The market is flooded with eyeliners, each offering something different: gel, pencil, powder, or liquid. It can be hard to choose from the many options available. There is also the classic: eyeliners in pencil. They are cheaper and easier to apply than liquid liners but not as durable. With a few tips and tricks, you can apply pencil eyeliner to your eyes like a professional.
There’s a lot to take into consideration–color, for instance, can determine just how much your eyes “pop” once lined. It’s not as easy as just swiping on the pencil liner. It’s easy to apply pencil liner with a few tricks and a simple technique. Here are some tips for all of the above, plus ideas on how to rock colored eyeliner and a smoky eye.
The Key Takeaways
· The pencil eyeliners are more affordable and easier to use than liquid liners, but they are less long lasting.
· Some skin tones may find black eye pencils too harsh. Brown pencils can give a more natural appearance to those with lighter skin.
Try a brown pencil
If you have fair skin, black-eye pencils can look harsh. Use a brown eye pencil to achieve a natural, subtle look.
You can use this trick from makeup artist Mally Ronald if you have dark hair. She recommends lining the upper lashline with black eyeliner, and the lower line with brown to create a soft yet sexy look.
Warm Up Your Waxy Eye Pencil
It’s not good to have an eye pencil on your lids that is too waxy or cold. It can make it difficult to apply eyeliner pencils with precision, as the lines will look chunky. Warming up the eyeliner pencil is the best way to avoid this.
Three easy ways to do this are:
1. Rub the tip of your hand to soften it.
2. Roll the tip between your fingertips.
3. Hold the end in flames for just a second. Let it cool for a couple more seconds before applying to your lids.
When you next buy a pencil keep in mind anything marked “creamy”, ” kohl “, or ” blush “, will apply more smoothly. These pencils do not usually need to be heated up.
Start with a Dash
Are you having trouble drawing a straight line on your face? Laura Mercier says that the key to applying eyeliner pencils and creating the perfect lines on upper and lower lashes begins with a few dashes.
1. The skin will stretch out at the outer corner.
2. Draw a series of dashes slowly with eyeliner. Start at the inner corner, and work your way out.
3. Angle your pencil at the midpoint of the line so that you are now drawing the side. This will make the line thicker.
4. Connect the dots or, in this case, dashes.
Line and Smudge Lower Lash Line
Smudging eyeliner is a great way to add an “I didn’t take extra time with my makeup” casual look. This technique will enhance your eyes in a subtle way.
1. Using the above tricks, use a pencil eyeliner to line your eyes.
2. Use your fingertip to gently smudge along the line.
3. Give the liner a second thin coat if you’d like to add more definition.
The Inside of Your Eyes
It’s a great way to look sexy on a night out. The technique used is Tightlining. There’s also a trick for making it last.
1. Sharpen the pencil to a point with a waterproof pen. This will not only give you more control, but also eliminate any germs on the pencil.
2. Pull your upper lid gently up and start by lining the top inner rim of the eye from the inner corner.
3. Follow the bottom waterline.
Dark colors can make your eyes look smaller. If you have small, round eyes, use a beige pencil on the inner rim. Beige can also give the appearance of a restful night’s sleep.
Cotton Swabs: How to Avoid Common Mistakes
Even professionals make mistakes, and eyeliner is a difficult product to remove after a mistake.
Dip a cotton swab into eye cream or moisturizer to fix a penciled-in line. To make it easier for you to remove, dab it on the spot. Use the swab if you want to make your mistake appear deliberately smoky. We like Smoky Eyes look sexy and are easier to achieve than you might think. It’s best to use a thicker kohl pencil.
1. The kohl pencil can be warmed up by rubbing the back of the hand with it.
2. Use the dash technique to dot the upper and lower lashes.
3. Smudge the kohl dots on your line with a cotton swab that has been moisturized or infused with eye cream.
4. Finish by applying a dark shadow to the lid (try browns, purples, or blues).
Set Your Line With Eyeshadow
You can prevent this by setting your line with eyeshadow, and using it. Use eyeshadow to set your line, as a primer.
Dip a small angled eyeshadow brush into a dark shade and apply it to your lids, right next to your lashes. You can then trace the eyeshadow with your liner.
Do not be afraid of color
Colorful eye makeup is not just limited to eyeshadow. Use colored eyeliner to enhance and brighten your eye color.
· Purples and maroons can make green eyes shine.
· Navy blue and purple accent blue eyes.
· Green and gold brighten brown eyes.
· Hazel eyes are a combination of earth tones and grays.
Make your eyes appear larger
Eyeliner is one way to make your eyes look larger.
You will close your eye and make it appear smaller if you cover the entire top and bottom lash line with liner. Apply your liner only halfway to your middle eye on top and bottom.