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Whether your style is goth, Cover Girl glamor or girl-next-door, eyeliner can be essential to your look. Read on to learn how to apply eyeliner properly, every time.
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Eyeliner Application Tips
- Choose the right eyeliner.
- Test draw a line against your hand.
- Hold the eyeliner as you would a pencil.
- Rest your dominant elbow on a tabletop.
- Rest your dominant pinky finger on your cheek.
- Use your non-dominant hand to gently pull your eyelid taut.
- On your upper lid, work from the inside corner out.
- Get as close to your lash line as possible!
- Smudge with your finger or a cotton swab.
- On your lower lid, work from the outside corner inward.
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Introduction
Eyeliner is eye makeup used on the rim of the upper and lower lid at the base of your eyelashes.Wise Geek: Eyeliner for Dummies Eyeliner defines your eyes, making your eyes pop. Lined eyes are the hottest fashion accessory--for boys and girls. Follow these easy steps for perfectly defined eyes. -
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Eyeliner Application Tips
- Choose the right eyeliner.
- Test draw a line against your hand.
- Hold the eyeliner as you would a pencil.
- Rest your dominant elbow on a tabletop.
- Rest your dominant pinky finger on your cheek.
- Use your non-dominant hand to gently pull your eyelid taut.
- On your upper lid, work from the inside corner out.
- Get as close to your lash line as possible!
- Smudge with your finger or a cotton swab.
- On your lower lid, work from the outside corner inward.
Types of Eyeliner
- There are many different types of eyeliner, and each type offers a new look or texture. Play around with each type until you find the look you love.
- Pencil
- - Pencil eyeliner is the easiest eyeliner to control and use.Allure.com: Eyeliner for Dummies
- - No brush is needed for application.
- Liquid
- - There are two types of liquid eyeliner.
- Liquid that comes in a small bottle with a brush for application.Wise Geek: Eyeliner for Dummies
- Felt-tip liquid eyeliner combines the simplicity of pencil application with the precision and drama of liquid liner.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
- Gel
- - Gel eyeliner is similar to liquid eyeliner because of its dip-and-stroke application.Bobbi Brown Cosmetics: Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner It comes in a small bottle with a brush applicator.
- - Gel eyeliners are gentle on the skin around the eyes; they don't pull the skin like pencil eyeliners.Bella Online: Eyeliner Types
- Cake Eyeliner
- - Cake Eyeliner is a powder eyeliner, which uses a brush for application.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner The most common form of cake eyeliner is your eyeshadow, which can be smudged for a subtle or smoky effect.Bella Online: Eyeliner Types
- Kohl Eyeliner
- - Kohl is traditionally from the Middle East and usually comes in dark colors.Bella Online: Eyeliner Types Wise Geek: Eyeliner for Dummies It is popular because it glides on easy.Bella Online: Eyeliner Types
- - Kohl eyeliner comes in loose or pressed powder forms, as well as pencil form.Wise Geek: Eyeliner for Dummies
- TIP: Always perform an allergy test before putting any eyeliner on your eyes. WebMD provides a few precautionary steps before you apply your eyeliner:
Step 1: Choose the Right Color
- Eyeliner offers more color choices than there are colors in the rainbow. This vast sea of colors can give even the most experienced makeup artist a headache. Here are a few ways to choose your eyeliner:
- Whenever in doubt, choose black eyeliner for well-defined eyes.
- - When applied with a heavy hand, black eyeliner creates drama.
- - When applied lightly, black eyeliner looks simple, elegant and natural.
- Complement your eye color.
- Blue Eyes: Choose dark brown shades, light brown shades like taupe, light purple shades like lavender or silver and gray.CareFair.com: Brown Eyes Wise Geek: Tips for Applying Eyeliner
- Brown Eyes: Try brown, green or plum eyeliner.LoveToKnow.com: Brown Eyes
- Green Eyes: Try dark shades of brown like chocolate, dark purple shades like plum and cool shades like silver and gray.LoveToKnow.com: Green Eyes Wise Geek: Tips for Applying Eyeliner Gold can also make green eyes sparkle.Wise Geek: Tips for Applying Eyeliner
- Hazel Eyes: Any shade of purple, from mauve to lilac to eggplant, will make your eyes stand out.CareFair.com: Brown Eyes
- Complement your eyeshadow.HowToDoThings.com: How To Choose the Right Makeup for Blue Eyes
- - While you don't have to match eyeliner to eye color, you should coordinate your eye makeup.HowToDoThings.com: How To Choose the Right Makeup for Blue Eyes Clashing or mismatched eyeliner and eyeshadow can leave you looking like a clown.
