Winged eyeliner has been a go-to for me for well over five years now – and it’s taken me that long to actually perfect it to a flattering shape. It takes a while to master, but once you do it’s a look that you can do in a few minutes (I promise). I’ve lost count of how many times I was late for school or meeting up with friends just because my winged liner would. not. work. Anyone who’s ever battled with liner will know this: the stubborn desire to finish what you’ve started, and the sore eyelids from taking the liner off once again. I’m here to impart some wisdom and give you some winged eyeliner hacks so that you might avoid five years of blood, sweat, and tears before finally figuring out how to do liner.
Eyes come in all shapes and sizes – and your winged liner needs to match this. I’ve quite large eyes and big lids, so I tend to go for the classic winged liner to elongate my eyes and make them a bit more almond-shaped. With round eyes, you’ll want to avoid going too thick near the inner corners as this will make your eyes rounder.
I’ve round eyes, so my flicks tend to go straight across to elongate my eyes. However, if your eyes are downturned, this will emphasise that – you’ll want to lift the wing out a bit more to elevate the eyes.
Winged liner can be a bit tricky for hooded or monolid eyes, as there is little space for liner, and it tends to smudge during the day. Tightline your top waterline with black as this will make the liner look thicker, and do a thin, long line with waterproof liner along your lashline. Extend this by following the curve of your bottom lashline. The thickest part of the liner should be at the outer corner as this is most visible! This is one of the winged eyeliner hacks we absolutely love!
The market is absolutely inundated with liners, and it can be difficult for a beginner to pick one to use for winged liner. Personally, I prefer pens with long, thin, nibs as they give you more control. I go between brushes and felt tips, so try both out to see which one works for you! I find that brushes make application a bit more accurate, so these are a good one to keep in mind if you’re a beginner. A good drugstore felt liner is the Maybelline Master Precision, or splurge on the cult classic Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen. I find the pot liquid liners a bit fiddly, but if you have a steady hand give one a go by all means. Liquid liner, though, tends to not be the most long-lasting – this is where gel comes in.
I used to be a big fan of gel eye liner pots. Maybelline and Bobbi Brown do great ones), but I’ve recently started using an angled gel-liner pen. Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner is a great drugstore alternative for the Benefit They’re Real! Pushup Liner! It’s a lot less hassle, and the silicone brush-end ensures a clean finish. Gel liner is harder to use than liquid liner as it is waterproof, so outline the shape of your liner with liquid or pencil first if you’re unsure of your technique! If your gel winged liner ends up looking a bit shaky, go over the edges with a liquid liner to even things out.
An absolute necessity for winged liner. Keep cotton buds and makeup remover at hand (olive oil or makeup primer works too) when doing your winged liner to quickly erase any mistakes! Dip the bud in makeup remover and wipe off any smudges. If you’re using an oil-based remover, make sure to wipe this off, too – you don’t want it smudging the rest of your makeup. I use these at the end of my makeup to make sure my wing is sharp.
If you’re still struggling with getting your winged eye liner straight, try tape (or a post-it): place it at an angle running upwards from your lower lashline, and use this as a stencil to draw your liner against! This is one of the best winged eyeliner hacks out there!
Personally, I like to do a thin line across my lashline first, and then extend the bottom line of my wing: I start to fill everything out from here. Alternatively, draw your wing first to get the rough shape/thickness of your line!
This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
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