How to apply eyeliner for beginners: pencil, liquid or gel?
Pencil, liquid and gel eyeliner compared, a step-by-step winged liner, and tips for a steady line that suits your eye shape.
Eyeliner defines your eyes and changes their shape in a minute, from a thin line for work to a bold wing for the evening. Start by choosing the type that suits you, then practise one simple method.
Pencil, liquid or gel?
- Pencil: the easiest for beginners, with a soft line you can smudge with a brush; good for the waterline.
- Liquid: a fine brush for a sharp, clear line; the best choice for a winged liner.
- Colour gel: for different looks in colours other than black, from soft to bold.
Winged eyeliner step by step
- Find the angle: imagine a line from the tip of your nose through the outer corner of your eye towards the end of your brow.
- Draw the wing first along that line, short to begin with; you can always extend it.
- Connect the tip of the wing to the middle of the lid to form a small triangle.
- Draw a thin line from the inner corner to the wing, close to the lashes.
- Fill in the triangle and let it dry before opening your eye fully.
Tips for a steady line
- Rest your elbow on the table so your hand doesn't shake.
- Look down into the mirror with your eye half open.
- Use short connected strokes instead of one long line.
- Fix mistakes with a cotton bud and a little makeup remover.
For your eye shape
- Hooded eyes: draw the wing with your eye open, looking straight ahead, so it stays visible.
- Small eyes: a thin line on the outer half only; avoid black on the waterline.
- Round eyes: pull the line outwards more than upwards to elongate the eye.
Set your liner
Press a matching eyeshadow over pencil liner with a thin brush; it sets the line and stops it transferring onto the lid in hot weather.
From Ahla
The AHLA Eyeliner Pencil has a fine tip for easy control, AHLA Black Liquid Eyeliner has a precise brush for thin lines and bold wings, and AHLA Color Gel Eyeliner comes in 5 shades: green, brown, blue grey, mauve and coral orange. Add the Nude Eyeshadow Palette, and the makeup remover to fix any slip.
