How to Apply Eyeliner Like a Makeup Pro

To learn how to apply eyeliner like a pro, first stop to consider the different types of eyeliner available to determine what will work best with your skin. Then, consider which colors best enhance your features for day or night and hone your application skills.

Types of Eyeliners
Eyeliner comes in a variety of types: pencil, liquid, felt-tip pen, crayon and cake eyeliner. They each have advantages, but mostly it's all about preference. Each type of eyeliner performs a bit differently, so you may want to try each kind before settling on a favorite.

Pencil. The most commonly used type of eyeliner is the pencil form. The pencil is popular because it is so easy to apply. Many women prefer a soft Kohl pencil because it provides a wonderful slightly smudged look, rather than the straighter, harsher line of a hard pencil. Smudging your eyeliner will soften the whole look of your eye. Many times slightly more expensive pencil eyeliners will have a sponge end to use for smudging.

Of course, you can get undesired smudges of eyeliner in places you don't want them. These can be cleaned up easily with a cotton swab.

Liquid Eyeliner. Liquid eyeliner will provide the boldest look of all the eyeliner formulations. It can be tricky to learn how to steady your hand to get the best results from liquid eyeliner, so remember to practice, practice, practice to get the results you want.

When using liquid eyeliner, you will get a stronger, bolder line than from a pencil. This dramatic line is well suited for evening looks and social occasions. Although it is more difficult to master liquid eyeliner, many women prefer this type of application because it provides such a definite emphasis around the eyes.

Eyeliner Pen. Eyeliner pens and eyeliner crayons offer a best-of-both-words product. They will both give a more dramatic look than a pencil provides, but they are easier to handle than liquid eyeliners. If you want one basic eyeliner that can do it all, try an eyeliner crayon or pen.

Cake Eyeliner. Cake eyeliner was originally the province of professional makeup artists. Similar in consistency and texture to eye shadow, cake eyeliner is applied with an eyeliner brush. In fact, you can substitute dark eye shadows for cake eyeliner and use a variety of colors to accent either your eye color or your outfit.

How to Choose Eyeliner Colors
When it comes to the color of eyeliners, fashion trends have moved far beyond basic black. In fact, black can be too strong or harsh for many skin tones. Charcoal or brown provides a softer look that is appropriate for most daytime cosmetic wear, especially if you have fair skin and/or blonde hair. Don't be afraid to add some vivid color to your eyeliner at night, though. Purple, green and even red eyeliner make for striking evening looks. The next time you go clubbing, try one of these shades for a fun new look. You can also use silver or white eyeliner at night. Add a bit at the inside corners of your eyes or along the inner rim of your eyelid for an extra lift when your lids appear tired or droopy.

Best Ways to Apply Eyeliner
Use short, feathery strokes when applying eyeliner, rather than drawing one hard line. Hold your eyelid tight with your other hand to allow the easiest application. Start at the outer corner of the eye and work your way in the center of the eyelid. If it's more comfortable to work from the inside out, go ahead, but you can start at the mid-point of the eyelid for most looks. For more long-lasting eyeliner, apply eye shadow over your eyeliner to set it into place.

If you decide to apply eyeliner to the inside rim, use a pencil or a crayon applicator to avoid getting eyeliner inside your eye, which can lead to eye irritation or even infection if your liner is contaminated with germs. As your hand grows steadier, you can try applying liquid eyeliner to the inside rim.

For a "cat's eye" look, draw the liner out slightly past the outer corner of the eye and go upward with a slight turn. This look is bold, but it is less dramatic than using liquid eyeliner, so it is more suitable for daytime wear.

You can also camouflage your eye's shortcomings with a few eyeliner tricks. Here are a few tips for some common issues:

• If your eyes are set very close together, begin your eyeliner at the inner corner and extend it just a bit beyond the outer corner of the eye.
• If your eyes are very wide-set, apply the liner all the way to the inner corner of the lid and use mascara mainly on the center lashes.
• If your eyes are deeply set, remember the less is more theory. Stay as close to the lash line as possible and use a thin line.
• Small eyes will look larger when you keep the eyeliner to the outer half of the eye.
• For round eyes, line only the outer half of the eyelid and extend the liner slightly out and up at the outer corner of the eye.
• If you have bulging eyes or puffy eyes, use your liner from the inner corner all the way to the outer corner. If you like the look of liner under your eyes, stay inside the rim, not under the lashes, or you will just exaggerate the bulging.
• Droopy eyes will perk up if you keep the liner to the edge of the pupil area.
• When your eyes are aging and start to get that crepey look, vary the width of the eyeliner so that it is thicker toward the outer part of the eye. Be sure to blend and smudge correctly using a large sponge brush.
• If you are fortunate enough to have almond-shaped eyes that are set in proportion to the rest of your face, have fun with the eyeliner, as nearly any look will work great.