The struggle is real. From the shaky hand, to smudges and wings that don’t look the same – if you’re anything like me, you suck at winged eyeliner.
Here are a few tips on how to get your eyeliner game on point, every time!
1. Know that there are three basic types of eyeliners
First off, it’s important to know the tools of awesome eyeliner. There are several different types of eyeliner, the main ones being pencil eyeliner, gel eyeliner and liquid eyeliner.
Pencil eyeliner is easy to apply, creates a soft line and blends well for a natural look. However, sometimes pencil doesn’t spread as smoothly or thickly as gel or liquid, but it depends what type of look you are going for.
Gel liners usually come in a cute little pot with a brush. They are long lasting, smudge free and glide on easily, however be careful because they can be very imprecise if there are too many hairs in the brush.
Liquid eyeliner can create a line that ranges from fine to bold, depending on what you’re going for. Liquid liners are great for precision and usually come in tubes with a small brush, or “pen style” brush tips. The only downsides are that they can take some time to dry after applying and it’s also easy to be a little heavy-handed.
2. Different colours give you different effects
While black eyeliner will look striking and bold, a brown may look smoky but subtle. If your eyes are tired, puffy or red/very hungover, avoid using pencil or liners that have a reddish tones such as plums or browns. White eyeliner placed on the lower waterline will open up your eyes, making them appear bigger. You could also opt for nude eyeliner on the lower waterline or use a blue eyeliner which will make your eyes look whiter.
3. The shaky hand
Surprisingly, there’s a really super easy way not to scribble all the way from your lids to your forehead! *shock*
1) Take a seat
2) Rest your elbow on a flat surface
3) Rest your pinky on your cheek to stabilise yourself as much as possible. This should help you avoid, or at least minimise, your jerky ways.
4. Dots are your friend
The dots are like training wheels. If you are just starting out with liquid eyeliner, make dots along the lash line for guidance. Slowly connect the dots before allowing the eyeliner to dry. Soon, you’ll be swiping that stuff on like it ain’t no thang!
6. Pro tip: don’t pull your skin
When applying eyeliner, avoid pulling the skin on your face! Pulling on your eye as you apply liner will morph the shape of your eye and also prematurely causes skin to sag. Instead, while applying eyeliner, have the mirror at chest level, keep your chin up and stare downwards into the mirror. This little trick will also help you avoid crooked lines and gaps between the liner and lash line.
7. Never curl lashes after applying liner
Curling your lashes after you apply eyeliner removes the product closest to the lashes. Instead, always make sure to curl lashes before you start!
8. Fix smudges with concealer
There’s nothing worse than finally getting your eyeliner on point, and then a smudge magically appears. However, this doesn’t call for a complete wipe and re-do! Just apply a tiny bit of concealer over the smudge and touch up your eyeshadow and liner. A smudge brush is also a great tool to transform a not so perfect eyeliner.
9. Set your eyeliner
Once you have applied your eyeliner and it looks ahhmazing, prevent the dreaded crease stamp with the help some trusty translucent powder.
