Makeup 101 – How to Apply Eyeliner

This is Part 4 of Make up 101, a series of posts for beginners on how to apply makeup. You can read the rest of the series here.

Finally, eyeliner; my favorite makeup product! I ain’t no fool when it comes to eyeliner, it’s the first makeup I ever used!

The whole point of eyeliner started out with the eyelashes – eyeliner was made to make your eyelash line darker, thus creating the illusion that you have dark, thick eyelashes. There are many eyeliner ‘looks’ from smokey eyes to cat eyes, etc, but this is just a very basic eyeliner application.

Application:

1. Prep eyelids with a swipe of your powder when you applied your foundation. This is especially useful if you have oily lids – it prevents your eyeshadow from disappearing.
2. Place a finger on the outer corner of your eye and gently lift the skin up and out slightly, so that your eyelid is in full view. Try tilting your head back a bit so you can visualize your eyeliner line.
3. Place your eyeliner as close to your las line as possible and draw soft strokes ’til the line looks straight. I normally start from the center of my eye outwards, then middle to the inner corners.
4. For liner on the lower lash line, use your ring finger to lightly press the center your lower lash line. place your eyeliner tip on the outermost corner, drawing your liner inwards, as close to your lash line as possible.

Don’t worry if your lines aren’t straight. Sharp lines tend to make eyes look smaller so even if your eyeliner application isn’t too straight, use a Q-tip or your finger to gently smudge the liner.

For a more intense look (and to make your eyeliner last longer) apply an eyeshadow with a thin brush that is the same color over your eyeliner. This also allows your eyeliner to stay in place and prevent smudging. I wrote more about this tip in my post, How do I Make My Eyeliner Stay On and Not Smudge?)

Recommended products:

Chanel La ligne Professional Duo – (Review here.) A great eyeliner, liquid or powder (more intense as a liquid). My absolute favorite right now!

Lancôme Le Crayon – I currently use this in a dark brown color for everyday wear. It’s a very creamy formula so perfect for smudging and creating a Smokey Eye. (My post Smokey Eyes 101 Tutorial may be of interest, too.)

MAC Eye Khol - great selection of colors and very long lasting. I wrote a more in-depth review at my post, MAC Pencil Eyeliners Review.

MAC Liquidlast Liner - (Review here.) A great liquid liner that lasts through everything! Comes in great colors as well.

Further Reading:

• Six Steps for Easy Eyeliner Application at iVillage UK
  
• Beauty 101: Eyeliner video shown at Allure
• How to Apply Eyeliner from WikiHow

Hope this helps! Any other recommendations for products or other eyeliner tips? I’d love to hear and will help any other readers.

Images: MarieClaire.com, Instyle.com

You might also like:

1. How to: Blake Lively’s Smokey Eyes Makeup Look
2. How to Tutorial: Smokey Eyes 101
3. How do I make my eyeliner stay on and not smudge?
4. How to apply false eyelashes