Eye liner and eye lining tips

Eyeliners are used to create defination upon a person's face by drawing out the shape of the eyes, bringing focus to the face and to create an illusion that the lashes look thicker.

Please note that the eyebrows have to be drawn in too with the eyes being line or it will look like a wheel without its spokes; becoming totally incomplete. One of my pet peeves when people put on makeup in a unpolish, brutal way in their own face.

For all types of liners, following the below suggestion of applying eye liner will help in preventing mistakes being done while application.

MOST OBVIOUS MISTAKE everyone does when working on the eyeliner is not drawing the eyeliner close enough to their lash line.

Hence we always end up seeing eyeliners drawn which has a perculiar space of flesh that deviates their lashline from their drawn eyeliner.

TIP: On how to draw as close to the lash line as possible.

Face a mirror and tilt the head up (about 30degrees) while keeping the eyes looking straight on. This will allow the upperlid to stretch out.

By stretching the upper eyelid, one is able to draw closer to the lash line.

From the end of the lash line at the outer corner of the eyes, we start on the #LASH LINE and smudge in a line towards the inner corner of the eyes.

This will produce a darker lashline drawn creating a more lush-looking lashes.

To create different shapes of eyeliner, build up liner thickness as you want it.

#LASH LINE - where you see a row of lashes on the eyelid

I always suggest to start drawing from outside in on the lashline as we tend to put more pressure from where we start and less pressure to where we end.
This gives a thicker line from the end inwards.

Now lets start with the different lining products.



Eye liner Pencils

The easiest to use as it is almost like drawing a line upon the eye area. Modern eyeliners are soft to draw due to their more complex soft waxes formulation.
There are two major types of formulation which allows one to be more waterproof than the other. I would suggest using the waterproof one in our hot and humid weather.
This doesn't mean the eyeliner will not smudge after application but it meant it last longer than the conventional kajal/kohl/non-waterproof eyeliners.
Putting an eyeshadow of the same colour as the liner over MIGHT prolong the eyeliner for a short period., but of no use if your eyelids are always moist/oily.

The advatage of using a pencil is that it is always almost mistake proof, unless if you have the motor skills of a 2 years old, it should not be that tough at all.

Remember, draw from outside in on the lashline and then inside out to create a proper line.

Play with other coloured eyeliners. Top eyeline using a burnt bronze, gunsmoke grey and complete black colour, following with a lilac, bright purple or aquamarine on the lower lash line for a oomph pop of colour.

I love Shu Uemura Drawing Pencils (http://www.shuuemura-usa.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?CategoryID=352&ProductID=901) and Clarins Water Proof Eye Pencil (http://us.clarins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/beauty-products_pencil---liner_new-waterproof-eye-pencil_C050204008_10051_10204_-1_31246) for their beautiful texture and long staying power.



Liquid liner

Liquid liners are beautiful if you want define, sharp obviously lined eyes. Great for winged shaped eyeliners.

Start to line the eyes like what was suggested before. Draw out the shape accordingly you want it by controlling by drawing from the inner eyes out.

The jagged line drawn is from various reasons.

One is that the skin is not taut enough, so always tilt the head up before drawing.

Two, is that the hand is unsure and unstable when drawing. The solution is to rest your elbow on the mirror as you draw to stabilise the shaky arm.

Three, not being familiar with the brush and using too much strength on the drawing will form the jagged edges due to excess dragging done onto the skin.

Four, to creat that slightly winged look. Draw a Scalene triangle at the lash line. The medium length resting on your eyeline, the shortest end perpendicular upon the outside end of the lash line.
Using this guide will help you to draw a good looking wing tip.

Depending on what you want from your liquid liners, there can be a matte or shine finish to the liner.
The choice is yours.

My favourite liquid liners are Dior's Style Liner (http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P109403&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=1073) and Shiseido The Makeup Fine Eyeliner (http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P173728&cm_mmc=us_search-_-NexTag-_-P173728-_-562819&_requestid=42976&srccode=cii_9324560&cpncode=19-11057113-2)



Gel Liner

The Heaven sent this to us!
My best loved product of all formulation of the eye liners.
We can use it as a liner, base for smokey eyes and yet soften the line out for a demure setting for the eyes.

Most mistake people do is to be impatient and to draw the line out abruptly, and realising the produ
Take time to draw (as recommanded in the first few paragraphs) the line, and play with colours and thickness to play with the different eyelining techniques.

Gel liners have very little play time before the product sets in dry.
Using a slanted brush or a flat tip brush, dip into the gel liner. Dab the excess on the back of the hand before moving to the eye area for drawing.
Start with one side of the eye, draw out what you want in shape and then move to the other eye to complete the same look.
Wait too long before you draw, you'll realise that the brush has gotten hard and the gel immobile.
Complete your lining and you'll have super long wearing liner that do not smudge from the whole day activity.

Presently in the market there is alot of beautiful coloured gel liners that can be used. Play with the colours for different combination.

Use black gel liner on the upper lid for defination, dark brown on the lower lash lines smudged in to bring more focus to the eyes without making it looking too harsh.

My loves for this range are MAC's Fluid Liner (http://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/products/sp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY15101&PRODUCT_ID=PROD7715) and Bobbi Brown's Long-wear Gel eyeliner (http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/templates/products/sp_shaded.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY2751&PRODUCT_ID=PROD1109)


LAST NOTE

If everything fails and still smudges on your oily eye lids and you have master the proper skills to draw an eyeliner, I truly recommand MAC's Liquid Last Liner (http://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/products/sp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY15101&PRODUCT_ID=PROD9961) They last and last.......
but apply too much it will flake out and be lumpy.
Apply it well and it do not smudge or become panda eyes.