Not-So-Scary Liquid Liner

One of my makeup fears has always been liquid eyeliner.

I have tried different types and methods for years without success. But recently, after seeing tutorial after tutorial on YouTube I though it was time to face my fears.

After thinking on this I find out what some of my issues were:

I have slightly hooded eyes which makes the "flick" a logistical nightmare
I struggle with getting the liner straight
Also, with getting it close to the lash line (no one likes that unsightly white gap)
My hand isn't as steady as I want it to be

So once I looked at these issues I began to reevaluate the tutorials I'd seen, the products that are available and what I wanted from liquid liner. Below are my steps and tips for flawless (ok more like less flawed) liquid eyeliner!

Don't Start with the Liquid!

Duh! How had I never thought of doing this before? I now start off by doing regular eyeliner to my lash line and top water line (goodbye white gap!). This line can be as thick as you want and it doesn't need to be perfect because we're going to cover it up :)

Pick Your Tool

I decided to buy this Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum (Check it out here) because it was on sale and looked like it might be a good option for a newbie like me. This rash purchase definitely paid off for me!

Ok, Now the Liquid

Now that we have our tool and our guideline, it's time to go in with the liquid. You're going to want to get close to a mirror so you can see what you're doing. I start on the outside first, with little strokes as close to the lash line as I can and work my way into the middle.

I try to hold the pen more horizontal rather than straight on so I can use the brushness (not a word, but we'll go with it) to keep everything fluid and smooth. You don't need to worry about getting it perfect or even yet, just go over it so you have some nice coverage.

And Switch

Now, turn the pen (still horizontal) and start from the corner of your lashline and work into the middle. Again with little strokes. Once the lines are connected you can move on to making things look nice.

Touch Ups and Perfection

At this point I will fill in any gaps I see then I'll start to go over the top in light long strokes to even out the top line and get the sharp line I'm going for. Also at this time, if I'm going to do a little flick I will. I just use my lower lashline as a guide and draw a little line out from my lid then connect it at the top and fill in.

This is the part that is most subjective as your flick may depend on your eye shape, hood of your eyes, and just what you like. Experiment with it and have fun!

Now re-create it on the other eye!

LOL no biggie! I know it's always a challenge to match your eyes and make sure the thickness and flick match. My biggest tip for this is to do the first line across on each eye, then adjust and perfect, then try to tackle symmetry with your touch up and perfection step. Also, keep looking forward after each step. Look at your self straight-on in a mirror to compare how each eye is looking.

Well I hope you all give this a shot and let me know if these tips worked for you. Or if you have tips of your own! Please Instagram me pictures of your liquid liner successes @amberbutbetter!

Amber But Better