The ultimate guide to eyelid tape, including how to wear it on different types of eyes

Don’t get us wrong – monolids, hooded eyes, inner double eyelids, they all rule. But just as some of us wear feathery, wispy lashes to “open” our eyes, or crisp cat-winged liners to create a fierce gaze, so do some who sport slim strips of eyelid tape to lift our creases.

What are eyelid tapes?

Eyelid tapes are narrow stickers that are pasted onto the eyelid to create a crease, turning a monolid into a double eyelid.

If you already have a natural crease on your lids, you can also use these tapes to emphasise the fold. People also often use eyelid tapes to correct a droopy eyelid or balance the creases on both eyes.

Whatever it is, eyelid tapes offer a quick fix for achieving your dream crease – provided, that is, if you know how to wear them right.

To help you skip a sticky eyelid tape situation, we give you the lowdown on all you need to know about these slim strips, including how to wear them on different types of eyes and the best tapes to get in Singapore!

Types of eyelid tape

Single-sided eyelid tape

Single-sided tapes, as their name suggests, are sticky only on one side. They’re meant to be pasted just above your ideal crease line; when you open your eyes, your lids will fold over the tape and create a double eyelid groove.

Double-sided eyelid tape

Besides single-sided ones, there are also double-sided eyelid tapes. These tapes have adhesives on both sides, which hold the crease together.

While single-sided eyelid tapes tend to be visible, especially when you close your eyes or look downwards, double-sided tapes are easily hidden from sight.

Rolled eyelid tape

Or, if you want full control over the shape and size of your eyelid stickers, rolled tapes are a good option. Dispensed in a way that’s similar to scotch tape or bandages, the tapes come in long ribbons and have to be trimmed before you can use them.

Rolled tapes can be challenging to master since they’re not pre-cut, but they also let you create the perfect crease regardless of whether your eyes are bigger or smaller.

Eyelid tape textures

Since single-sided eyelid tapes can be seen when you look downwards or close your eyes (they’re not hidden by skin unlike double-sided eyelid tape), choosing the right texture is important when it comes to these stickers.

Smooth silicone texture

Traditional eyelid tapes are made with silicone that are slightly sheer against the skin, thus blending in reasonably with bare skin – think pimple patches.

However, pair these stickers with makeup and they’ll really stand out (let’s just say that many have tried and failed to disguise silicone eyelid tapes against eyeshadow-swept lids).

Lace or mesh texture

The new (and popular) kids on the block are lace, or mesh, eyelid tapes. With their stretchy net material, they’re much less visible against the skin regardless of whether you’re wearing makeup or not.

Lace tapes are often water-activated, which means that you spray them with water and wait for them to get tacky before smoothing them over your lids.

And, if you’re pairing the mesh eyelid tapes with makeup, our tip is to apply eyeshadow to your lids before pasting the lace sticker for more invisibility.

How to wear single-sided eyelid tape

The most basic way of wearing single-eyelid tape is by pasting it just under your ideal crease line.

Always start by cleansing your eyelids as any dirt or oils on your skin can affect how well the tape adheres and its long-lastingness throughout the day.

For this step, you can simply use a cotton pad that’s soaked with a water-based makeup remover like the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Soothing Micellar Water, wiping it over your eyelids.

Next, use the back of a pair of tweezers to press gently onto your eyelids and find your ideal crease line. Once you have the crease line in mind, use the tweezers to pick up the eyelid tape and paste it just below the imaginary fold.

When you open your eyes, the tape should be tucked neatly underneath your skin, thus creating a clean double-eyelid crease.

Watch this video tutorial below:

How to wear double-sided eyelid tape

Double-sided eyelid tape is often sold together with a V-shaped stick, which makes it easier for you to pick up and paste the sticker onto your lids.

Again, you should cleanse your eyelids and find your ideal crease line before you begin.

