As far as makeup is concerned, I can do without a lot of the
fancy stuff, except for powder (because, oily skin) and eyeliner. Sometimes,
it’s darn right magical how my face transforms from one thing to another with
just a swipe of eyeliner. Black eyeliner specifically.
It’s to me what a pair of false lashes are to MUAs and
makeup enthusiasts nowadays. My face just looks incomplete, semi-unconscious
and somewhat sickly without eyeliner. Even the trick with dusting eyeshadow
along your lower lash-line doesn’t do much for me.
It’s the black kohl or nothing.
It’s the black kohl or nothing.
As an OG in this eyeliner game, I have used all the various
kinds of eyeliner, across several brands: gel, pencil, powder and liquid. These
ones pictured here are what i currently use, either two at a time or
interchangeably.
Zaron Cosmetics Gel Liner 'Jazz'| Absolute Gel Eye Liner Pencil| Kiss Beauty Liquid Liner
This graphic, a-little-bit-smoked-out, cat-eye look is
a fave of mine that I paired with clean skin and nude lips, leaving the eyes to
do all the talking.
It’s edgy, high-fashion (an editorial & runway regular)
and super easy to do.
Use a pencil or gel liner first, extending it to a long
cat-eye flick at the ends. Immediately follow the same line with a black eyeshadow,
lightly smudging it along with a small brush, until it fades out at the end. Finis.
With this look, I applied the liner thicker and longer than my
day-to-day version so that it can stand out better.
My go-to tips and tricks for intense eyeliner that stays put forever (trust me, these work):
- For occasions or nights out where I want more definition, staying power and no smudging, I apply a gel or pencil liner first, then go on top of it with the liquid liner, sealing and locking it in. Neat and efficient, this trick.
- For liquid liners, I don’t go for the expensive, higher-end brands, as they generally have the same results if applied with the same applicator (stick or brush). Plus, they come in small pots and you run through them quickly if you’re a daily user like I am. So unless you’re rich, go for the more affordable options. I personally buy mine from the regular open market vendors for less than N1,000. Way less.
- If wearing liquid liner, have your mascara out and in hand. There’re nothing worse than your liquid liner coating and drying on your lashes before you apply mascara. It then becomes a pain for the mascara wand to separate your lashes properly and you end up with clumps. I usually apply my liner on one top lash-line, immediately followed by mascara. I repeat the process on the other eye, then I do the bottom lash-lines in the same order. It seems like stress but that’s the best way to get a flawless liquid liner and mascara application.
- Taking eyeliners off can be a pain, depending on the type you use. Gel liners are the hardest to come off so I usually wash with soap/cleanser as usual, next, I rub some oil on the residue and then wipe with some cotton wool/tissue paper/wipes. This takes the liner off completely. No need to rub your eyes raw and dislodge your poor eyelashes.
- If you have watery eyes, it’s best to go with liquid liners and just along the top lash line. Any other thing would just bleed and smudge.
- Speaking of bleeding and smudging, gel liners and the afore-recommended liquid liners do much better than pencils and powders. A small trick I do is to ‘conceal and set’ the lash-line and ends of the eyes with some (normal) powder or neutral eyeshadow before applying the eyeliner, so that it holds better.
Those are some of the best tips that I’ve used for years and
I hope they might be of some help to someone.
What is your favorite eyeliner type? And what are the tips
you use in wearing it? Please share in the comments!
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