Eyeliner for Beginners: Wings, Smudges & Everything In Between 🖤✨

🧠 First Things First: Know Your Vibe

Before picking up your eyeliner, figure out what kind of look you’re going for:

• Want to make your lash line look fuller?

• Looking for a subtle lift at the outer corners?

• Going bold with a wing or graphic shape?

• Need something that stays all day without smudging?

Knowing your goal helps you pick the right product — and avoid frustration (and raccoon eyes).

🖊️ Meet the Liners: Choose Your Weapon

Let’s break down the major eyeliner types and what they’re best for:

Pencil Liners are beginner-friendly and super versatile. You can tightline your waterline, smudge them out for a soft smokey look, or sharpen them for a clean edge.

🛍️ Look for a creamy waterproof pencil that glides on without tugging.

Gel Liners come in pots or retractable pencils. They’re great for precise lines with a soft finish.

🛍️ Use a small angled brush if you’re going with a gel pot — perfect for wings!

Liquid Liners are ideal for sharp wings and bold graphic looks. They usually come in felt-tip pens or fine brush tips.

🛍️ A beginner-friendly pen liner with a flexible tip is the easiest to control.

Eyeshadow as Liner is the low-commitment option. Dip a damp angled brush in a dark shadow and smudge along the lash line for a soft, diffused look.

🛍️ Choose a pigmented matte shadow for this method.

✍️ How to Actually Apply Eyeliner (Without a Meltdown)

Here’s the beginner-friendly method for applying eyeliner without shaking hands or frustration.

1. Start with a clean, primed lid.
If you’re wearing eyeshadow, finish your look first. Make sure there’s no oil or cream around the lash line — it helps the liner stay in place.

2. Rest your elbow on a table.
It sounds basic, but this gives you stability and helps prevent shaky lines.

3. Start small.
Rather than trying to draw the whole line in one go, draw little dashes or short strokes right along the lash line. Then connect them.

4. Stay close to the lashes.
Your eyeliner should look like an extension of your lashes, not a stripe above them. The closer, the better.

5. Thicken as you go (if you want).
Start thin near the inner corner and build thickness toward the outer corner if you're going for a more dramatic look.

🪽 Ready for Wings? Here’s the Easiest Way

Wings look terrifying until you realize they’re just two connected lines.

Try this:

• Look straight ahead in the mirror.

• Imagine a line extending from your lower lash line upward toward the tail of your brow — that’s your wing angle.

• Draw a tiny line there first — just a flick.

• Then connect that tip to your upper lash line with a triangle.

• Fill in the triangle. Boom. Winged.

🛍️ Try a felt-tip liner with a sharp point for this technique. Some even come with stamps or guides for newbies!

🖌️ Want a Softer Look? Try the Smudge

Not into razor-sharp lines? You can totally keep it soft and sultry.

Just draw a line along your upper lash line with a pencil liner, then gently smudge it out with a cotton swab or small brush. You’ll get that effortless, lived-in vibe (think: soft glam, not 2007 emo liner).

Bonus: It’s way more forgiving if your hand slips. 😅

🛍️ Use a smudge-proof pencil that gives you a little time before setting.

🧼 Fixing Eyeliner Mistakes (Without Panic)

We’ve all been there. One side looks amazing. The other is in its villain era.

Here’s how to fix without starting over:

• Use a pointed cotton swab dipped in micellar water to clean up the edges.

• Concealer is your bestie for sharpening a wing or hiding a wobble.

• If one line is thicker than the other… go with it. Balance the second eye, blend a little shadow on top, and act like it was intentional. 😎

👀 Eyeliner for Different Eye Shapes

• Hooded Eyes: Keep your liner thin and avoid thick wings — or draw the wing with your eye open, looking straight ahead.

• Round Eyes: A longer wing elongates your eye beautifully.

• Almond Eyes: You can rock pretty much any liner style (lucky you!).

• Monolids: Tightline and keep the line close to your lashes, or go bold with a graphic flick.

• Downturned Eyes: A lifted wing does wonders — flick it upward slightly past your lash line.

🛍️ Use a waterproof pen liner if you have watery or oily lids.

💬 Final Thoughts: Liner Confidence is a Journey

No one — seriously, no one — was born knowing how to draw the perfect cat eye. Eyeliner takes patience, practice, and a bit of courage. But once you find your flow, it becomes one of the most powerful tools in your makeup kit.

So whether you’re smudging with a pencil, drawing wings with a liquid pen, or just keeping it simple with a soft shadow line — do it your way, and rock it with confidence.

And if anyone asks how you got your eyeliner so even?

Just smile and say, “Oh, I was born with symmetrical energy.” 💁‍♀️💫