We heart eyeliner. But it’s an art we are continually trying to perfect. Shaky hands, dud products, not enough time. Sadly, nailing eyeliner is no easy gig.
Sometimes you can watch a thousand makeup tutorials on how to apply eyeliner (which all tend to make it look SUPER easy) and still not know what the heck you’re doing. It’s frustrating and if you’re anything like us, you’ll end up wiping it off and starting again WAY too many times.
Fortunately, we always come bearing good news (because we’re nice like that) and we have some mind-blowingly simple tips you’ll wish you knew about sooner.
On Reddit’s subreddit Makeup Addiction, user ShaperMC confessed to the Internet what we mutter to ourselves in the mirror on the daily: “Can’t do eyeliner well :(”
She wrote, “Hi everyone! I’m trying to up my makeup game and…well…I’m really awful at eyeliner. I’ve looked up some tutorials, but I cannot do what these tutorials show. My eyes end up looking really…off. I also have a thing where my eyes start to flutter the moment I get close to them. I’m working on it…but I seriously can’t figure out how to get this right.”
“So, I guess, any help for people who suck at this is welcome. Thanks to Ipsy I have like a hundred eyeliners that I’m too scared to use.”
Thankfully, her fellow Redditors are a real bunch of champions and they offered a wealth of support along with some super helpful tips that are life-changing for everyone and anyone who sucks at eyeliner (read: most of us).
Reddit user beckybarbaric suggested starting off with felt-tip liners, which tend to be easier to control and way more forgiving if you stuff up. She wrote, “Practice makes perfect, also find what kind of eyeliner works best for you! I’m not super good at cat eye, so felt-tipped liners like Stila or Kat Von D work best for me, because they do most of the work for me.”
DemeraraBrownSugar added, “Felt tip liners. I’ve been doing cat eyeliner for the past 6 years and I always get compliments on my sharp liner.”
Another Redditor who goes by the name June_bug77 offered this little slice of magic: “I think you should practice using shadow as a liner. You’ll get a softer look and mistakes aren’t as noticeable. As you get more comfortable, you can branch out.”
“You could also try a gel liner pot applied with a brush. You could even use ELF’s concealer brush as a liner brush. It costs a dollar. You can also go over your shadow liner with a traditional liner. Sometimes the shadow liner will act as a guide.”
Where the hell was June_bug77 when we were scribbling all over our upper lids like a bunch of five-year-olds?!
Whether you’re just a beginner or still trying to get the knack of the eyeliner game, opting for a dark eyeshadow is a great option – not only will it be more forgiving, but it’s also much easier to remove than your average liquid liners, which are designed to Stay. Put.
Another Redditor wrote, “I second this. I really struggle with eye makeup in general and I find applying eyeshadow with a super thin angled brush (usually referred to as a brow brush) to be pretty easy actually. I really like a subtle cat eye and I find the angle shape to be so helpful.”
Other Redditors suggested practicing after work before washing off your makeup and using washi tape as a guide for a sharper flick.
Reddit user imshrieking wrote, “I personally think the shape of the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner Trooper helps so, so, so, much!!!! And try balancing your pinky on your face to stabilize your hand!!” Another goodie.
Reddit user Marleylang suggested using liquid eyeliner and starting out slowly with very small dashes close to the eye. “That way if your hand or eye is trembling it will only affect a small space on your eye. Also, whenever you have free time, play with where you’d like your wing placement! Curve it, make a nice straight line, experiment!”
Who’s feeling confident?
This article originally appeared on Beauty Crew.
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