How to Apply Eyeliner

How to Apply Eyeliner? If you're looking for a way to make your eyes pop or appear more dramatic, you probably want to learn about applying eyeliner. Using eyeliner correctly can really make a huge difference in your overall appearance. Using it incorrectly, however, can leave your eyes looking smaller or completely exaggerated.

So you’re standing at the beauty country trying to pick out eyeliner and realize that you could really use some good information on how to apply eyeliner successfully. See with eyeliner it’s not only technique – it’s also the type of liner that makes a difference in your finished look. A pencil eyeliner is a little tidier for a novice, but liquid eyeliner lasts longer than pencil – so if you’re planning on a long night – practice using liquid products.

The basics of how to apply eyeliner liquid are pretty straight forward – begin at the inner part of your eye near your tear duct and sweep outward to the edge. Do not go beyond that edge unless your goal is a cat-looking eye or a dramatic eye treatment. If you find you don’t have a steady enough hand for one long line – start in the middle of your eye outward, then connect the inner edge of your eye to that pre-made line in a second stroke. When using liquid liner to create the smoky eye, you’ll want to smudge it a bit. A cotton ear swab works wonders for this purpose, as well as for blending your shadow from the lash line upward.

Once you’ve practiced the basic method to the point where you get nice, smooth finished lines you can try a technique that makes your eyelashes look thicker. Rather than one straight line, you’ll be dotting the liner between each lash. Do this before applying mascara. This gives your lashes a dense appearance without needing another layer of mascara that might otherwise clump and smudge.

The technique for how to apply eyeliner pencil is pretty similar to the liquid. Keep the line an even thickness going from inside just along the upper lashes toward the outer edge of your eye. Go thicker for a more intense appearance, particularly toward the middle of your line. Extend beyond the eye with a slight upward curve for the cat eye or if you’re doing an evening smoky eye. If you’re using pencils or liquid liner under the bottom lash line, usually this is applied a little more subtly (otherwise it can stress dark circles and fine lines). Pencils can give you more natural blending options just by smudging them into your concealer.

The beauty of eyeliner is that it gives you a lot of “pop” relatively inexpensively. The whole idea is showing off the shape of your eyes. And you don’t have to stick with basic black either. Individuals with light eyes can use bronze, brown, gold and even purple. Those with blue or green eyes can use silver, red, gold, brown and gold shades. Experiment a bit as you’re learning how to apply eyeliner until you find something that you really like. Try out the “look” on a friend for feedback before a big event.

Color:

Eyeliner comes in a variety of colors. Choose one that picks up on complimentary colors from your wardrobe. Alternatively you can take a cue from your eye color in choosing eyeliner. If you have green eyes, consider using brown or purple, If you have blue eyes use bronze or brown (earth tones). And if you're fortunate to have brown eyes – well, nearly anything goes!

How to Apply Eyeliner

In learning how to apply eyeliner, the key is beginning at the inside of the lashes a move outward in on even movement. You want to apply the liner before you have any mascara or eye shadow on – it will last longer and have a smoother appearance this way. Generally you want the thickness of the line nearest your nose to be thin, and gradually grow toward the outer edge of your eye.

Note that if you're someone who finds they don't have a steady hand, I'd opt for using pencil liner. This isn't as dramatic as liquid, and it creates an overall softer look. I actually prefer pencil to liquid especially if you want to have a more natural-beauty appearance. In fact if you use a white eye pencil and line the inner rim of your eye with it, this creates the illusion that your eyes are wider!

You can use eyeliner both above and below your eye, but remember that the more you add, the more obvious it becomes. If you're going for Goth, extending your liner beyond the outside corner of your eye is perfectly apt. In that location you can even use the liner to draw small pictures (like a star or heart) – akin to punctuating a sentence.

Applying Eyeliner

Practice helps, but no matter how many times you've used eyeliner, or how many tips and tricks you gather about how to apply eyeliner, you're going to make mistakes. Just take a deep breath and reach for an ear swab. These are one of the greatest makeup tools in the world, allowing you to clean up spots here and there without having to take all your makeup off and start over.

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How to Apply Liquid Eyeliner Unlike a dry pencil or powder eyeliner, liquid eyeliner is applied using a fine brush. The tubes in which liquid eyeliner comes have been designed in such a way that they only release a little product at a time. This design means you can control how heavily or lightly you apply it. This beauty product is not limited to black, by the way. You can get liquid eyeliner in many colors...[Read More]

Eyeliner

Eyeliner can make a world of difference in your eye makeup look. It defines and emphasizes your eyes and really finishes off your eye makeup look. There is a huge variety available and you can apply them in many different ways - you can go with a lighter color and a thin line to subtly draw attention to your eyes, or you can go with very black thicker lines for a more dramatic look. Most people go somewhere in the middle.

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