Eyeliner Types

• Kohl aka kajal liners are the original liners, used for thousands of years to make women's eyes more alluring. Traditionally make using soot and plant resins, they are now made with modern ingredients, and most are pencil liners. We like: Physicians Formula Kajal Eye Liner Trio in Nude Eyes and Rimmel Ultimate Kajal Eyeliner.

• Pencil liners are your most common option, and a good place to start. Their soft, waxy texture makes them great for smudging, and if you want a precise, fine line, keep the point sharpened, but soften the tip slightly. The formula is buildable, and you can get different results from using the side of the tip as well as the tip. We like: Rimmel Special Eyes Precision Eye Pencil and LA Girl Eyeliner Pencil.

• Gel eyeliners are among the easiest to use to create a strong, richly pigmented, smooth and solid line. They mostly come in pots and are applied with a liner brush, which makes them very accurate.
  
  They're great for creating an instant smoky eye, if you smudge them while wet, or for a very accurate fine line that’s much more forgiving than a liquid liner brush. We like: Rimmel Scandaleyes Gel Eyeliner and LA Girl Gel Liner. 

• Liquid liners are perfect for dramatic eye looks and can create the finest precision lines or a beautiful cat eye, but require the most skill and a steady hand. And because the formula is wet, it needs a longer drying time, so you need patience - keep your eyes closed for 30 seconds after applying, or you’ll mess up your carefully applied eye.
  
  The variety of formulas give you matte, patent shine, glitter finish. We like: Essence Superlast Eyeliner Deep Black, Almay Lasting i Liquid Liner and Maybelline Master Ink Liquid Liner. 


• Felt-tip liquid liners: the easier option. Similar to a long-tipped felt-tip pen, these give you more control and allow you to create as thick or thin a line as you want. Just remember to close the lid tightly so it doesn’t dry out. We like: Yardley Precision Liquid Eyeliner and Maybelline Master Precise Curvy Eyeliner.

Eyeliner Techniques

• Set the scene
  Your eyelids are one of the oiliest areas on your face, which is why eye make-up can end up clumped into the eye crease unless you prime before you apply.
  
  Use a translucent powder, neutral powder shadow or eye primer as your base coat before you apply anything else on the whole eye area. This absorbs oil and makes any eye make-up last longer and stay put, where intended.
   
• A stable influence
  Controlling the line is the bit that causes most anxiety. Instead of trying for the perfect line freehand in front of your bathroom mirror, sit down and use a handheld mirror to apply your liner:
   
  • Steady your hand and arm by propping your elbow on the table.
  • Look down into the mirror so you can see your eyelid accurately.
  • Pull your eyelid taut with your fingers to create a smooth, firm surface. And apply...
  • When applying eye pencil, if you're still worried about drawing a continuous line, draw dashes where you want the line, and link them into a smooth line.
  • For a softer, smudged look, don't forget to blend using a sponge tip or blending brush.
  • When going for a liquid line, first create the line in pencil, then trace over it using liquid liner.
  • The perfect cat-eye or winged eyeliner is easy-peasy with this trick: using a spoon’s handle, place it so that it lines up along the corner of your nose, the edge of your eye and the end of your eyebrow. Draw a short-angled line up from where it meets your eye. Now place the curved edge of the spoon so it meets the angled line. Trace a line following the curve of the spoon down to the eyelid. Draw your line on the eyelid, and fill in the flick, and there you have it.
  • Another tip for a perfect flick is to use a post-it note, business card or even sticky tape. Hold or stick it diagonally against the corner of your eye, and trace your line using it as your ruler.
  • Add glitter liner to instantly transform your look from day to night. Or try any of the latest Instagram inspired eyeliner looks to elevate your signature wings.
  • If you mess up, don’t panic! You can smooth wonky lines by using a skin-coloured liner to sharpen the edges. OR
  • Dip a cotton bud into concealer to fix smudges and tidy things up. Or use a gentle micellar water to erase the error carefully, then reapply over that spot.

Pro Eyeliner Tricks

• To make your eyes look bigger and brighter, line your waterline (the inner rims of your eyes) with a flesh-coloured liner. Using a dark liner can make the eyes look smaller. This is also a great pick-me-up when you want to look more awake. Great nude liners: LA Girl Ultimate Eye Liner Super Bright and Catrice Inside Eye Highlighter Pen Renude Yourself.


• If you have heavy-lidded eyes or Asian eyes and your eyelids hide your liner, use a pencil or gel liner and draw a thick, arched line so you can see the perfect line above your lashes. Good for this: LA Girl Mark My Eyes Extreme Bold Eyeliner.


• Create the perfect smoky eye easily by drawing a hashtag in liner on the outer corner of your eyelid, then blend and smudge it. Draw more hashtags along your eyelids and smudge them. Build up the colour for a more intense, smokier eye.
  
  Read More. These Smokey Eye Looks are SO Beautiful (And Easy to Do)


• Any colour as long as it’s black. Not when it comes to liner. While black is classic and can look punk-edgy, brown and grey is softer and more natural looking. Shades that suit all skin tones and eye colours are a bronzy taupe and a plum-brown.
  
  And, of course, bright shades give you a bolder, fun look. Blues are always popular statement shades, and we like: Rimmel Color Precise Eyeliner, Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil, Michelle Ori Longwear Eye Liner and Essence Kajal Pencil.


• Two toned trick. Layer two different colours of eyeliner onto the lash line to wake your eyes up. Simply pick two complementary or contrasting shades to line eyes with, using different colours on either upper and lower lids, or along inner or outer quadrants of the eyes.


• Make your liquid line stay in place all day by going over the liner with an eye shadow in a matching shade, or have fun with a shimmer shadow in a contrasting shade.


• Create your own. Get your perfect custom shade liner with eye shadow. Wet the liner brush and brush it across the eye shadow repeatedly. Wetting the shadow will darken it, and having a complementary liner will give you a fresh, modern look.


• If you have deep or close set eyes, use a lighter colour on the inner two-thirds of the eye, merging it into a darker liner for the outer third. Blend well to create a striking ombré effect.


• If your eyeliner is very soft and prone to breaking, put it in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm it up.