I use mostly pencil eyeliner, so I typically will apply to my lower lash line.
I find myself looking down slightly into a mirror and trying not to blink, haha! I do the same for lining my lower waterline,
which I don’t do quite as often. I like using eyeshadow to blow out the lower lash line and use pencil brushes to do so.
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I mainly use a bronzey brown pencil liner to top lashline. I use short tiny strokes. Make the thinnest line I can closet to my lashes as possible. From outer to inner. Go over areas that need more color. Blend line with flat top eyeliner brush. I’m not into flicks or tightlining. I rarely put eyeliner on my lower lash line or bottom waterline. Just too heavy for my eye shape
THAT can get interesting, as I usually wear at minimum 3 different eyeliners in a look! Upper tightlined is done using a very small angled brush even though my HG liner for tightlining is a pencil! But this substantially reduces the amount of product used and increases accuracy. A different angled brush is used for gel liners that I use for winged liner. Pencil liners, usually Sephora’s Contour or Nyx Slide-On pencils are used on the lower lashline. If I line my lower waterline, I use only one of a handful of liners for that purpose.
Shakily.
Truth! Lol
99.9% of the time, I use pencil liners (Sephora has some amazing inexpensive ones, as does GOSH – such fabulous colours and quality at a surprisingly low price). I apply directly from the pencil and then use a short handled smudger brush from Sephora (short handles are good for me as I’m sooo short sighted) to smudge out the line under my lower lashes and to soften the line on my upper lids if needed.
Liner is complicated for aging eyes, I find. I rarely completely line my upper lid anymore and winged eyeliner is a struggle for hooded slightly down turned eyes and takes forever to apply so I do not wear the look often. I do wear liner on my lower lash line; always pencil. I lower my chin to my neck and apply from outside corner in and then switch to a lighter colour for the tear duct area applying that part usually towards the end of my eye makeup. I smudge the lower line with a brush and some shadow to soften. Then I take the line from outer lower lash corner and lift it up and out on my outer corner as a pseudo wing. Then I connect the pseudo wing to the outer third of my top lashes either with the pencil or pencil and push brush shadow to deepen it .. this filling in process takes a lot of futzing to get the job done properly because of light creases in the outer corners. I will use my pinky finger to slightly raise my hoods, but not too far or the lines gets shifted and distorted when I release it. Those with aging hooded eyes will know these tricks.
Sometimes I line the waterline, it depends on the overall look. Occasionally I will use a glitter liner on my upper lashes in gel (ABH Metallic Luster Liners are beautiful) or a liquid (Giorgio ETK Liner, or MUFE are my favs).
Also, sometimes I use liner on just the inner third of my upper lash line in pale gold or peach to brighten.
Totally with you on the aging thing. This is exactly how I line my eyes as well! I can’t believe I am reading along and you are doing exactly what I do, it just works for me!
I do only lower lash line, and almost only pencil so it’s rather straightforward — usually just run it along the lash line and water line. Generally I’ll do a little more in the outer corner. With some liners, especially darker ones, I’ll do just the lower outer corner because with my large eyes, a darker full line can look harsh I find. Occasionally I use a gel liner — eg MAC fluidline — but still use the same approaches as above.
I prefer pencil much easier to blend than any other cream ones they tend to fade out quickly on me maybe cause I have hooded eyes. I have never attempted a cat’s eye although I love them just don’t know how. I don’t use eyeliner daily (cause I simply forget! Lol!) but do love the added especial effect. Usually line only my upper eyelids but will try following you girls and do the bottom see how it helps this getting older hooded eyes and make them still sexy. I always blend/smudge my eyeliner rarely just draw the line and leave as it is. I go for a natural look I don’t have the skills to go more fancy/exotic like my cockatiel. 😉
I usually use a pencil/retractable or an angled brush with gel eyeliner.
I tend to gently pull at my eyelid at the corner in order to get the line precise enough & not have any gaps near the lashline. This is usually with gel eyeliner I do this with, but I’ll do the same move with a pencil too after lining my eyelid in order to fill up gaps.
I have monolid so I have to draw a very think line for it to be visible. If just a casual look I’ll just line a thick line with liquid eyeliner. If I want to make it last absolutely all day I’ll do pencil eyeliner underneath and layer liquid eyeliner on top. I used to use gel a lot but it’s such a hassle to clean the brush everyday.
I have hooded eyes and prefer a smoky, blown out look. I use eyeshadow sticks like Laura Mercier caviar sticks and apply 2/3 of the way on my bottom lash line and 1/3 of the way on my upper lash line. I then use a pencil brush and smudge and haze out both lines. Basically, any lining I do, no matter the product (sticks, pencils, powders etc), I smudge with a pencil brush. I’ve done this since high school and I’m 33 now? Sharp wings have just never flattered me!
