Publication date May 3, 2023

10 Best Eyeliner Tips For Achieving Flawless Application

Applying makeup is always much fun. Well, till it's time to put on your eyeliner. Then your hands forget their home training and start shaking so bad you look like all you had for breakfast was seven cups of coffee with a double espresso.

Eyeliner application does not have to be a battle of blood and tears. We have compiled the following tips to make life a little easier.

Follow these ten unique eyeliner tips judiciously and watch how you end up with flawless wings every time.

Figure Out Which Eyeliner Works Best For You

The first and probably the most important eyeliner tip is that you have to figure out which eyeliner works best for you. Scratch that. You need to pick an eyeliner according to your skill level. There are three main types of eyeliner.

The pencil eyeliner is the most common type there is out there. This is perfect for a makeup beginner. It is the easiest to manage and maneuver of the three types.

Next is gel eyeliner. This one is a bit more sophisticated and requires a certain level of skill to use. So for those with mid-level experience, you can try your hands at gel eyeliners.

The last, but in no way the least, is liquid eyeliner. This eyeliner, when used properly, is probably the best thing ever invented since penicillin. Its downside is that it is difficult to maneuver and requires a high level of skill.

Now that you know where you stand, let this guide you when shopping for eyeliner.

Hold Your Eye For Better Control

Prime Your Eyelids

The way you use primer on your face for a better, long-lasting finish is the same way you should prime your eyelids with an eyeshadow primer. This would give your eyeliner a longer lifespan. The last thing you need is to spend all that time carefully constructing the perfect wing only to have it fade before you even get to where you are going. You should never be caught slipping.

Draw The Wing First

Strange as it sounds, this is the secret to getting your wing looking sharp enough to slice cake every time. What you want to do is start at the outermost corner (yes, you read me right) and then draw a thin line, angling upward slightly.

This gives you properly snatched, lifted eyes instead of bringing them downward. Try this little trick next time, and thank us later.

Let Your Wing Guide You

You know that thing you do where you draw a wing and gradually thicken it? You need to kill that habit right away. This is why you almost always end up with uneven, overdrawn eyeliners. What you want to do is this: after tracing out the wing, you fill it in before working on the inner corners.

This will ensure that your wings are symmetrical and equal in width as well as angled in the same direction. You should trace out both wings first and fill them, after which you can go crazy on the inner corners.

Blend Blend Blend

For best results, blend out your eyeliner. This unique eyeliner tip is a must-follow, especially if you use pencil eyeliner. A dual-ended pencil with a smudger attached to it works beautifully.

You could also use your fingers lightly (emphasis on lightly) to blend out your eyeliner or use a smudge brush. The more pressure you apply, the more smoked out your eyeliner becomes, so go easy on that.

Use Neutral Shades Along Your Waterline

Instead of using the same black liner along your waterline and running the risk of looking like The Corpse Bride when the breeze makes your eyes water, you can use neutral colors along the lower lid.

Neutral shades give a bright-eyed look to the face, a trick that can come in handy when you have a long night without sleep. Champagne and rose gold are also great alternatives to nude.

Give Your Eyeliner Time To Dry

This holds especially if you are using liquid or gel eyeliner. The last thing you would want is to get your eyeliner smudged because you opened your eyes too soon and ruin the entire work. I’m sure you wouldn't want to start applying eye makeup over again.

Give your eyeliner at least a thirty-second window to dry before lifting those pretty lids, and save yourself the extra fifteen minutes of having to reapply your eyeshadow and everything.

Find The Right Wing For Your Eye Shape

Almond-shaped eyes, round doe eyes, hooded lids — these are but a few common shapes and types of eyelids. Just as everyone's needs differ, so does the shape of the eyeliner for every eye type. Eyeliner application is not a one-size-fits-all thing. A person with hooded lids would apply eyeliner differently from one with single lids. This tip should get your attention some more as it would save you a lot of stress.

Cotton Swabs Are Your Best Friend

Made a mistake while drawing on your eyeliner? Never fear; cotton swabs are here. The trick is simple. Just dip a cotton swab in a bottle of makeup remover and carefully wipe off the smudged spot. This beats cleaning off the entire thing to restart the whole process.

Eyeliners are a big part of the makeup process. It is always present, from the most sophisticated to the simplest of looks we would try to pull off. Putting on eyeliner can be daunting for a beginner, but it's nothing a little bit of practice cannot solve. So go ahead and look beautiful, you gorgeous creature.

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