How to Apply Eyeliner ?

Properly applied eyeliner will enhance the natural shape of your eye and will add focus to your eyes.
You may be new to make up and be wondering how to apply eyeliner. Eyeliner takes some practice to apply it so that you will feel confident wearing it in public. Too much eyeliner and you look too dramatic especially in a daytime setting. Too little eyeliner and the point is missed about using the product. Properly applied eyeliner will enhance the natural shape of your eye and will add focus to your eyes. After practicing a few times, you will gain the skill and steady hand that is needed to apply this make up evenly.

You have a choice of two eyeliner types that you can use. You can use either a dry eyeliner pencil or liquid eyeliner that is applied with a brush. You can try both to see which your favorite type of eyeliner is. There is an upside and a downside to each product that you will have to weigh when making your choice. Liquid eyeliner keeps a sharp line and does not have to be sharpened. Liquid eyeliner can be messy to apply especially if your hand is not steady. Liquid eyeliner can also clump together on the brush. Eyeliner pencils need to be sharpened and a soft eyeliner pencil can break or lose its cap easily. When the cap is off the eyeliner pencil, it can make a mess in your make up bag.

Make your decision on an eyeliner based on your skill at putting on eyeliner. If you are new to make up, it may be better to wait until you have more practice with an eyeliner pencil. Someone who is experienced with liquid eyeliners will be able to brush on the eyeliner with just one stroke. If you are determined to use a liquid liner, take the time to practice using it. You will develop the skill to apply this make up before too long. You will need to be patient for the short time that it takes to dry the liquid eyeliner. With practice, you can get the dark solid coloring that a liquid eyeliner offers.

If you choose to use an eyeliner pencil, you will have to prepare the pencil for use as an applicator. Sharpen the pencil and then blunt the sharp pointed end of make up so that the pointed pencil will not hurt you, especially if you are new to applying eyeliner. This small precaution will save you the grief of poking your eye or eye area with a pointed object. Apply the eyeliner on the lower and upper lids starting at the middle of the eye. If you completely encircle your eye with a liner, it creates a look that may be theatrical. Start in the center of the lids and apply the eyeliner in an outward stroke. It may help you to imagine that you are following an invisible line as you apply a line to your lower lids under the lash line.

You can create a smoky look by smudging the outer corners of your eyes after you have used an eyeliner pencil. Be careful not to smudge the line entirely off or the look will be that of a raccoon. You may want to encircle your entire eye with eyeliner. If so, start at the inner corner and go out to the outer corner. If you apply the eyeliner with a light touch, you will be able to enhance your eyes and add drama to your look.

Experiment for a look that is right for you. Examine how women with eye shape and size similar to yours apply their eyeliner. Try colors other than black. Do not overwhelm your eyes with too much eyeliner as this will distract the eye from the rest of your make up and will cause an imbalance in the appearance of your make up. A little eyeliner can enhance your eyes beautifully.
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By Sarah Barton
Published: 3/13/2008
 
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