- White Eyeliner
- - White eyeliner brightens your eyes, making them look bigger and more awake.FabSugar: The Beauty of White Eyeliner
- - iVillage suggests those with tan or chocolate complexions, should use a bronze-shimmer liner instead of white liner because white liner can seem harsh.iVillage: Wearing White Eyeliner
- - You can tone down white eyeliner by smudging or choosing an off-white color.FabSugar: The Beauty of White Eyeliner
Step 2: Start Clean
- Wash face with preferred face wash.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
- Dry thoroughly.
- If needed, remove old makeup with makeup remover.
- When first learning to apply eyeliner, start with a blank canvas.
- If you must wear other eye makeup, like eyeshadow, apply now.
- For long lasting liner, brush foundation or concealer over your eyelids.VideoJug: How to Apply Pencil Eyeliner (Time: 1:38)
Step 3: Test Your Eyeliner
- Using makeup isn't an exact science, but testing your liner out before using it is never a bad idea.
Pencil
- Sharpen pencil.
- - This removes bacteria.About.com: Eyeliner Pencil Safety
- - The sharper the pencil, the thinner the line.
- If desired, you can soften the pencil by rubbing the tip between your hands or heating with a hairdryer.Wise Geek: Tips for Applying Eyeliner
- Test the eyeliner by drawing a line on your hand.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
Liquid or Gel
- If using a liquid eyeliner, you can choose to apply with a brush or directly with the liquid felt-tip.
- If you use a brush, choose an angled eyeliner brush, or use the brush that comes with the liner.Allure.com: Eyeliner for Dummies
- Check for clumps.Wise Geek: Tips for Applying Eyeliner
- Dampen brush with water before application.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
- Dip into liquid.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
- Test the eyeliner by drawing a line on your hand.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
- Adjust the line by adding more liquid (shake pen, if using a felt-tip), or blot away excess with a tissue.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
Cake Eyeliner
- Choose angled eyeliner brush.Allure.com: Eyeliner for Dummies
- Dampen brush in water.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
- Stroke brush across cake eyeliner.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
- Test the eyeliner by drawing a line on your hand.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
- To darken the line, add more powder.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
- To lighten the line, add more water. Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
Step 4: Stay Steady
- Hold the eyeliner like you would a hold a regular pencil, with your dominant hand.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
- Look in the mirror.
- Rest your elbow on a level surface.Slink: Eyeliner
- Rest your pinky finger of your dominant hand on your cheek.Tutorials: Learn2 Apply Eyeliner
- Open your mouth slightly to relax your eye muscles.SACHA Cosmetics: Applying Eyeliner
Step 5: Line the Upper Lid
- With your non-dominant hand, gently pull your eyelid.Slink: Eyeliner
- Tilt your head back.iVillage: Six Steps for Easy Eyeliner Application
- Look up, keeping eyes slightly open.iVillage: Six Steps for Easy Eyeliner Application
- Beginning with your upper lid, work from the inside corner outward.VideoJug: How to Apply Pencil Eyeliner(Time: 1:38)
- You want to get as close to your lashes as possible.SACHA Cosmetics: Applying Eyeliner
Step 6: Line the Lower Lid
- With your non-dominant hand, gently pull your eyelid.Slink: Eyeliner
- Tilt your head back.iVillage: Six Steps for Easy Eyeliner Application
- Look up, keeping eyes slightly open.iVillage: Six Steps for Easy Eyeliner Application
- Start at the outward corner and draw a line half way along the base of the lashes.VideoJug: How to Apply Pencil Eyeliner(Time: 1:38) Work inward.VideoJug: How to Apply Pencil Eyeliner(Time: 1:38)
- Use short smooth strokes.iVillage: Six Steps for Easy Eyeliner Application
- Smudge with your finger or a cotton swab.Wise Geek: Eyeliner for Dummies This will soften the line and fix any mistakes.
- Get as close to the lash line as possible.Allure: Eyeliner for Dummies
- Check out this video to see how to apply eyeliner to your upper and lower lids:
- VideoJug: How to Apply Pencil Eyeliner (Time: 1:38)
- TIP: If you just can't seem to get the hang of applying eyeliner, go to the cosmetics counter of your local department store and ask one of the store's salespeople for help.Allure: Eyeliner for Dummies
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