Eyes and lids
Almond, round, hooded, monolid, upturned and downturned eyes, and the epicanthic fold. 18 face guides on EveryFaceShape so far.
Eyes differ in shape, set and lid: almond, round, hooded, deep-set, monolid, upturned and downturned, with or without an epicanthic fold. All of these come from the eyelids and the bones around the eye, since the eyeball itself is round in everyone. Every eye shape is found among many peoples, and none is better than another. EveryFaceShape describes them for makeup, eyewear and plain curiosity.
Lids and creases
Many upper eyelids have a crease a few millimetres above the lashes, where a band from the lid-lifting muscle meets the skin. Lids without a visible crease are monolids; lids where a fold of skin covers the crease are hooded. An epicanthic fold covers the inner corner of the eye. These forms are common among peoples of East, Central and North Asia, the Americas and parts of Africa, and in babies everywhere.
Tilt and colour
Canthal tilt is the angle of the line from the inner to the outer corner of the eye; most people's is slightly upturned. Iris colour comes from melanin: brown, the world's most common colour, has a lot; blue has little. Many genes are involved, so eye colour does not follow the simple rules once taught in schools. Heterochromia, two colours, is uncommon and usually harmless.
Framing the eyes
Eyes are where some of the oldest makeup is worn: kohl in ancient Egypt, kajal in South Asia and surma across the Islamic world. Makeup artists adapt liner and shadow to each lid, and opticians check that frames sit at the right height for the eyes and the brow. Lash length and thickness are largely inherited.
Famous eyes face guides
Still to be written: Heterochromia.
Further reading
WorldIris
The coloured ring in the eye that controls light entry.Eyes · Most faces
WorldLimbal ring
A dark band encircling the outer edge of the irisEyes
WorldSclera
The tough outer coat that creates the pale background of the eyeball.Eyes · Most faces
WorldCanthus
The inner and outer corners where the eyelids meet at the eye.Eyes
WorldEpicanthic fold
A vertical skin fold at the inner corner of the eye.Eyes · Most faces
WorldEyelash
Hairs lining the eyelid edges that protect the eye and frame the gaze.Eyes · Most faces
WorldEye color
The natural variation in human iris hue driven by melanin and light scattering.Eyes · Most faces
WorldPhiltrum
A vertical groove in the upper lip found in humans and many mammals.Eyes · Most faces
WorldMonolids
An upper eyelid form without a visible crease, common in East Asian populations.Eyes
WorldClose-set eyes
A facial feature where the distance between the inner corners of the eyes is less than one eyeball width.Eyes
WorldUpturned eyes
An eye shape with outer corners that lift upward toward the hairline.Eyes
WorldWide-set eyes
An eye spacing where the gap between the eyes exceeds one eyeball width.Eyes
WorldAlmond eyes
Oval eyes with tapered corners and a natural lift.Eyes · Most faces
WorldDownturned eyes
An eye shape where the outer corners angle downward toward the temples.Eyes · Most faces
WorldRound eyes
An eye shape where the width equals the length, creating a circular appearance.Eyes
WorldHooded eyes
An eye shape where excess skin from the brow bone folds over the eyelid crease.Eyes · Most faces
WorldDeep-set eyes
An eye shape where the eyeball sits deeper in the skull, making the brow bone appear more prominent.Eyes
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Epicanthic fold: Sarang, Public domain, source
- Limbal ring: Chianti, FAL, source
- Sclera: Jo Naylor, CC BY 2.0, source
- Iris: Rossche, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Eyelash: Rapidreflex, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Eye color: LeuschteLampe, Public domain, source
- Philtrum: Rick Kimpel, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Monolids: Unknown author, Public domain, source