HOW TO USE EYELINER
Types of Eyeliner
- Liquid eyeliner: If you’re looking for precision, liquid eyeliner is your new best friend. You can find liquid liner in bottle form, which is applied with a fine dipping brush. You can also find liquid liner in a marker-type pen.
- How to apply: With liquid eyeliner, start thin at the inner corner of your eye, then make the application thicker towards the outer corner. You can start lining at the middle of your eye, or in the inner corner, and keep the liner tip or brush as close to the lash line as possible. Use small strokes of your liner to create small dashes along the lash line, then connect them to fill in the gaps. If your hand slips, don’t worry! Apply a bit of eye makeup remover to a Q-tip and clean up the area.
- Gel eyeliner: This type of eyeliner typically comes in a small pot, with a thin brush for application. Gel eyeliner is fantastic for creating a cat-eye look.
- How to apply: Dip a flat, angular brush into the gel eyeliner pot. Swirl the brush to ensure both sides have a product on them, and start an application in the middle of the lash line, working outwards. Then, draw a line from the inner corner of your eye towards the middle, connecting the two lines.
- Pencil eyeliner: This is typically the best eyeliner option for beginners. Sharp pencil eyeliner is easy to use on your waterline and is great for creating a smoky eye.
- How to apply: Sharpen your liner pencil each time you use it. After pulling your eyelid taut, draw small light dots starting at the outer corner of your upper eyelid. Work your way into the inner corner of your eye to create a thin dotted line, as close to the lash line as possible. Connect the dots with your pencil or use a small shadow brush to blend them in
Liquid eyeliner vs Pencil eyeliner and Gel eyeliner?
Liquid eyeliner vs pencil eyeliner. Is one better than the other? Our thoughts on what to consider when choosing which to use. Plus, the best liquid eyeliner in Australia was revealed.
Spoiler alert - it’s ours!
LIQUID EYELINER
If you’re an experienced beauty lover, the smooth application of traditional liquid eyeliner (with a pot and brush) won’t be the challenge beginners find it to be.
Liquid eyeliner is less forgiving when you make a mistake, so a steady, practiced hand is called for.
With practice comes perfection and you can’t beat the slick intensity liquid eyeliner helps you achieve. Especially for a winged look! It’s worth the practice.
WHY WE LOVE LIQUID EYELINER
Under the guidance of an experienced, steady hand, liquid eyeliner can create super crisp lines. Even the sharpest pencil can’t quite create the precision of liquid.
Waterproof liquid eyeliner also has a budge-proof staying power pencil that can’t be beaten.
For precision perfection when applying liquid eyeliner, rest your elbows on a flat and steady surface. This gives you a good amount of control over your hand movements for wobble-free lines.
In pretty much all cases, liquid eyeliner is darker and more richly pigmented than a pencil.
Because of this, a stroke of eyeliner delivers bold, look-at-me lines. Perfect for dramatic looks.
Team liquid with a pencil eyeliner to build intensity for a smokey eye. To start, line with your pencil eyeliner and layer it with your eye shadow.
Keep it darkest at the lash line and blend out. Next, to really boost the intensity of the smoky eye, apply a liquid liner very close to the lash line.
PENCIL EYELINER
Easiest for beginners!
WHY WE LOVE PENCIL EYELINER
Eyeliner beginners
If you’re a newbie to the world of eyeliner or just want a fuss-free application, pencil eyeliner is a winner. Way less intimidating to handle than swiping a thick, inky line along your eyelids. Perfectly.
Easy, natural eyes
We love pencil eyeliner for a natural look you can apply in zero minutes on a busy morning.
Pencils aren’t messy, they don't smear easily, and they deliver a softer look if a more natural look for every day is your thing.
Take your eyeliner pencil and using little dots, create a dotted line as close to your upper lashes as you can. Start at the inner corner and work your way out. Then, gently connect the dots into a full line.
Swipe on a few coats of mascara and you’re looking everyday prettier in no time.
Lining the inside of your eyes
Known as tightening, lining your waterline can take your eyes from natural to bombshell in no time. It’s best to do it with a waterproof pencil.
Here’s how.
Gently pull your upper lid up. Line your inside rim from the inside corner of your eye to the outer corner. Repeat along the bottom rim.
Teaming with liquid eyeliner for the ultimate wing
Pencil and liquid eyeliner are an unbeatable duo for creating the ultimate cat eye.
If you love the pigment of liquid liner but find it super daunting to nail a straight line - use a combo of tools.
Start with a pencil to outline your eye and wing shape. When you’re happy with the look, trace the shape with a thin liquid liner for more impact.
Wrinkle worries
Worried about wrinkles? Pencil eyeliner is your BFF.
The softer, thicker line of a pencil is more flattering for the eye area if you have a few more folds and wrinkles than you’d like! The sharper application of a liquid eyeliner can be a little harsh. You’ll want a long-wearing pencil too.
GEL EYELINER
First off the rank, gel eyeliner. It’s not a liquid, it’s not a pen… So, what actually is it? And, is it the right kind of eyeliner for you? Let’s find out.
What is gel eyeliner?
Gel eyeliner is like a hybrid between a pencil eyeliner and a liquid eyeliner. You get some of the benefits of liquid eyeliner, without the expert skill level required to apply it.
Gel eyeliner usually comes in a little pot and has a creamy consistency, and you need a small, angled brush to apply it. It’s great for applying a solid line, or if you’re going for the smudged smokey eye look.
What is gel eyeliner good for?
In short, gel eyeliner is great for beginners and people with an unsteady hands. This is the most forgiving kind of eyeliner as the brush makes the product glide on effortlessly. Moreover, gel eyeliner is very buildable giving you control over the kind of coverage you want.
Go over the same line two or three times to achieve a deeper black, or leave it more natural with just one layer. Since it creates a soft edge, the line doesn’t have to be perfect.
Note that you won’t be able to draw a sharp-edged wing with this one, but gel liner is ideal for a more smudged look and smokey eyes.
Is gel eyeliner better than liquid eyeliner?
The difference between gel and liquid eyeliner is like comparing apples and pears. If you’re a newbie or you’ve tried to apply liquid eyeliner, and failed time and time again, then yes, gel eyeliner is better for you than liquid.
Unfortunately, there are still some makeup looks you can only achieve with the liquid eyeliner—they’re worth conquering the learning curve though!