Best False Lashes for Upturned Eyes: Lean Into the Lift, or Level It Out
Upturned eyes are the only shape where there is nothing to correct. Your outer corner already sits above your inner corner, which is the lift every other eye shape is trying to borrow. So this is not a guide to fixing anything. It is a choice between two honest strategies: lean into the lift, or balance it out.
- Lean in with a flared cat-eye and the tilt becomes the whole look. Mystic is the strongest version on an invisible band.
- Balance it with a lash that runs evenly from corner to corner, so the lash line reads level even though your eye is not.
- For balance, buy the flattest profile. Subtract the shortest fibre from the longest. The smaller that gap, the more even the line. Jasmine is the flattest lash we make at 2mm.
- Skip accent lashes. Pixie and Trixie (pre-order, back late Dec) exist to lift an outer corner. Yours is already up.
- Watch the inner corner. A style that starts at 4mm or 5mm leaves your inner lash line bare, which makes the climb to the outer corner look steeper.
- Everyday balance pick: Lucinda. Everyday lean-in pick: Aurora.
How to tell if your eyes are upturned
Look straight ahead in a mirror and picture a level line running out from your inner corner. If your outer corner sits above that line, your eyes are upturned. If it sits below, they are downturned, and you want our downturned eyes guide instead, which points the opposite way on almost everything.
There is a measured version. The outer corner of the eye, the lateral canthus, normally sits roughly 1 to 3mm above the inner corner, an upward tilt of about four degrees.1 Anatomists call that a positive canthal tilt. An upturned eye is simply one where that tilt is more pronounced than average. It is a normal variation, not a deviation from anything.
Strategy one: lean into it
A flared lash puts its shortest fibres at the inner corner and its longest at the outer, so the lash climbs in the same direction your eye already climbs. On an upturned eye that compounds rather than corrects, and the result is the most emphatic cat-eye any eye shape can produce. If the elongated, feline look is what you want, no other eye shape does it better without makeup doing the heavy lifting.
| Style | Length | Spread | Fullness | Glasses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estelle | 7 to 10mm | 3mm | Semi-Volume Hybrid | Yes |
| Aurora | 5 to 11mm | 6mm | Semi-Volume Hybrid | Yes |
| Belle | 5 to 12mm | 7mm | Full Russian Volume | Yes |
| Mulan | 5 to 13mm | 8mm | Full Russian Volume | No |
| Divine | 8 to 14.5mm | 6.5mm | Full Russian Volume | No |
| Mystic | 9 to 14.5mm | 5.5mm | Full Russian Volume | No |
| Tiana | 6 to 14mm | 8mm | Mega Volume | No |
One caution worth naming. On a strongly upturned eye, a big spread can tip from elegant into severe, because the lash line becomes a hard diagonal. If that has happened to you before, the fix is not less volume, it is less spread. Mystic is dramatic at 9mm to 14.5mm but its spread is only 5.5mm, so the line stays smooth. Mulan is less full but climbs 8mm, so it reads sharper. Drama and steepness are two different dials.
Strategy two: balance it out
The alternative is to let the lash contradict the tilt. If your natural lash line climbs and your false lash runs level, the two average out and the eye reads more balanced and more open, rather than more feline.
The number that does this is the same one from the flared table, read backwards. A small spread means the fibres are nearly the same length all the way across, so the lash draws a level line regardless of what your eye is doing underneath it.
| Style | Length | Spread | Shape | Glasses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasmine | 8 to 10mm | 2mm | Round | Yes |
| Modest | 7 to 10mm | 3mm | Wispy, round | Yes |
| Humble | 8 to 11mm | 3mm | Flared, clear band | Yes |
| Rapunzel | 8 to 12mm | 4mm | Round, doll-eye | No |
| Serena | 5 to 9mm | 4mm | Round | Yes |
| Lucinda | 5 to 10mm | 5mm | Round | Yes |
| Stellar | 6 to 11mm | 5mm | Round | Yes |
| Tiger Lily | 9 to 14mm | 5mm | Round, doll-eye | No |
Mind your inner corner
This is the detail that separates a good result from a great one on an upturned eye, and it comes straight out of the numbers.
A style that starts at 4mm or 5mm has almost nothing at the inner corner. On a level eye that is fine, since the eye simply looks naturally tapered. On an upturned eye it means the lash line starts low and empty and then climbs hard, which exaggerates the tilt even when the style is not particularly flared. Styles with a high minimum, 8mm and up, keep the inner half of your lash line populated so the climb starts from a solid base.
That is why Jasmine (8mm), Elsa (8mm), Humble (8mm) and Rapunzel (8mm) all behave better than their fullness suggests, and why Merida at 4mm and Serena at 5mm need a little more care in placement.
The picks
Mystic
9mm to 14.5mm flared cat-eye on a fully invisible magnetic band. Dramatic without being steep, because the 5.5mm spread keeps the line smooth. The lean-in pick.
Shop Mystic, $49Jasmine
8mm to 10mm round, and the flattest profile in the range at a 2mm spread. Draws a level line across a tilted eye. Glasses compatible. The balance pick.