Peel the white sticker backing off the eyelid tape, and then use the prongs on the stick to tap down on the upward-facing adhesive. This will allow you to pick up the tape and pinch down slightly so that the tape forms a gentle curve.

Keeping the curved shape, gently paste the tape onto your ideal crease line. You should remove one prong first, pressing your skin over the eyelid tape as you do, and then the other prong, also pressing down on your skin at the same time.

Finally, gently press down on your eyelids to secure the tape in place.

How to wear eyelid tape on different types of eyes

However, even with these simple steps, you might find it difficult to create an ideal crease, especially if you have more stubborn “puffy” eyelids or hooded eyes.

Creators on the Chinese social media platform, Xiao Hong Shu (The Little Red Book), have found new ways to wear eyelid tape on various types of eyes. With their tips, you’ll be able to flaunt a lifted crease regardless of whether you’ve got single, narrow double, or inner double eyelids.

Narrow double eyelids

Just because you’ve got natural double eyelids doesn’t mean that you can use eyelid tape to further lift your eyes. Narrow double eyelids feature a crease that’s close to the lash line, which gives less of a doe-eyed appearance than one that’s higher up on the eyelid.

For more lifted, spaced-apart double eyelids, you can cut a regular single-sided eyelid tape into half and paste it right on your crease line. This will help you to create more space between the crease and lash line for a wide-eyed appearance.

Inner double eyelids

Inner double eyelids are when the skin above the crease folds over heavily, thus making the crease invisible, especially near the inner corner of the eye.

To lift the inner corner to the middle section of your natural double eyelids, you can trim an almond shape on a piece of single-sided eyelid tape. Paste the eyelid tape over the middle, slightly above the crease line and this will help to support the inner folds of the skin, so your double eyelids are more visible.

“Puffy” inner double eyelids

For those with plumper inner double eyelids, tapes might not hold well because of your skin’s thickness. Crescent-shaped single-sided eyelid tapes are ideal for your type of eyelids, especially when pasted so that the stickers are slanted upwards from the outer to the inner corner of the eye.

You can easily create a crescent shape by trimming along the original arch of the eyelid tape, creating steeper downward curves on both ends. The shape and placement will better support drooping or heavy eyelids to give you eyes that are wider and more lifted.

Single eyelids

Those with single eyelids, also known as monolids, don’t have natural crease lines to work with, but they can easily find their ideal crease by gently pressing on the eyelids using the back of a pair of tweezers or cotton swab.

Single eyelids also mean that you have less “loose” skin to work with when you’re applying the eyelid tape, which means that the tape might be visible under the tight crease of your lids or, otherwise, fall off easily.

To hide the eyelid tape better, beauty creators on Xiao Hong Shu suggest that you trim a piece of single-sided eyelid tape so that it’s shorter in length and forms a slightly oblique shape.

The corner of the steeper side (where you’ve trimmed it) should be placed closer to the inner corner of the eye, and the tape should also be applied right on the ideal crease line. This way, you’ll get to boast a lifted double eyelid crease without the tape showing.

Parallel eyelids

Should you want to lift the crease on your parallel eyelids (parallel referring to the shape of the crease in relation to the lash line) without changing its shape, then using a single-sided trapezium-shaped tape is your best bet.

Paste it in the middle of your crease to lift the fold, all while preserving its natural, gentle curve.

Hooded eyes

If your eyelids are slightly puffy or plump, you can create a double eyelid by cutting a piece of double-sided eyelid tape into half and pasting the narrow strip onto your ideal crease line. Besides flattening the puffiness slightly, this will also widen and lift your eyes.

Where to buy double eyelid tape in Singapore

D-UP Wonder Eyelid Tape Extra

Japanese brand D-UP’s Wonder Eyelid Tape Extra is a double-side eyelid tape that’s great for holding up even heavier eyelids because of its strong medical-use adhesive tape.

