When it comes to eye makeup, nothing’s more dramatic than liquid eyeliner. Unfortunately, it’s also some of the most difficult makeup to apply. Here’s a step-by-step guide to putting on liquid liner right:
Supplies You’ll Need
- Black liquid liner: I like Make Up For Ever Waterproof Eyeliner, but for a cheaper alternative, try Rimmel Professional Liquid Eye Liner.
- Black mascara: Don’t leave home without it!
- Eye makeup remover: Use an oil-free one to avoid smearing.
- Cotton swabs: For correcting crooked lines.
- Find a mirror you can get very close to, preferably one that’s on or above a flat surface like a table or desk. (If you have a cosmetic magnifying mirror, this would be a good time to use it.) Look in the mirror with your face turned at an angle. Rest the elbow of your drawing arm on the flat surface and prop your mirror up or angle it until you can see both your eye and your hand near your face.
- Pull your lid taut at the outside corner with the hand you won’t be drawing with. Take a deep breath, then release it slowly. (This is a technique marksmen use to steady their hands for shooting. I’m not kidding – it actually translates to makeup. Creepy, eh?) Then, starting a quarter of the way in, draw a thin line all the way out to the outer corner of the eyelid. Keep the line as close to your lashes as possible. Don’t worry if the liner isn’t perfectly straight – you’ll be able to fix that later.
- When you reach the outer corner of your eye, draw the liner out and slightly upward to create a mini wing tip. (I promise you won’t spontaneously turn into Amy Winehouse. Following the natural downward curve of your lid often makes eyes look droopy.) To perfect the wing tip, it may help to think of making a checkmark motion with the liner. Now do a few tiny diagonal strokes back toward your lashes to thicken up the line.
- If your line has crooked spots or smudges, dip a Q-tip in eye makeup remover and roll it against the back of your hand to keep it from dripping. Then, carefully trace above the area where the line is wriggly to erase mistakes. Finally, pile on a good 2-3 coats of black mascara. G, L, A, M…Glamorous!
When I’m cleaning up stray or crooked lines I like to use Pampers or Huggies wipes, because the edges are straight it make everything that much easier. I also use them to remove make up.
Great tip, Rachael! Someone mentioned Bath & Body Works Makeup Remover Wipes in our forum topic on eye makeup remover – those might work to create the same straight edge and may also be more effective for removing eye makeup specifically.