Often seen as a “challenging” eye shape to work with, monolids have long been drawn over, taped, or even surgically altered to appear larger. But makeup artist Janica Cleto, who has monolids herself, says, “Personally, I prefer embracing one’s features.”
Giving this eye shape more room to work is just a matter of artistic adjustment. For this look, Cleto bleached the model’s brows to create more eyelid space and used the Louis Vuitton Ombres Eyeshadow Palette in 951 Force of Nature to craft a bold, graphic green eye. “I love extending this shape by putting emphasis on the shadow near the lash line,” she explains. “It gives a lift.” She also used a duo of Louis Vuitton Lipsticks to complete the look: the satin 102 Passport to Paris on the cheeks as blush and the matte 105 Nude Nécessaire on the lips.
Green, after all, is the color of transformation—a fearless reminder that beauty doesn’t need fixing or filters, just space to be seen.
Dookie Ducay
Art direction: Sacha Mancera. Photographer: Dookie Ducay, assisted by Jay Artales and Lou Fajardo. Makeup: Janica Cleto, assisted by Jandrey Cleto. Hair: Cats del Rosario. Model: Sally Valencia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Makeup artist Janica Cleto recommends concentrating shadow emphasis along the lash line rather than the crease — a technique that creates the visual impression of a lift on monolid eyes. Extending the shadow outward at the outer corner further elongates and opens the eye shape.
Bold, graphic shades — including deep greens, navy, and rich earth tones — perform well on monolid eyes because they define the lash line clearly without relying on crease blending. High-pigment formulas applied close to the lashes create dimension and shape without disappearing when the eye is open.
Brow bleaching creates the visual effect of more eyelid space by removing the strong contrast a dark brow creates against the brow bone. For graphic or color-forward eye looks on monolids, lighter or bleached brows shift the viewer’s focus toward the eye color and lash line rather than the brow frame.
The look uses the Louis Vuitton Ombres Eyeshadow Palette in 951 Force of Nature — a green-toned palette used by makeup artist Janica Cleto to build a bold, graphic eye on a monolid model. The palette was paired with Louis Vuitton Lipstick in satin 102 Passport to Paris on the cheeks and matte 105 Nude Nécessaire on the lips.
Makeup artist Janica Cleto, who has monolids herself, advocates embracing the eye shape rather than altering it. Techniques like lash-line-focused shadow placement and brow lightening adjust the visual balance without conforming to Eurocentric eye ideals — allowing bold color and graphic liner to read clearly on monolid eye shapes.
