Eyeliner has become an essential part of eye make-up. With this little stroke of the pencil, you can give your eyes incomparable intensity and depth. But perfect eyeliner isn’t as easy as it looks, and requires a few tricks to avoid common mistakes.
Choosing the right eyeliner: the first step to success
To achieve that famous flawless eyeliner line, you first need to choose the right product. There are several types of eyeliners, with different textures and applicators, to suit your skills and desires.
- Liquid eyeliner: very precise thanks to its fine brush, liquid eyeliner creates fine, clean lines. It does, however, require a certain amount of skill and steady hands to be applied without smudging.
- Felt-tip eyeliner: with its marker-like tip, felt-tip eyeliner is equally precise. It is generally easier to handle than liquid eyeliner, making it more suitable for beginners.
- Eyeliner pencil: ideal for those who prefer a softer, blurred line, eyeliner pencil is easy to apply and blends well into lashes for a natural effect.
- Gel or cream eyeliner: with its creamy texture, gel eyeliner is applied with a beveled brush and can be used to create both very fine and thicker lines. It offers excellent hold and a matte finish that enhances the eyes.
Eyeliner color is also important: if you want a discreet, natural line, opt for a dark brown rather than an intense black.
Techniques for perfect eyeliner lines
Once you’ve chosen your product, it’s time to start applying your eyeliner. Here are a few key steps to make this delicate operation a success:
- Prepare your eyes by applying a neutral eye shadow all over the mobile eyelid.
- Pull the eyelid slightly outwards with your fingers to tighten the skin and facilitate the line.
- Start by drawing a thin line along the base of the lashes, starting from the inside and working outwards. Don’t hesitate to make several small strokes to be more precise.
- To give your eyes a doe-eyed effect, finish the line with a small, slightly upward-sloping comma at the outer corner of the eye.
Tip: for almond-shaped eyes, accentuate the comma.
If you have almond-shaped eyes and want to further enhance their natural shape, don’t hesitate to accentuate the comma of your eyeliner line. To do this, simply extend the line along the curve of your lower lashes, then join it with the line on your upper eyelid. You can also slightly thicken the base of the line for an even more intense look.
Mistakes to avoid for a successful eyeliner line
Certain mistakes are common when applying eyeliner, and can be avoided with the following tips:
- Don’t overload the applicator with ink: whether it’s a brush or a felt-tip pen, don’t soak it too much with eyeliner to maintain a precise, even trajectory.
- Make several small strokes rather than one large one: this technique prevents shaking and therefore smudging.
- Keep your eyes closed while lining: this may seem obvious, but slips are often caused by difficulty in seeing where you’re putting your eyeliner.
Don’t hesitate to practice again and again to master this gesture perfectly, because practice makes perfect. And remember: a successful eyeliner line is above all one that enhances your eyes without distorting their natural shape.
How to correct trajectory errors?
Even if you follow these tips, you may still make small mistakes when applying your eyeliner. Don’t panic, there are a few tricks you can use to rectify the situation:
- Use a cotton bud soaked in make-up remover: run it gently over the smudges to erase your mistakes without damaging the rest of your make-up.
- Apply a little light blush under the wing of the comma: this will erase imperfections and give the impression of a cleaner line.
- As a last resort, redraw your line: if you’re really not satisfied with your work, take a break, breathe deeply and start again.
Remember that eyeliner is supposed to enhance your eyes, and your patience and perseverance will be rewarded.
