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In This Article
Ah,eyeliner.
We love you so, but why must you be so difficult?
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To which we say: Enough.
We even enlisted the help of two makeup artistsMelissa Murdick and Renee Loizto share their secrets to mastering eyeliner.
Pencil, gel, liquid, felt… the list goes on.
Cristina Cianci/Getty Images
We’ll give you our best advice: Pick apencil.
Because it’s the easiest and a great starting point for eyeliner beginners.
“Just hold as you would a regular pencil and draw along your lash line.
Try lining your eyes with a pencil liner, then layering theliquidon top.
Draw the line slowly and steadily.
Fill in any gaps between your lashes with the eyeliner to give the illusion offuller lashes.
If you have any mistakes, clean them up with a Q-tip and makeup remover.”
“It’s kind of like playing connect the dots,” says Loiz.
“Have fun with it and take your time.
Practice makes perfect.”
Here’s an easy solution: Clench your toes.
We learned this weird cat-eye trick from Kat Von D’s makeup artist, so you know it works.
Murdick has another tip to help your eyeliner look flawless.
“If you have shaky hands, create some stability for yourself.
Do your makeup sitting at a table so you could rest your elbow,” she says.
Flick, Then Connect
Cat-eyewingsare intimidating for the unschooledwe get it.
Our advice to beginners is to start from the outside in.
“Guide eyeliner will be your new best friend.
This is the easiest way to make a perfect cat-eye,” says Loiz.
Just position the cat-eye stamp at the outside corner of your eye and press down.
It stamps a perfect wing.
You then use the included eyeliner pin to draw along the lashes and connect.
Another industry secret?Muji Cotton Buds, which are tightly wound and provide a super-precise cleanup.
Beyonce’s makeup artist swears by them, as do many others.
Try Tightlining
Ever heard oftightlining?
It’s pretty much the easiest way to wear eyeliner and will define your eyes subtly.
To tightline your eyes, gently place one finger in the center of your eyelid, then lift.
Take an eyelinerblack is preferableand trace a line on the skinbelowyour lash line.
(You might look weird doing this, but we promise the result is worth it.)
We recommend using an eyeliner brush to smudge out the line so it isn’t as harsh.
Then,curl your lashesand apply mascara as usual.
Your eyes will pop, we promise.
Luckily, there’s a simple fix.
Just take a bit of loosetranslucent powderon a fluffy eyeshadow brush and apply it over your liner to set.
Another trick: Only buywaterproof eyeliners.
“Whether it’s a pencil or liquid, check that it’s waterproof,” says Murdick.
“Also, don’t apply eyeliner to bare eyelids.
At least put down aneye primeror do a basic eyeshadow look.
Consider Going Nude
Tired eyes?
Here’s the easiest tip ever: Take a nude eyeliner pencil and lightly trace your bottom waterline.
“Don’t forget, eye drops are your best friend when you’re tired.
They help eyes look refreshed before you put on your makeup.”
Great for Twiggy, but not so much for you.
“Using a more natural shade brightens things up without causing a distraction.”
TryMake Up Forever’s Artist Color Pencil, which comes in many neutral shades.
This small adjustment might solve your eyeliner frustrations (e.g., wobbly lines and uneven wings).
Forsmall eyes, Murdick says there are a few tricks to open up your peepers.
“If you have small eyes, heavy liner across the eye can make them look even smaller.
Stick to lining only the outer half of the eyefrom the center of the eye to the outer corner.
Plus, the price is budget-friendly.
Liquid eyeliner can be used much more precisely than pencil, helping you to achieve near-perfect lines.
That being said, it’s pretty budge-proof, so mistakes are more difficult to clean up.
