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A Beginner’s Guide to Liquid Eyeliners
A lot of us love our eyeliner. They add emphasis to the eyes, and the perfect eye makeup can truly set the look. Despite being such a great beauty tool, eyeliners can also be a struggle to apply. Pencil liners, gel liners, liquid liners – no matter the type, it still takes quite some practice to get that perfect liner look down. Among those three formulas though, it’s the liquid eyeliner that’s the most difficult to master, especially when one is a beginner.
That doesn’t have to be the case though, for in this article, we’re going to teach you all the know-hows about the liquid eyeliner! Everything from an eyeliner application technique all the way to the best liquid liner to creating cat eyes and wings, we’ve got your back. With these tips, you’ll soon master the liquid liner in no time!
Is Liquid Eyeliner Easier than Pencil?
A pencil eyeliner is definitely easier than a liquid eyeliner. They’re quick to apply and are easier to touch up as well. However, a pencil liner isn’t the most precise when applying and therefore, aren’t the most ideal to use in creating a crisp, winged cat eye. A pencil liner is great for a blended smokey eye or when you want to emphasize the waterline.
What is the Best Way to Apply Liquid Eyeliner? (According to a Celebrity Makeup Artist)
Applying liquid eyeliner doesn’t have to be rocket science but it is quite difficult to do so. A lot of factors can be at play here — shaky hands, poor hand to eye coordination, and even the liquid liner itself. While it may be somewhat daunting, with a little practice, you’ll be able to perfect the perfect winged eyeliner look soon. Celebrity makeup artist Geo Brian Hennings shares a few tips for beginners on how to apply liquid liners:
Have a Clean Base
It’s important to have a clean base without any oil or previous makeup lingering on your eyelid. If you feel like your eye area isn’t thoroughly clean, you can use a makeup remover to prepare your base.
Prime Your Eyelids
Using your ring finger, apply an eyeshadow primer or concealer. A primer helps in preventing your eyeliner from smudging or transferring, making it last longer. This is especially important for those with an oily skin type around their eyelids.
Begin with a Dot in the Middle of the Lash Line
We’ll be teaching you a connect the dots technique to help you apply liquid eyeliner successfully. To start off, draw a dot in the center of your lash line. Make sure that it’s as close to the lashes as possible. Having a gap between your lashes and liner isn’t really the greatest look. You can press the liner to the roots of your lashes instead of drawing above them. The size of the dot depends on how thick or thin you want your eyeliner to be.
Apply Dots to the Inner Corner and Tail of Your Eye
Apply a dot to the inner corner of your eye, and apply another to the outer end of your eye. The innermost dot acts as the place where you want your eyeliner to begin. On the other hand, the outermost or tail dot acts as the marker for where you wish your liner to end. For your liner flick, you can use your lower lash line as a guide. Make sure that your flick doesn’t dip below the lower lash line.
Connect the Dots
Now that you have all three dots together, it’s time to connect them. Rest your elbow on a still surface like your vanity; doing this can help you avoid shaky hands. With a finger, gently make the skin around your eye taut. Remember to not tug or pull at your skin. Look down so that your eyelids are half-closed. Doing this will allow you to connect the lines in a smoother manner and you’ll still be able to see yourself in the mirror. Connect the dots as gently as you can.
Clean Up
Repeat the process on your other eye. If both, or one, of the lines come out too thick or uneven, you can clean up your liner with a q-tip dipped in an oil-based makeup remover.
Applying Eyeliner According to Eye Shape
According to makeup artist for celebrities Daniel Martin, knowing what your eye shape is can help you in mastering the art of liquid eyeliner. Here are some tips on how to apply liquid eyeliner on different eye shapes:
Hooded Eyes
Having hooded eyes means that the eyelid isn’t visible often. For the best look that can make your eye liner stand out, create a cat eye flick where the hood of your eyelid begins. You can work your way inward and apply liner in thin strokes, widening it as you go on.
Close-Set Eyes
For close-set eyes, it’s recommended to not line the inner corner of your eye. Instead, apply your liner from the middle of your way and outwards.
Downturned Eyes
Applying your liner from the inner corner towards the outer corner in the thin line is the best for those with a downturned eye shape. You can also extend the wing upwards to the crease of your eye. Use the tail end of your eyebrow as your guide and don’t extend further than that.
Mono Eyelids
Those who have mono lids have the best canvas to create the perfect cat eye look due to the lack of a visible crease. Ensure that the line you make is crisp and straight. To make the thinnest line possible, put the tip of the liner on the lash line at the pupil and draw outwards. Next, begin from the inner corner and draw towards the middle point. You can continue to layer your liner to your desired thickness.
What is the Best Liquid Eyeliner for Beginners?
Now that you’ve learned the tips and tricks in applying liquid eyeliner, it’s time that you get a handy tool of your own! Here are the best liquid eyeliners that you can stash in your beauty kits! Take your pick and for sure you’ll find the products that suit you best.
NYX Epic Ink Liquid Liner
If you want super sharp wings, the NYX Epic Ink liner can help you achieve your liner goals. With its slender brush tip, it can help you achieve effortless lines. Moreover, it’s waterproof as well.
Kat Von D Ink Liner
With a flick of this eyeliner brush, you’ll have the most perfect wings in no time. This eyeliner brush has a fine-point tip, making it an excellent choice for beginners.
Nars Eyeliner Stylo
This super-fine precision felt-tip liner pen ensures a flawless application every time, even with just one line. This easy to apply liquid eyeliner glides smoothly and easily, lasts long, and gives off an intense color that will truly make your eyes pop.
Which Eyeliner is Best for Watery Eyes?
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner
Stila’s waterproof liner has a formula that glides on with ease and dries down quickly. You won’t have to worry about it smudging once you apply it. You can create thin strokes or even intense wings with this cult favorite.
FINAL NOTE
With these eyeliner tips, we hope that our article can help you reach your goal in mastering the art of the liquid liner! Get to practicing and applying to level up your beauty game! If you want to learn how to apply eyeliner like a pro, read our article on it!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Three Different Eyeliner Formulas?
The three different types of liner products all have their own pros and cons. An eyeliner pencil looks like and functions mostly like it’s namesake, a pencil. It’s very easy to use and practice with. Pencils are mostly used to create smokey eye makeup looks and for tightlining around the water line. They do require maintenance though as you need to keep them sharpened and if you opt for a mechanical one, you can run out of them or they can get blunt.
On the other hand, a gel liner has a texture that’s somewhat a cross between a pencil and a liquid liner. It has a thick consistency and can be creamy when applied. The gel formula usually comes in a pot and has a brush as an applicator. This product is great for creating a clean precise line, and the creamy formula can be easy to work with. The downside of a gel liner is that it can easily dry out, and you’d have to keep your brush clean at all times to avoid infections.
Lastly, a liquid liner is amazing to create swoops that require delicacy and preciseness. They come in a variety of forms such as marker-type, wand brushes, and more. They also tend to come in a host of shades and finishes. The downside is that this product tends to be difficult to apply and require a lot of practice.
What is the Difference Between a Cat Eye and a Winged Liner?
A winged look lines only the upper lid and is a straight line with a flick at the tail end of it. On the other hand, cat eyes are applied like the winged style but have the bottom half filled in, connecting it to the bottom lash line, creating a perfectly straight triangular shape.
Ira Arellano graduated with a degree in Multimedia Arts from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. When she’s not busy writing, Ira uses her remaining free time fawning over groups with too many members, reading three books simultaneously, crying over animated shows and fictional people, and being salty over her lack of gacha luck.