Do you (or does anyone here) ever use powder on your wetline? I swear I’ve seen that in Pinterest images, but I don’t understand how that works. Wouldn’t you blink the powder into your eye over time?
I’ve done gel eyeliner on the waterline + eyeshadow on top to set, but it’s harder to get eyeshadow (powder) to stick sometimes. It’s like applying a powder eyeshadow wet, though, it gets damp and becomes more like a cream than loose powder in the eye.
On my own hooded eyes alot depends on how bad my seasonal allergies are lol. For some reason black liner looks extremely harsh on me. It brings out my dark under eye area no matter what. I just try to work with them nowadays since I have issues with under eye concealment. I tend to go with a brown pencil for my everyday look. My lashes and brows are still fairly thick and that helps me out. For color reference I have fair skin, dark hair and brown eyes. If I line my upper lash line with anything I have to tug on my eye to see what I’m doing. I know thats so bad to do but I CANNOT get a straight line unless I do. Pointers anyone??? It’s like I have too much skin on my lid unless I pull…does that make sense? Hope so! Then on the other end when I pull, line then let go I get a wonky uneven line. Grrrrrr. Thank gawd for eyrshadows, they are so much more forgiving. Anyone else with hooded eyes find that eye primers (UD, Lorac, Benefit exc) make their eyelids seem more crepey? Lol, is that a word? I hope I don’t sound crazy and someone else reading this gets me. Bottom line is between hooded eyes and allergies, eyeliner can be a challange. Oh, and I don’t do waterlines unless it’s white/nude to brighten and that’s a rarity. Excuse any mispellings/typos. Typing on a tiny phone.
I have hooded eyes and both the UD and Benefit eye primers do make my eyelids look creepy. I have had good luck with the Lorac primer but I think the best is the Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer. Have you tried that? If I remember correctly it was on one of Christine’s Best Of lists, which is why I tried it on the first place.
Hi Chantelle, I have not tried the Smashbox shadow primer yet. Lol, was about to give up on the shadow primers honestly. I’ll have to try it out. Thanks for the advice. Have a great day!
I totally get you! I guess we have the same eyes and same problems. I agree with everything you said, especially about hooded eyes, black eyeliner and eye primers.
Hi Gamze, As awful as this sounds I am so happy that someone out there gets me!
The struggle is real lol. Another member suggested I try the Smashbox 24hr Shadow Primer. Have you had any luck/tried it yet? It’s next on my list of shadow primers to try. So we shall see. Hope to grab a sample the next time I can get to a Sephora. Have a great day!
No, the thing is, I’m new to eyeshadow primers and I have quite a few at hand. The first one I bought was from Clarins and it’s definitely not drying, although I’not sure about its performance as a primer. The second one is from Clinique and I need to try it a few more times to decide. Urban Decay sent me two samples of its primer potion and the original formula is the most drying one I have evet tested. I just bought a travel size of its anti-aging version, hoping it will be more forgiving on my extremely hooded and recently crepey lids. And yes, I also have way too much skin there!
I just don’t use eyeliner because I can’t wear my glasses whilst applying it and I can’t see well enough not to apply properly. When I have tried it on my lower lash line, it actually makes my eyes look smaller.
I have hooded eyes so eyeliner on the upper lash line really closes off my eyes. I only use nude on the lower waterline
For everyday I love Elizabeth Arden Smoky Eyes Powder Pencil in black, Gunmetal (gray), or Violet for a soft, flattering line that smudges effortlessly and lasts all day. I’ve tried nearly every kohl kajal there is but EA still beats them for longevity, ease of application, and the perfect soft smoky & powdery finish. It fades well without looking patchy or smeary too.
I only wear liquid eyeliner for glamour/special event looks, I love L’Oreal’s gel liner in the pot for that. I apply the gel liner with the tip of a cheapie eye pencil instead of a brush though.
Neato new trick for the non-skilled—I apply waterline(I’m digging MUFE right now and Stila Kohl Pencil) with DRY Beauty Blender kind of “anchoring” the lower cheek and stabilizing so that my eye doesn’t budge. I am concerned about dark circles, but a perfect, non smeared waterline eyeliner I think still adds pretty definition.
I learned this from a Sephora Sales Associate a few weeks ago whom I stopped bc her waterline was excellent and it is game changing. And don’t like “tug” with BB, but, hey, sun is probably worse.