Lyn: I’m kinda the worst when it comes to eyeliner. In my defense–there are three key reasons why liner and I aren’t friends.
- I’m super klutzy with it. It’s never even and can look super janky. It also doesn’t help that I’m always running late and perfect eyeliner takes a patience I don’t have.
- I feel like it takes hours before my upper lids aren’t completely puffy in the morning. (There really ought to be a serum/primer to help with this–UD get on it!) Within minutes–it looks like the liner is an inch from my lash line–no matter how tight I try to apply it..
- I read that putting eyeliner on small eyes makes them look smaller. This probably isn’t true–but given the above issues—it gives me a reason to skip this step.
But my January Birchbox gave me new eyeliner hope. (Yes–I still get Birchbox–and Ipsy. I’m always one month from cancelling but then…) I received the Eyeko Fat Liquid Eyeliner–and I love it. I’ve been getting Birchbox for so long–this is the second Eyeko liner I’ve received. I actually really liked the other one too. And it lasted a really long time before drying out.
This liner creates a really heavy line. It’s easy to hold and works like a marker. But because the line is so thick–which I love (ask Jess and Pam about my Flair addiction)–I can really give it one swipe and it’s pretty good to go. So when I wear a bold, black liner–this Eyeko liner has been the one I reach for–and will definitely be repurchasing.
Jess: I wear eyeliner quite a bit. Not every day, but when I do, it’s because I’m either trying to really bump up my look, OR I’m having a super lazy/rushed morning and trying to fake that I am put together and/or awake.
On a regular day, or as a base on a fancy day, I reach for my favorite Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil. Over the years, I’ve collected quite the range of colors- these pencils are so creamy and easy to use, and the color range is amazing- but my go-to shade is Hustle, a slightly metallic medium-brown. It is pretty fool-proof to apply in a hurry, and adds something special while staying neutral and daytime appropriate. My second favorite is Perversion, the blackest blackety black pencil in the universe. This one is definitely reserved for Super Fancy Makeup days, because the drama is real! It’s perfect for lining the inner rim/waterline.*
I’m also a big fan of liquid-lined eyes for days when I can’t deal. I realize this sounds like an oxymoron, but hear me out: If I throw on a winged liner, a quick coat of mascara, and some long-wear bold lipstick, I don’t need much else, and I am good for the entire day. I look like I’m actually awake, and I don’t have to worry about touch-ups, transfers, or Snapchatting while looking like a monster. This look takes about 3 minutes to achieve, and makes an early Monday morning outfit of black leggings and a t-shirt look suddenly chic.
My all time favorite, holy grail, ride-or-die liquid liner is Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner in Trooper. It is unique in that the tip is an actual brush, providing a line that is easy to apply and make as thick or thin as you like. This liner also lasts, like, forever. I’m sure you’re not supposed to keep using a liquid eyeliner for a year, but… it’s just so consistently good. It wears all day, the color is super pigmented and once it’s dry, it is LOCKED IN. This will be a liner that I will mourn if it is ever discontinued.
A drugstore runner-up that I’ve been enjoying is the Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise Ink Pen Eyeliner– it has a felt tip, but it is flexible enough to make application pretty foolproof. I’ve only had it a few weeks, though, and the tip is starting to dry out. But, for less than $10, it’s a good back up in a pinch.
*I’m pretty sure Lyn’s inside-voice telling her that eyeliner makes your eyes look smaller is a throwback myth from the 80’s, when girls (the “burnouts”, we’d call them) would wear black liner ONLY on the inner rims of their eyes. I hated this look so much that I refused to line my waterline until only, like, within the last decade. Lining the rim can instsantly make your look more dramatic- just be sure to also outline the OUTSIDE of your eye to make it look more open and bigger. You can also fake looking awake by lining the inner rim with a nude or white pencil.
Pamela: I NEVER wear eyeliner. I have nothing to contribute to this post. The end. Okay, not really. I do sometimes wear it. Like, twice a year. I think the reason I rarely wear eyeliner is a combination of, I am really, really bad at applying it, and I have never found one eyeliner I have loved and that has given me the look that I want/wish for. Having said that I LOVE the look of liner and am totally jealous of girls that can pull off a fierce winged line. It’s my dream.
I purchased the Kat Von D Tattoo liner that Jess loves so madly because she loves it, (and it looks great on her), but I can’t get it to work for me…. not to the point where I think it looks good at least. If I do try to do a winged liner I def have to use post-it’s or scotch tape to get clean lines. And even at that it usually still looks like a mess and takes a good half hour. Plus, the KVD tattoo liner looks shiny to me, and I don’t dig that in an eyeliner (ask me about my highlight addiction though. That’s a WHOLE different story.)
The one go to liner I do have that I can manage a simple line with is the Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes liner in 1L-star black, which is a muted black with a tiny bit of shimmer. I feel that it’s buildable and easier to correct mistakes. If I am wearing this one though, I usually wind up smudging it out for a smokey look (because I just can’t be bothered to fix all the mistaking that’s happening.) All in all I’m often not sure if I have the right eye shape for an awesome cat eye, or for liner in general, so that’s the biggest reason I skip it. But I plan to keep trying…. maybe even three times this year.
Ready? Try these tricks!
- Start easy! Use a brown or grey liner or eyeshadow to add some soft definition and depth. Smudge it out with a stiff brush to smooth out any wobbles.
- Not ready for black? Navy, plum, and even maroon shades can really make your eye color pop, without the severity of a black liner.
- Ready for a wing? Use a soft brown shadow and an angle brush to sketch in where you want it. Extend the line of your lower eyelid, staying outside the crease of your eye, then fill in the triangle to the desired thickness
- Really ready?? Take a deep breath, ask Jesus to take the wheel, and GO FOR IT!! Don’t think about it too hard. Don’t over-analyze. Remember that no one else but you will be 3 inches from your face. Cover with bangs or glitter if it all goes to hell.
Remember, makeup is fun!! You can always start over. Unless you’re running late.
What are your favorite eyeliner looks and tips?? Tell us in the comments!
All opinions are our own. All products were purchased individually with our own cash money. None of these links are affiliate, because we are not that baller. No one is giving us any free stuff, but even if they did, we would still be up front with you on what we like. However, if Kat Von D, Jane Marie Feltes, or Wende Zomnir want to hang out with us, we would gladly make snacks.