How to: Apply eyeliner – part 2

In this post I’ll answer to many of you who are having troubles with applying eyeliner. This is the 2nd part of the post where I will explain you practical tips to learn how to apply your eyeliner and have fun. I know many of you struggle with eyeliner and are even afraid of it, but I can assure you that with some practice you can master to draw your wings, too 🙂

How to apply the eyeliner?

1. Don’t panic and don’t be frightened before you even start! Your fear will not bring you fun during the process, nor a sexy and confident look 🙂

2. Don’t think that you should draw the entire line with one brush stroke. It’s really not the case. Instead, especially if you are a beginner, draw the line and the wing first with an eye pencil. You will have a guideline and you can also adjust the wings by correcting them if they are not symmetrical. Take a q-tip and correct, really easy. With a q-tip and a make-up remover you can correct even the wing of  liquid eyeliner if needed. You see, there is a solution to everything!

3. Apply the eyeliner with small strokes and with a light hand.

4. If your hands are shaking, lean your elbow on the table, or on a surface to keep it steady.

5. If you use liquid eyeliner shake it well before use, so that you won’t have a dry tip of the brush. The line should be liquid and smooth.

6. When applying any kind of eyeliner (liquid/gel/cake), draw first the line along the upper lash line and then also the wing (step 1,2). After having drawn the rough guideline, start to smooth the line and fill in the gaps between the lashes (it’s not good to see gaps of skin between the eyelashes) and design the triangle between the wing and the line (step 3). Finally, fill in the triangle with the eyeliner and connect all together.

7. If you choose to draw your line with a pencil, choose an appropriate pencil for the line you want to create. If you like a really thin line into your lashes, then choose a harder pencil and sharpen it good. This will help to create a precise line. If you want a thicker line or a smudged mysterious look, then choose a softer pencil, a kohl or a kajal because they are soft.

8. If you apply a gel eyeliner or you create an eyeliner from your pigments/eyeshadow, then choose a brush that will help you draw the line you want. Especially for the beginners I suggest using a thin and precise angled brush. This will also help to design the wing easily. If your line will be thick you can use a pointed tip brush (see top picture). It allows to smooth the line very well. See more about eyeliner brushes in my previous post.

9. Some tips for different eye shapes: If your eyes are round and big then extend the line out more and wear it quite thick. This will give you an exotic look and will elongate your eyes in an almond shape. If you have small eyes, with a hooded eyelid avoid a thick line, it will close your eyes and make them even smaller. If your eyes look sad (=corners of the eyes turned down), start to draw your wing upward a few millimeters (1-2) before the upper eyelid ends. Otherwise you will emphasize even more the droopiness. The eyes have to look lifted and not turned down.

10. Have fun even with colored eyeliners. If you have brown eyes and tanned skin try with a deep green or an electric blue for instance.

What kind of eyeliner do I choose?

It depends on the look, texture and thickness of the line you want. Try first to draw a line on your hand with different types of eyeliner and different brushes to see and feel how the line looks like and how it glides on the skin. After experimenting decide what you want to achieve and wear.

These are my tips and tricks regarding the eyeliner. If you have to ask anything else about the eyeliner feel free to comment and share your thoughts 🙂

photo credits: Boris Gorjan, make-up Dasha Grozdanic