Eyeliner for beginners

Eyeliner can make or break your look, and more often than not, it takes quite a bit of practice to master all the different styles of it. Today, I’ll be simplifying all there is to know about eyeliner; types, colours, tips for the best possible application and how to clean up, in case you make a mistake.

There are three main types of eyeliner that we will be focusing on: pencil, cream and liquid.

Pencil eyeliners such as LA Girl Glide Gel Eyeliner or Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon are much better than drier, waxier formulas, since they offer intense colour payoff in one swipe, and don’t skip or tug at the delicate eye area during application.

Pencils are great for lining the waterline to create an inky smoulder.

Cream eyeliners (also called gel eyeliners) such as INGLOT’s AMC Eyeliner Gel are best for classic eyeliner, smokey lines and lining the waterline.

However, you will need to use an eyeliner brush with it. If you’re a beginner, I wouldn’t attempt winged eyeliner with these, because you’ll need to ensure the cream hasn’t begun to dry out, and your brush is thin enough to pull it off.

Liquid eyeliners such as Wet n’ Wild MegaLiner or pen styled eyeliners such as Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner will enable you to do classic eyeliner, winged eyeliner and more precise, graphic eyeliner.

So, you can see that the different types serve different purposes; you wouldn’t try to line your waterline with liquid eyeliner, because it will get washed away before it can even dry. So, pick your eyeliner type wisely.

When it comes to colours, you can achieve many different effects.

Rimming the eyes with black eyeliner will give you a striking, bold look; great for a smokey eye. Brown eyeliner is considerably softer and will be more appropriate for daytime makeup.

Applying white eyeliner on the waterline will make your eyes appear larger.

Nude or _ esh-toned eyeliner on the waterline will brighten your eyes and make you appear more awake.

Various coloured eyeliners can enhance your eye colour.

By using basic colour theory, you can make your eye colour pop. For example, blue eyes will pop with bronze, copper and warm brown eyeliners. Green eyes will stand out with reddish brown, plum and terra-cotta hues. Brown eyes will sparkle with teal, navy blue or eggplant shades.

Tips: For the best possible application of eyeliner, there are a few tips that most people won’t even think of. But really, you don’t need to make eyeliner any harder than it already is.

Sometimes, your eyelash curler can remove or smudge your eyeliner, ruining your look. To avoid this, curl your eyelashes before you apply eyeliner.

Never tug on your eye, or stretch your skin taut to apply your eyeliner. Usually, when you let go, the shape can look very different than what you intended.

Anchor your pinkie _ nger on your cheek to steady your hands while applying eyeliner.

Opt for waterproof formulas as opposed to creamy, kajal eyeliners, as these are more prone to transferring and smudging. If your eyeliner still smudges, setting it with the corresponding eyeshadow colour could help to prolong it’s wear.

If you struggle with winged eyeliner, try mapping out the shape you want with eyeshadow and an angled brush, before committing with a waterproof eyeliner.

You can easily adjust the shape of the eyeshadow with a cotton bud to erase any mistakes. Once you’re happy with the shape, simply trace over the eyeshadow with your liquid eyeliner for the most even wings, every time.

Lastly, if you’ve still managed to make a mistake using waterproof eyeliner, you have a few options.

You can remove it with a cotton bud dipped in makeup remover. If you got it somewhere that you think will be ruined by the makeup remover, you can use a full coverage concealer, preferably in a liquid form, as these are easier to spread and blend. If you need to reshape your eyeliner, use a small angled brush and carve the line into whatever shape you desire with the concealer. You can then patch up your eyeshadow and be as good as new. Likewise, if the eyeliner got onto the face, just lightly pat the concealer over your mistake, and set it with a powder.