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Temptalia Asks You - What advice do you have for using eyeliner?
What advice do you have for using eyeliner? Liquid, pencil, gel, kohl… what are your secrets to perfect lining?
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If you’re using a pencil, get a liner with a sponge at the other end so that you can smudge it up!
Oh, great tip, Mary!! 🙂 I always use my 219 for this.
I love gel liners – I don’t use other products anymore. The important facts about gel liners are:
Practice makes perfect – get a decent mirror, sit down and steady your elbow on a tabletop. Keep a bottle of make up remover and q-tips close by to remove the liner if you make a mistake.
Use a good brush – I like:
Stila #4 or MAC #209 for basic lining
Stila #28 to smudge
Laura Mercier Flat Eyeliner Brush for tightlining Smashbox #8 for a very defined line
I LOVE fluidline, but I so rarely use it. After reading your tips, I will have to use it more often!
I don’t mean to sound like a dork but what exactly makes a liner a gel liner? Is it the kind that does on kinda like a soft tip pen?
I need all the help I can get when it comes to liner.
Gel liners come in a little pot and you dip a brush into it and then apply to your eyes. IMO it gives me the type of look I get with the liquid-felt tip liner I’ve tried before but I feel I have more control over where it goes–much steadier!
I’d suggest checking out any of the following gel liners:
-MAC fluidlines (my first try and love!)
-MAD minerals Indelible liners (haven’t played with them yet but they are the same thing, can’t wait for my Black Cherry and Marcasite order!)
-Stila smudge pots
and many more co’s have these but those are the ones that come to mind!
A gel liner is something between a solid and liquid liner – it has a creamy consistency that dries once applied. It’s easier to control than liquid and doesn’t rub off like most pencils do. The “gel” factor makes it smooth to apply – no flaking or crumbling. Had this happen with a liquid liner once and it freaked me out!
I like the following:
MAC Fluidline – Blacktrack, Macroviolet, Waveline
Stila Smudgepot – Jade, Bronze Shimmer
Bobbi Brown Ink – Cobalt, Black Plum, Sepia
Clinique Brush on Cream – Black Honey – my favorite eyeliner shade of all time
L’Oreal HiP Cream Liner – Brown, Eggplant
One more thing – what I love about gel liners is that they can be used as eyeshadows anytime and are much more longlasting and pigmented. They can be smudged to perfection and once you build up a decent collection of colors, you can use them under your eyeshadows for extra oomph.
Remember what I said about using the right brushes – they do really make a difference!
Hope this helps and convinces you to try out gel liners asap 🙂
Some may like to smudge their liners to create a soft smoky effect. I do that most of the time, but lately I like to create a clean look with fake full lash effect by ruuning a black pencil along my upper lash line and a golden/olive over the lower. But my eyes are extreme oily, and to prevent the liners from running out, I run sufficient loose powder under my eyes and press with a puff. The liners and eye-bag concealer stay put all day. =)
What loose powder do you use to get your liner to stay all day long?
Don’t use MAC liquidlast liners when you’re in a hurry. >_< Those things stick like white on rice.
My friend did an experiment to see how long it would stay on for…. 3 days later it still looked perfect!
3 words: Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner. An invention of pure genius. I think it’s actually a charcoal stick of eyeliner as opposed to pencil or kohl which runs and smears horribly. I put on quite a thick line of eyeliner above my lower lashes and this is the only one that does the job, it stays on FOREVER! Pretty good too for upper eyelid lining.
Haven’t had the pleasure of trying this, but I’ll put it on my list next time I’m the cosmetic aisle 🙂
Prestige automatic waterproof liners are fanTAStic – they stack up against much more expensive brands. Good for smudging, good for bold lines, do what you want with them. I used to use Fluidlines, but ended up wanting a softer look. But Fluidlines absolutely do what they claim to do. It is hard to beat gel eyeliners, gals!
I love when a drugstore brand performs with the best of high end brands!
practice definitely makes perfect. Experiment is the best advice possible when it comes to eyeliners. You will find that trying as many brands possible will result you with so many more options than just sticking with one particular brand. I have found that the Fluidline is my favorite, just use a good brush and do not be afraid of your eye, believe me you will not poke it (:
I totally agree, Denise! What brush do you use with your fluidline?
Line in steps…take half second breaks in between dashes (if that make sense).
GREAT tip! This can really help 🙂
Shiseido cream liner
Thanks for the rec, Kurtina!
i know it’s really bad, but i pull my eyes to make a straight line :/
Just make sure to use your middle or ring finger and be gentle, and it isn’t so bad!
As the other gals said, practice makes perfect.
My MA gave me this tip awhile back when I was having a lot of trouble upper lining, particularly with fluidline. Every night before taking off your makeup, practice lining. Then remove all makeup (since you were going to anyway). I’m 10x better at doing my upper liner (& even winging it out) than I was before doing this a few times a week for a month or two.
I personally prefer using a thin angled brush for gel liners. I picked up this one with a tiny handle at Sephora – its by The Balm & it was only $5. So far, I prefer it to all of my MAC angled brushes (208, 263, 266). Because it has a short handle, its easier for me to control. I also use it when lining with pressed eyeshadow or pigments.
Another tip – dip the tip of your eye kohl pencil into a gel liner, like fluidline, before running it along your waterline. I always get compliments on my waterline staying SUPER black.
Hey Ariele!
Thanks for sharing that great tip from your MA! That’s really helpful!
I, too, dip my kohls into gel liners for precision and long lasting power!
Lol loaded topic and a question i get asked a lot!
I’m a fan of liquid, cream/gel and pencil.
I use cream and pencil on my waterline and liquid (with a thin brush) on my upper lid. I use cream only on my lower lid.
I apply cream / gel liner with my MAC 266 brush tho the teeny applicators that come with the clinique creamliner does the job ok in a pinch.
For liquid i recommend either the pointed tip felt marker or the long thin brush applicator.
For the marker it might be easier to tilt your head up, close lid and gently stretch lid and draw a line. DONT stretch too taught and tug on it!
For long thing brush, wedge the brush between your lid and lashline then drag it across.
I usually start in the middle of the lid then fill in the inner corner with short careful strokes.
Thanks for the tips, Kris 😀 The 266 is awesome!
I have MAC blacktrack fluid line and I love it! Once you get the hang of it it goes on so much easier and seems easier on your eyelids also. I have a small angle MAC brush (can’t remember the number). But I go at my eye with the brush angled differently. EX- the longer point to do the inside, drag to the middle, then switch for the outside. To get a nice thin cat eye, I angle 45 degrees from the edge and apply without a stroke, but a press. The liner needs to be completely on the edge. Works like a charm!
I agree, Blacktrack is awesome! It’s probably the 266, it’s perfect for fluidlines.
I’m New To The Whole Make-up Thing, So I Was Wondering If Someone Could Tell Me How To Put It On..?
I’ve Tried & Tried, But I Actually Suck!
I Wasn’t Sure If It Was Just Rubbish Eyeliner, Or If I Was Doing It Wrong.. :S
Help!
Please + Thank-You
Ailidh x3
x x x