Eyeliner 101: Which Formula Should You Use?
Don’t you just hate it when you buy a new eyeliner and the results are… well, definitely not worth the money you spent.
To save you a couple of bucks and the headache of adding more mediocre products into your collection, here’s a list of the best eyeliners on the block!
Liquid Eyeliner
When it comes to achieving the perfect cat-eye, liquid eyeliner is always our go-to! Not gonna lie, it’s a bit tricky to work with in the beginning. But with a bit of practice, you’ll be a pro in no time.
Here’s the best approach for creating the perfect wing with liquid eyeliner:
Keep it slow and steady! Start off at the outer corner of your eye – at the highest point of where you want your wing to extend.
Draw the wing downwards into the outer corner of your eye. At the base of your wing, use your liquid eyeliner to layer short strokes (in a backward motion) toward the inner corner – making sure you gradually thin it out as you approach the inner corner of your eye.
At the inner corner of your eye, draw longer strokes toward the outer corner to even out the initial line you created. Next, pull the eyeliner right back into your wing to sharpen it. The Lise Watier Liquid Eyeliner ($22) is one of our favs!
Pencil Eyeliner
Pencil eyeliner is actually incredibly versatile. It works best for keeping things on the natural side while adding subtle definition to your eyes. The trick is to always use a pencil eyeliner to create a base over your lash line before applying any other eyeliner formula.
Create short strokes or dashes with a pencil eyeliner to fill in the gaps between your lashes. Then go over the line with either a liquid or gel eyeliner. This extra step helps you avoid the ‘floating line’ that occurs when eyeliner isn’t applied close enough to the lash line.
For a line that just won’t budge – even on the bottom waterline, our top pick is Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil ($22).
Gel Eyeliner
If drawing on a cat-eye isn’t exactly your strong suit, gel eyeliner is a great place to start! Gel eyeliner might seem intimidating at first, but it’s actually THE MOST forgiving of the three formulas.
It has a thick, creamy consistency that’s incredibly easy to work with, and you can keep building it up until you achieve your desired effect. You don’t need the same amount of precision that’s required when working with liquid eyeliner, and it gives you a sharper, more defined line than an eyeliner pencil affords you.
You can always count on MAC’s Pro Longwear Fluidline ($19) for a long-lasting line and bold color payoff.
What’s your current go-to eyeliner? Let us know in the comments down below which eyeliner product you can’t live without!
Joyce Lee