How it works is that you pick up the double eyelid tape using a V-stick, which comes together with the tapes, pinch on the stick slightly so that the tape curves to fit the shape of your eye, and then press it down where you want your crease to be.

The eyelid tape is comfortable on the eyes and, since it’s hidden between two flaps of skin on the eyelid, it’s invisible to the eyes.

D-UP Wonder Eyelid Tape Extra retails for S$15.90 on Watsons.

TONYMOLY Two Side Double Eyelid Tape

While single-sided eyelid tapes are usually the easiest to use for beginners, TONYMONLY’s Two Side Double Eyelid Tape isn’t difficult to apply even for first-timers, according to reviewers.

With its strong adhesive, this double-sided eyelid tape stays for a long time on the lids and even works to hold up more stubborn, “fatty” monolids.

TONYMOLY Two Side Double Eyelid Tape retails for S$3.35 (22 pairs) on YesStyle.

Miss Bowbow 3M Mesh-Type Double Eyelid Tape

For those of you looking to try a mesh tape, Miss Bowbow offers four types to suit different eyelids. Type 2, for instance, is a thicker tape with a crescent shape that’s good for creating deeper-set eyes and more suitable for those who already have a natural crease and larger eyes.

Mesh tapes are supposed to appear less obvious on the lids compared to single-sided tapes, because of their ridged texture that blends easily with the skin. However, some reviewers note that the eyelid tapes look a tad shiny should you skip applying eyeshadow on your lids.

Miss Bowbow 3M Mesh-Type Double Eyelid Tape retails for S$13.73 (112 to 120 pieces) on YesStyle.

ETUDE My Beauty Tool Double Eyelid Tape

Another double-sided eyelid tape that’s budge-proof is the ETUDE My Beauty Tool Double Eyelid Tape, which stays on the lids all day without slipping.

It comes with a gentle crescent-shaped curve that follows a natural crease line, and isn’t visible whether you open or close your eyes. The only way that people can tell that you’ve pasted eyelid tape is the crease on your lids won’t even out when you blink or look down.

Besides holding your crease in place throughout the day, these tapes are also great for “training” your skin to hold the fold so that you can toss the tapes on some good eye days.

ETUDE My Beauty Tool Double Eyelid Tape retails for S$3.79 on Yesstyle.

MERYTHOD Pretty Big Eyes Eyelid Tape

First off, Korean brand MERYTHOD’s Pretty Big Eyes Eyelid Tape comes in the cutest pink flower packaging and is packed into a roll. Unlike most rolled tapes that require you to trim the stickers into the right shapes and sizes, these ones are already pre-cut so you can peel them off and use them straight away.

The eyelid tapes are water-activated, which means that you need to spray water onto them so that they acquire a slightly tacky texture, then paste them onto your lids (as usual).

Since the MERYTHOD Pretty Big Eyes Eyelid Tape is dermatologist-tested and hypoallergenic, it’s the ideal tape for sensitive skin types.

MERYTHOD Pretty Big Eyes Eyelid Tape retails for S$13.80 instead of S$23 on Shopee.

Darkness Secret Magic Double Sided Eyelid Tape

Darkness’ Secret Magic Double Sided Eyelid Tape are special because of its extra thin stretch fibre that’s so comfy and light on the lids. The eyelid tapes come in seven different styles, such as the Shark Tape, Edge Tape, and Nano Tape, allowing you to create your crease style of choice.

We also like that the V-shape application tool has prongs that are further apart, making it easier to pick up and apply each eyelid tape to the lids.

Darkness Secret Magic Double Sided Eyelid Tape retails for S$5.69 on Shopee.

Malian Eyelid Tape

The Malian Eyelid Tape comes in a roll of 300 pairs, so you’ll be able to use them for a long time before you need a new set.

Its mesh design makes it almost invisible on the skin, and it adheres strongly to the lids – there will be no pesky rolled-up corners that get in the way in the middle of the day.

Malian Eyelid Tape retails for S$5.90 on Shopee.