How to Flawlessly Apply Eyeliner

If you enjoy applying makeup to enhance your features as opposed to simply wearing the latest color trends, eyeliner is one tool you can keep as a staple in your makeup kit. Different types of eyeliners are available on the market, which give you a number of choices when you want to define your eyes. While jagged edges in eyeliner application are unattractive if you aren't deliberately going for an eccentric look, don't worry if you have a shaky hand; eyeliner does not have to be drawn in a straight line on the lids in the 1960s mod style to be considered flawless. Soft and smoky eyeliner is a subtle but nevertheless stylish and effective way of calling attention to your eyes.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Eye primer
• Eyeshadow base
• Translucent powder
• Eyeliner
• Eye smudge brush or cotton swab
• Small stiff-angled brush
• Powder eyeshadow the same shade as your eyeliner
• Creamy black eyeliner

1. Prep your eyes for makeup by smoothing an eye primer on clean lids from lash line to browbone. Once the primer absorbs into your skin, apply an eyeshadow base, also from lash line to browbone. Whether you will be wearing eyeshadow or not, primer and base are necessary if you want to brighten up your lids, as well as help your eyeliner go on smoothly and flawlessly, last longer and appear more vibrant against your skin. Set your primer and base by dusting translucent powder on your lids.

2. Choose the eyeliner texture that you feel most comfortable working with. Your options include pencil, creme, liquid and stick eyeliners. You may rim your eyes with the eyeliner of your choice--except for the liquid formula, which is better suited to the top rather than the bottom eyelid--or limit your application to your upper lash lines. Make sure no skin is showing in between the eyeliner and your lash lines.

3. Soften any hard lines or jagged edges in your eyeliner with the help of an eye smudge brush or a cotton swab; this way, you won't need to worry about your eyeliner being uneven. Flawless eyeliner application does not necessarily mean a perfect line--while you can use liquid eyeliner to create an attractive strong line, leaving other kinds of eyeliner unsmudged can cause your eye makeup to appear unblended. Make sure you smudge your eyeliner before it sets or dries.

4. Make your eyeliner last longer with the help of powder eyeshadow in the same shade as your eyeliner. Dip a small stiff-angled brush in the eyeshadow and tap off the excess before stippling the product over your eyeliner. Use the eye-smudge brush or cotton swab again to soften any hard lines in your application.

5. Define your eyes discreetly by applying a creamy black eyeliner on the rim--or waterline--of your upper eyelid (see Resources for photos). This is called "tightlining," and you can do this on its own or combined with the previous steps. Tightlining makes your eyes more noticeable even though the eyeliner you have on is not immediately evident.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to wear eyeshadow, put it on in place of translucent powder in Step 1. If you want more of a clean line rather than a soft and smoky one, prop your elbow on a table or countertop as you apply your eyeliner.
• Do not share your eye makeup with others in order to prevent infections due to the spread of bacteria. Make especially sure that the eyeliner used on the waterline is clean.

Resources

• Photos of a tightlined eye
• Videos on applying eyeliner