Shop Jasmine, $39Aurora
5mm to 11mm soft cat-eye in fine 0.03mm silk. Leans into the tilt without committing to full drama, and stays glasses compatible. The everyday lean-in.
Shop Aurora, $49Lucinda
5mm to 10mm round natural volume on a 33mm band. Softens the tilt while still looking like your own lashes. Glasses compatible, and made in brown too. The everyday balance.
Shop Lucinda, $39Tiger Lily
9mm to 14mm round doll-eye mega volume. Glam that balances rather than sharpens, because all of that length sits over the centre of the eye rather than at the corner.
Shop Tiger Lily, $39Modest
7mm to 10mm wispy round on a 27mm Crystal Clear band. A 3mm spread and no dark band, so nothing draws a line along the tilt at all. The most understated option here.
Shop Modest, $39Why accent lashes are the wrong tool for you
An accent lash sits on the outer third of the eye only, and its entire purpose is to lift a corner that is sitting low. On an upturned eye you are adding lift to the one part of your eye that does not need it, and leaving the inner two thirds bare, which makes the tilt look steeper than it is. Both Pixie and Trixie are excellent lashes for other people. They are the right answer in our round eyes guide.
Upturned, and something else
Upturned almond
The classic combination, and the most versatile in this whole guide. Both strategies work fully, so choose by mood: Mystic or Belle to lean in, Jasmine or Lucinda to balance. See the almond eyes guide.
Upturned round
Round wants elongation, and your tilt provides some for free, so you need less spread than a level round eye would. Aurora is usually enough, and the big-spread options can be skipped.
Upturned and hooded
Hooding overrides. Buy on the minimum fibre length so the lash is not hidden behind the fold, then apply the balance-or-lean-in choice within what is left: Mystic at 9mm to leans in, Rapunzel at 8mm to balances. Detail in the hooded eyes guide.
Upturned and small
Keep the band narrow so it does not overhang. Modest at 27mm and Serena at 32mm both have small spreads as well, so they balance and fit at once. See our small eyes guide.
Application: two adjustments
Full technique is on our how to apply magnetic eyelashes page. Cared for properly, Youthphoria magnetic and clear band lashes give 30+ wears.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best false lashes for upturned eyes?
It depends which of two things you want. To lean into the natural lift, choose a flared cat-eye such as Mystic at 9mm to 14.5mm or Aurora at 5mm to 11mm. To balance the tilt instead, choose a style with a very even fibre length, such as Jasmine at 8mm to 10mm or Lucinda at 5mm to 10mm, which draws a level line across a tilted eye. Both are correct.
How do I know if I have upturned eyes?
Look straight ahead in a mirror and imagine a level line running out from your inner corner. If your outer corner sits above that line, your eyes are upturned. Anatomically, the outer corner normally sits about 1 to 3mm above the inner corner, and an upturned eye is one where that tilt is more pronounced than average.
Do upturned eyes suit cat-eye lashes?
Better than any other shape, because the lash climbs in the same direction your eye already climbs. The only caution is steepness: a lash with a very large spread between its shortest and longest fibre can make the line read as hard rather than elegant. If that has happened to you, choose a dramatic style with a smaller spread, such as Mystic at 9mm to 14.5mm, rather than a longer-spread style such as Mulan.
How do I make upturned eyes look more balanced?
Use a lash with a very small difference between its shortest and longest fibre, so it draws a level line regardless of your tilt. Jasmine is the flattest in our range, varying by only 2mm across the whole band. Round and doll-eye styles help too, because they put their length over the centre of the eye rather than at the corner. Keep your liner level and do not wing it, since your eye already provides the wing.
Should upturned eyes wear accent lashes?
No. An accent lash sits on the outer third of the eye and exists to lift a corner that sits low. On an upturned eye it adds lift where you already have it and leaves the inner two thirds bare, which makes the tilt look steeper. Choose a full-width style instead.
What is the difference between upturned and almond eyes?
They describe different things and most people with upturned eyes are also almond. Almond refers to the shape of the opening, with the lids just touching the iris and the eye tapering to points at both corners. Upturned refers to the tilt, with the outer corner sitting noticeably higher than the inner. You can be upturned and round, or upturned and almond, and the second feature usually decides more than the tilt does.
How long do these lashes last?
Youthphoria magnetic and clear band lashes are reusable for 30+ wears when cleaned and stored in their case after each use. Fastbond press-on clusters are single use and stay on for up to 10 days at a time.
Lean in, or level it out
Browse the styles selected for upturned eyes, or have Shirley style your eyes in person in Melbourne.
Related reading
- The complete guide to choosing false lashes
- Best false lashes for almond eyes
- Best false lashes for round eyes
- Best false lashes for downturned eyes
- Cat eye magnetic eyelashes explained
- What accent lashes are and who they suit
- American Academy of Ophthalmology. Canthoplasty. EyeWiki. Notes the lateral canthal angle normally sits approximately 2mm superior to the medial canthal angle.
This article is general cosmetic guidance about eye shape and false lash fit. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose or treat any condition. If you have pain, redness or irritation when wearing lashes, stop and speak to your optometrist or GP.
