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Eyeliner is one of those makeup products that can make an instant — and enormous — impact on the rest of your look. But, unlike lipstick and mascara (which share that same trait in common), eyeliner is a notoriously difficult cosmetic to master and make work for you. Let’s face it: Eyeliner smudges and fades can look crooked, and can even make your eyes look smaller if you apply it the wrong way.
The good news is there are several eyeliner tricks that are simple to master and will make a tremendous difference in your eyeliner application. Don’t give up on eyeliner — just try these six eyeliner tricks every woman should know and it will become your new favorite cosmetic.
Look Down Into A Mirror When You Apply Eyeliner
More often than not, we stare directly into a mirror when we apply our makeup. It makes sense for lipstick but won't help make the most of your eyeliner. The reason? When you stare straight on, your lashes tend to get in the way of viewing your entire eyelid, which makes it more difficult to cover your lash line with a sufficient swipe of eyeliner.
Place a hand mirror on a counter below you and apply eyeliner while looking downward. Your line will appear straighter and more precise.
Rim Your Waterline With Nude Eyeliner
If you got about three hours of sleep and are reaching for cucumber slices and fridge-cold eye gels, don't forget another trick that will perk up tired eyes: Nude eyeliner (white eyeliner is a little too disco for daytime and could draw more attention to puffy eyes). A quick swipe of nude eyeliner along your bottom waterline opens up your eyes and makes them look brighter and bigger.
Use A Post-It Note To Create Precise Winged Eyeliner
One of the more difficult things about creating winged eyeliner is drawing the wing itself — if it isn't straight, it can look sloppy. Luckily, the solution to all of your winged eyeliner problems is probably sitting in your desk drawer right now: a post-it note.
Apply a Post-it note to your eye area so that it slants upward from the outer corner of your eye toward your eyebrow. The note will serve as a guide for winged eyeliner, but it also captures any eyeliner that drifts away from your line. Remove the note and you remove mess along with it.
Use A Precision Point Eyeliner To Draw Your Wing
The type of eyeliner you use makes a big difference in the appearance of your wing. You can draw the outline of your wing with a softer pencil eyeliner in a light color like taupe. Then follow up with a highly pigmented precision point eyeliner, which glides on your skin easier than a pencil and stays in place for longer.
L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Precision Liquid Waterproof Eyeliner ($8.02)
You won't have to worry about transferring color to your cheeks or brows when you use this waterproof precision liquid eyeliner. The formula is rich, highly pigmented and comes in black or dark brown. And the applicator tip is razor-fine and thin, making it easier to draw on wings that don't smudge.
[Photos: Shutterstock]
