Amp up your Eyeliner game

Eyeliner is one makeup product that can be considered as OPTIONAL. Most women can go about their day without it. Unlike foundation, eyebrow makeup & lip makeup, applying eyeliner can be intimidating. It is perhaps the trickiest and most difficult makeup application step to master. Most women dread using the eyeliner or just skip it altogether. Who can blame them? Their fear is justifiable.

Before you completely toss the idea of applying eyeliner, consider these facts. Proper application of eyeliner can: read more

Tonymoly Backstage Gel Eyeliner
Tonymoly Backstage Gel Eyeliner

Eyeliner is one makeup product that can be considered as OPTIONAL. Most women can go about their day without it. Unlike foundation, eyebrow makeup & lip makeup, applying eyeliner can be intimidating. It is perhaps the trickiest and most difficult makeup application step to master. Most women dread using the eyeliner or just skip it altogether. Who can blame them? Their fear is justifiable.

For one, there's always the big possibility of making mistakes in lining the eyes. If not applied properly it can age you, make you look harsh and unkempt. It can easily make or break one's look. Also, smudged eyeliner can ruin your whole look and take a lot of time to fix, which is a bane especially for women who are always on the go.

Before you completely toss the idea of applying eyeliner, consider these facts. Proper application of eyeliner can:

  1. Make your eyes look well-groomed, brighter & more awake.
  2. Bring out the color of your eyes.
  3. Make your lashes look thicker & fuller.

Lining your eyes can be tricky and frustrating but with a little bit of technique & some practice, you'll be soon be lining your eyes like a pro. Promise!

Now let's get down to some technique. Whether you're a beginner or an eyeliner junkie here are some tips and moves that can seriously improve your eyeliner game. One of the most important things to consider is eyeshape. Each eye shape has certain flaws that can be magically concealed with a few flicks of your wrist and the right eyeliner formula.

Here are some common eye shapes and quick guides on how to enhance them with basic eyeliner tricks:

  1. ALMOND EYES (Think: Cara Delevingne) Almond eyes are often confused with round eyes. Here's an easy way to tell which is which. If your irises are partly covered on the top and bottom edges by your lids when you look straight ahead, then you have almond eyes. They are probably the easiest to line. Women with this eye shape can get away with pretty much any liner look. Depending on the size of your eyes, the almond shape can either "hide" your eyes or can make them your face's focal point if they're bigger. To emphasize your already ideal eye shape, use a waterproof eyeliner pencil and follow the contour of your eyelids.
  2. ROUND EYES (Think: Katy Perry) Your eyes are round if your upper and lower lids are equally curved. In contrast to almond eyes, you can see the whites of your eyes all around your irises when you look straight ahead. To flatter this eye shape, the key is to create a balanced look to avoid making the eyes look too round. Makeup experts recommend that you keep most of the eyeshadow or liner on the top lashline. You can also elongate the eyes creating a triangle shape with the outer corners of your eyes. For your lower lid, you can use light shades (think taupe, gold or nude) to balance your look. This trick "opens" your eyes without making them look overly rounded.
  3. MONOLID EYES (Think: Sandra Oh) Monolid eyes have no visible crease. If you've been blessed with this eye shape, tightlining is the eyeliner hack that will change your life. To tightline your eyes, apply your eyeliner onto your inner top lashline. For a more polished look, remember to cover the skin between your lashes. With this look, you can get away with lining just your upper lashes.
  4. UPTURNED EYES (Think: Angelina Jolie) Trace a thin line on your upper lid. For a more dramatic look, draw a small wing, attach it to the lower lid using thin lines.
  5. DOWNTURNED EYES (Think: Alicia Vikander) For downturned eyes, the key is to apply your eyeliner such that it draws the eye up & out. The goal here is to give your eyes a 'lifted' appearance. Use a thin line on the inner corner of your eye and thicker lines on the outer corner.
  6. HOODED EYES (Think: Blake Lively) Hooded eyes are the kind that has an extra layer of skin that hangs over the crease. This causes the lid to appear smaller and 'hooded', thus the name. To play up hooded eyes, use waterproof and smudge-proof eyeliner. Tightline your upper lash line by tracing a thin line onto your upper lash line. This defines your eyes and makes your lashes fuller than they actually are.
  7. DEEP SET EYES (Think: Miranda Kerr) Deep set eyes are eyes that are set deep into the skull, making the browbone look more prominent. To draw attention to your eyes, draw a very thin line very close to your upper lashline and line only the outer corners of your eyes. Complete your look by thinly lining your bottom lashline.

Want more eyeliner tricks? Stay tuned for our upcoming post on: "Dramatic Eyeliner Looks to Master".

For your eyeliner fix, check out these great finds at Niniko: