Getting your Liner on FLEEK

We stan a strong winged liner moment! But picking the right tools to get there isn’t always easy. Here’s how to navigate the world of eyeliner and what to keep in mind! 

Picking between gel, eyeshadow, bristle or felt tips can be very daunting, and while this decision really comes down to preference, and what each person is comfortable with, the most important thing to remember is to go for what gives you maximum control, and smoothness. 

A breakdown of the different options out there:

• Gel Eyeliner - Comes in a pot with an angled brush, the formula is typically creamy in the pot and dries down matte after a few minutes of application.

• Eyeshadow - If you’re after a subtle and smokey wing, eyeshadow applied with a thin brush is your best bet.
• Bristle tip liners - The tip of this type of liner/pen looks like a teeny tiny paint brush that works very well for a sharp wing. 
• Felt tip liners - Made with a felt-tip pen kind of tip - this is the type of liner that most beginners prefer.

If you’re a beginner, a good way to get into doing a sharp winged liner is to initially start by using eyeshadow or gel eyeliner to create the basic wing and then to go in and clean it to fake the appearance of a precise line. Once you’re comfortable with this technique and know what flatters the shape of your eye, you can then navigate your way through using liquid liners - be it felt tip or bristle tip.

Tips:

• Follow the natural shape of your eye and try to keep the line as close to the lash line as possible. This will give you a guide to later see what works for you. 
• Play around with the thickness to see what you like best. You’ll never know if you like the feline look or a big and bold wing until you try it out!
• Placing your wrist on your cheek while looking into the mirror, can offer control, when working on the wing. A handheld mirror might be a bit too hard to use if you’re a beginner. 
• Always apply liner with your eyes open and NOT shut. 

For hooded eyelids: 

For those of us with hooded eyelids, eyeliner could be a little more tricky/daunting. Here's how to apply liner like a pro:

• Keep your eyeliner thin, you can choose to line the waterline of your eye only (this is called tightlining) in order to prevent the illusion of a smaller eye due to too much eyeliner. 
• Focus your eyeliner on the outcorner of the eye, some even skip lining the inner corners. 
• If done correctly, eye liner can be a great tool to visually lift the appearance of one's eye - should this be your desired outcome. In order to do this, create an elongated, straight flick towards the end of your eye, instead of a small flick. This will allow the wing to be seen even when your eye is open. 
• While creating this flick, ensure that it is upward in direction, this will really help open up your eye, if that's what you wish to do! 
• Make sure to keep your eyes open while lining your eyes, we cannot emphasize this enough! 

Our top picks for liners: 

Gel: Stilla/Bobbi Brown Gel Liner. Or the holy grail - MAC’s Black track (good luck taking this off!)

Britstle Tip: Lakme Insta Liner

Felt Tip: Benefit Roller Liner or Loreal Paris Super Liner Super Star Duo Designer 

That's all for today! Talk soon.

Until then, 

Stay curious. Stay #freequal


By: Shalini & Hrithika