How to Use Pencil Eyeliner

Thanks to fashion trends, you can now find pencil eyeliner in a variety of colors. With all these colors to choose from, you can easily make your eyes look beautiful by using a pencil eyeliner in a color that will enhance the color of your eyes. For example, if your eyes are a light brown color, outline them with a navy blue eye pencil. Blue eyes become more attractive when they are lined with a dark lavender eye pencil. If you are going to apply eye pencil to the bottom lid, you can do it in one of two ways: You can apply it to the rim of the bottom lid, or you can apply it beneath the lashes. Either way, it’s best to use a soft eye pencil so you don’t stretch the fragile skin around your eyes.

Things You'll Need

• Soft pencil eyeliner
• Smudger (optional)

Instructions

1. With your dominant hand, position the pencil at the inside corner of one eye, close to the lashes on the top eyelid.

2. With your other hand, gently pull your eyelid toward your ear, so it’s taut and the pencil can glide smoothly across the lid. Line your top eyelid with the pencil eyeliner, keeping the point of the pencil close to the eyelashes.

3. Taper the line off when you reach the end of your eyelid. Use an upward sweep that ends in line with the top of your ear, or lower.

4. Place the tip of your eye pencil on the rim of your bottom lid, at the inner corner, and draw a line on the rim to the end of your lid. If you prefer to pencil your lower lid below the rim, position the pencil at the inner corner of your bottom lid and draw a line across it to the end, keeping the pencil close to your lower lashes.

5. Connect the top pencil line to the bottom pencil line at the outer corner of the eye.

6. Smudge the bottom pencil line to create a dramatic and sexy look.

7. Follow the same steps to pencil-line the other eye.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the point on your pencil eyeliner is sharp enough to create a tail at the corner of your eyes.

• Do not use a pencil eyeliner that is more than 3 months old. Old eye makeup can give you an eye infection, so it’s best to replace your pencil eyeliner every 3 months.