Fashion & Beauty Ethos: Tips & Tricks To Applying Eyeliner

Eyeliner can make eyelashes appear thicker, give the illusion of almond shaped eyes, make eyes appear larger, and even bring more depth to the eyes. When shopping for eyeliner, you have the option of choosing creams/gels, pencils, liquid, and even eyeliner powder. Here are some tips and tricks to help take the fuss out of applying eyeliner! 

• Use a primer underneath your eyeliner to help color stay put. If you don't have primer, you can always use concealer and lightly top it off with your favorite pressed powder
• Set eyeliner w/eyeshadow to create even more long-lasting coverage
• If you are going to line your waterline, make sure to sharpen your pencil after-wards [for sanitary reasons]  
• Make shorter even strokes when applying eyeliner, as it makes for an easier application
• Rest your elbow on a counter if you have trouble keeping a steady arm 

 

Egyptic: This bold, edgy Egyptian-inspired cat eye just happens to be one of my favorite looks on the runway this season.  

• Line should be thinner near the inner eye, and graduate towards a thicker line near the outer eye
• Slightly wing the liner up in the direction towards the end of your brow
• Exaggerate the inner eye area by "pulling" the liner past the tear duct
• For even more of an edge wing out the lower lash line as well 
• For darker more dramatic color, "trace" over your pencil liner with a black gel/cream liner

Natural: Not to be confused with tightlining, this method requires lining the area above the lash line. I prefer doing this technique with pencil liner

• For more of a natural look, skip lining the tear duct, and keep the line thin and as close to the lash line as possible. 
• Smudge liner to remove harsh lines, creating more of a natural look. 

Open Eyes: I love utilizing this technique when I want my eyes to take center stage without wearing a lot of makeup. 

• This is perfect for those with smaller eyes, as this method opens the eyes and makes them appear wider
• Line should be thinner near the inner eye, and graduate towards a thicker line near the outer eye on both the upper and lower lash line. 

Tightlining: Tightlining is one of my favorite technique on those days I want to bring attention to my eyes without a visible "line". Tightlining the eyes makes the lashes appear thicker, darker, and enhances the overall shape of the eye. Utilize this technique on those days you're wearing very little makeup, as it lends a polished, natural look. 

Tightlining is best done with a waterproof gel/cake liner [as it easily adheres to lash line] and a flat brush [MAC 212], or a very thin eyeliner brush. Here are the steps for tightlining [sometimes referred to as invisible liner]:

• On a small sterile container, add a bit of water and to it add a bit of your cake/gel liner. The consistency should be that of shoe polish for an even hassle-free application. 
• Gently pull your lid up, and lightly apply your eyeliner to the actual lash line [the roots of your lashes], not your waterline [the moist eye membrane]  
• The easiest method of applying the eyeliner is making tiny dots in between the roots of your lashes

Pops of Color: Utilize colored eyeshadow to add more of an edge to your makeup! Line upper & lower lash line, then smudge the color using a smudge brush. You can also "set" the liner with a matching eyeshadow for a richer hue [and also prevents smudging]. 

I Used:

Nars Bladerunner Quad
Sephora Nano Eyeliner Pencil in Khaki Green

Smoldering Color:Smokey eyes don't just have to be in browns, and blacks. Play around with jewel-tone colors to add more of an interesting element to your eyeshadow. Here I kept the upper lash line free of liner, and lined the bottom lash line only. I added more depth to the eyes by adding a darker shadow to the outer most portion of my eyes. To make my eyes appear wider, I swept a shimmery color along the tear ducts.

I Used: 

Sephora Nano Eyeliner Pencil in Azure Blue
Nars Isolde Quad [Gold]
Stila Borealis Quad [Dark Blue]

I love these Nano eyeliner pencils from Sephora! They are ultra pigmented, and wear well on women of color. For only five dollars a pop, these make a pretty good bargain!

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner - Hands down my favorite gel liner, it goes on smooth, dark, and lasts all day. I like to do the tightlining technique with this gel, as well as dark cat eyes!

Eyeliner Brush - I use a cheapie eyeliner brush from Naimie's [about $4]. However my favorite eyeliner brush is the bent eyeliner brush by Sonia Kashuk; you can find one at your local Target for about $9.99

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