — a strip of invisible tape plus smart, matte eye makeup can open the eye in minutes. Go slow, customize the tape to your own crease, and keep liner thin and lifted. Ready to recreate it? Explore Nikol's eye makeup, eyeliners, and mascara to build your own lifted-eye look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you fix droopy eyelids without surgery?
Yes, you can create a visual lift with makeup and no procedure. Transparent eyelid tape pushes excess lid skin back so more of your lid shows, and lifted liner plus mascara open the eye further. It is a cosmetic technique rather than a medical fix, so patch-test any adhesive and check with a professional if you have an eye or skin concern.
Can you wear eye makeup over eyelid tape?
You can, as long as you keep it light and matte. Nikol found that cream products do not sit well over tape, so she skips cream eye primer and uses a matte eyeshadow palette instead. A soft powder liner, a gentle waterproof pencil at the lash base, and mascara all go over the tape without lifting it or making it visible.
Where do you place eyelid tape for hooded eyes?
Close your eye and find where the lid creases — that fold is your placement line. Set the tape right along the crease so it pushes the skin back and holds the lid open, then add a smaller slanted piece to catch any skin still folding over. Every eye is different, so customize each side; one lid often hoods more than the other.
Why skip eye primer when using eyelid tape?
Eye primer is a cream, and a cream layered over tape does not translate well — it can slide or keep the tape from holding. Nikol normally starts with primer, but when the tape is on she goes straight to a matte eyeshadow, which grips better and will not highlight or shift the tape. Save the primer for tape-free days.
What eye makeup makes hooded eyes look more open?
Keep it matte and lifted. Use a light wash of a mid-tone shadow on the lid, the lightest shade on the brow bone to lift, and a soft dark shade to define. Draw a thin liner right at the lash base, angled up at the tail, and finish with volumizing mascara. Thin, upward lines open the eye; thick liner closes it.
Is eyelid tape comfortable to wear all day?
Nikol describes the tape she used as light and transparent — she says you do not feel it, it stays invisible even when you look down, and she wears it with contacts. Comfort varies by product and skin, so always patch-test first, follow the package instructions, and remove it gently. Stop using it if you notice any irritation.
