Oh winged eyeliner, how I love thee!!!
If you are new to winged eyeliner it can be quite intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. There are a couple of different methods to create the perfect cat eye, but this is the one that works for me.
WHAT YOU NEED:
- Matte black eyeshadow
- Small angled brush (I use the MAC 208 pictured below)
- Liquid liner (or you can use gel liner, but I personally find it more difficult)
STEP ONE: Apply primer and eyeshadow. (I use Urban Decay Primer Potion, and the eyeshadows above are by MAC in the shades: Naked Lunch, Era, and Vanilla)
STEP TWO: With small angled brush and matte black eyeshadow, line the outer two thirds of your top lash line. Then line the very outer corner of your bottom last line — extending the line up to make the wing. You can go much farther than I did, but I prefer a small wing.
The wing should appear to extend from your bottom lashes and point to the very end of your eyebrow. This doesn’t have to be exact, but it is a good rule of thumb.
STEP THREE: Fill in the area between the end of the wing and the upper lash line with the matte black eyeshadow. You can stop at this step for a less dramatic cat eye, which I often do… Just curl your lashes and apply mascara, and you’re all finished.
STEP FOUR: Apply liquid liner. I like to use Revlon ColorStay liquid liner, but use whichever you think is easiest. You want to make sure that it has a felt tip applicator because these allow for the smoothest application. Also, when you initially take out the applicator, be sure to wipe off a little of the extra product — much like one would do with a mascara wand. The line should be thinner the farther you go towards the inner corner. Do not try to make this line in one swipe — doing this takes away your precision –instead take small strokes. In the inner corner I dot the eyeliner along the lash line and then use small strokes to connect the dots and smooth the line.
STEP FIVE: Line your upper and lower waterlines, curl your lashes and apply mascara.
Practice definitely makes perfect when it comes to achieving a perfect cat eye!! I don’t always use the eyeshadow in steps 1-3… you can always just go for it and use the liquid liner first. Using the eyeshadow helps a lot in the beginning when you are trying to visualize the correct angle for the wing. If you mess up, simply take a cotton swab with a little bit of make up remover on it and wipe away your mistake. Another tip is to look at your mirror in a downward angle. This helps to smooth the eyelid and makes it easier to see how close you are getting the liner to your lashes.
I hope this was helpful! Do you use liquid or gel? Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to subscribe!
