With your eyes as one of the most powerful features, exploit the way eyeliner accentuates these windows to your soul. By highlighting your eyes, you can downplay other less attractive facial characteristics.
Application Advice
Skillful eyeliner application takes ample time in front of the mirror with practice and patience. Start with your upper eyelid first. While jutting your chin out, look down with your eyes. Gently pull the lid taut and with a steady elbow placed on the counter for balance, draw an even line as close the lashes as possible. For the under eye area, reverse your chin and tuck it as close to your neck as possible. Then look the eyes up and place a lighter line along the outer edge of the eye rim as close to the lashes as possible. Some may also desire to line the inner rims of the eyes. Open your mouth when applying your liner to keep your eyes from blinking.
Whether you choose to line the top only or both the top and bottom of your eyes is purely a personal choice. The more area you cover with your eyeliner, the more dramatic the look. Try a couple different patterns to determine the right level of eye makeup for your individual tastes. Whatever you end up deciding, don't attempt to try and change the shape of your eyes. Use makeup as a means of enhancing your qualities and not to transform them, as it usually only ends up only looking phony.
Special Tips
- Extend the top line a little past the corner of the eye for a Cleopatra effect.
- When lining the top and bottom of your eye, make sure the lines do not meet at the corners. This has a tendency to make eyes look smaller.
- Eyeliner colors, brown and black, are an ideal base color. For additional drama, add brighter colors with eye shadow instead.
- When selecting eyeliner, find one that glides smoothly, but with still a firm control.
- Avoid too much liner, as it will easily look contrived.
- Smudge your eyeliner slightly with your finger tip for a "smokey" look.
Types of Eyeliner
Pencil
The pencil is the most common type of eyeliner as it is the easiest to apply. The look it creates is less precise, but more natural. The pencil should ideally be sharpened prior to each use and warmed gently in your hand. For the most trouble-free application, use little strokes of the pencil instead of one continuous line. If the look you create is a little too harsh, pencil liner can easily be softened with the sponge tip of an eye shadow brush. Eyeliner pencils last for as long as three years before there is a risk of contamination or infection, simply sharpen often.
Liquid
One of the most difficult types of makeup to apply is liquid eyeliner. For many, it is worth the extra effort as liquid produces a more precise intense line. The best way to learn to generate a perfect line is to practice first on the back of your hand and then move to rehearse on your eyes. For the simplest application, start at the center of the top eyelid and create half of your line to the outside corner of the eye. With the excess on the liner brush, complete the line by restarting at the inner corner and move toward the center connecting the lines. To prevent smudges, select a liquid version that is waterproof. Avoid eye infections and replace your liquid liner every three to six months.
Eye Shadow
For the most natural look, skip the true eyeliner and line your eyes with eye shadow instead. Using a darker neutral shade of shadow, dip your eyeliner brush into the makeup and apply. Wipe any excess with a tissue or cotton tip. For a little more drama, use a small amount of water on the tip of your brush before dipping into the eye shadow.
