Makeup 101: How To Choose The Best Eyeliner

Hello Beauties!


Do you ever wonder which eyeliner is the best for you?  When I first started exploring makeup, I had no idea whether I should use pencil or powder or gel or liquid eyeliner.  When I started playing with makeup, gel and liquid seemed completely impossible!  Eyeliner is a wonderful way to define the eye.  You can achieve a look that is natural or truly dramatic.  In this blogpost I will be comparing different eyeliners and offering some recommendations on my favorite products.


Pencil Eyeliner

Pencil eyeliner is my recommendation for beginners.  It is the easiest to use and very versatile.  You can get a defined look or you can smudge it out for a sexy, sultry look.

So what do you need?  I recommend a creamy liner, one that is easy to apply and that has the ability to set so you can get a long lasting finish.  Look for the work "kohl" on the packaging.  Those are very easy to work with.  You can use any color you want but I recommend starting off with either black or brown.  Black is a good option for those dramatic looks.  Brown is good for the softer, more everyday look.  I also recommend an off-white or flesh-toned nude for the inner rim to give a wide-eyed look. 

1.  L'oreal Silkissme Eyeliner
2.  Jordana 12 hours Made To Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil
3. Nars Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner
4. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Inner Rim Liner (Formerly Emphaseyes Liner)

The Silkissme Eyeliners are rich and creamy.  They come in various colors so you can use them however you want!  I usually will use them for the "pop" of color in a neutral makeup look.  They are easy to work with, but you have to work quickly!  Blend out once you apply the liner if you're going for a smudgy look.   Once it sets it won't be going anywhere. 

The Nars liner is my favorite liner for the water line.  It has a dry formula so it stays in place once I apply it and it won't smudge.  

The Jordana liner is so affordable!  It is also the blackest of the black I could find.  I reach for this liner when I wanna smudgy look.

The Tarte liner is my only flesh-toned nude liner and I love it!  I use in in the lower water line to open up my eyes.  It makes me look very awake.  

Pencil eyeliners can also serve as a base for eyeshadows.  Just apply on the lower 2/3 the lids, smudge it out with the brush and apply eyeshadows on top.  It provides the extra umph your shadows need to pop!  

Powder Eyeliner

Now, I know what you are thinking.  What is a powder eyeliner and where can I get it?  You can use any eyeshadow as an eyeliner!  All you need is an eyeshadow of your choice and either a fine-tipped or an angled brush.  Use the eyeshadow dry to get a very soft look.  You can also use the powder wet to get a more defined look.  Dip your brush into the powder.  Then take either a spray bottle of water or your favorite setting spray (like Urban Decay All-Nighter or Mac Fix Plus) and spray the brush.  This really dampens the shadow and you can get a more defined look that is easy to blend.  

You can honestly use any color eyeshadow you please.  When I use black, I want the blackest of the black shadows.  

1. Blackout from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette or Smoked Palette 
2. Black from the Lorac Pro Palette 

Urban Decay Blackout

Lorac Black

Gel Eyeliner

I love gel eyeliner!  For a beginner it is a challenge but you can get the hang of it with some practice.  All you need is a gel liner and again, either a fine-tipped brush or an angled brush as a tool.  Gel-liners are found in pots and have a very creamy consistency.  In my honest opinion, once you get the hang of gel eyeliner, this is the easiest way to obtain a very dramatic look.

1. Maybelline Lasting Drama Eye Studio Eyeliner
2. L'oreal Infallible Lacquer Liner

L'oreal

Liquid Eyeliner

This is by far the most difficult liner to apply.  It takes a lot of practice and patience.  I am 30, I have been playing with make up since my early teens and only in the past year have I been able to get the hang of it.  I still mess up once in a while if I am not too careful.  The key to liquid eyeliner is finding a good applicator.  Liquid eyeliner either comes in a felt tip applicator or a brush applicator.  Either way, I prefer a stiffer applicator that does not provide a lot of give.  It makes it a lot easier, believe me!  Also, I prefer a pen type applicator.

1.  Physician's Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash boosting Eyeliner + Serum
2. Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner
3. NYC Liquid Eyeliner

Physician's Formula, Maybelline, NYC

I also use liquid eyeliner to hide the base of false eyelashes so the glue doesn't stick out.  My favorite is the NYC Liquid eyeliner to do this.  

My Tools Of Choice

A good brush can really help you achieve a perfect look.  I really prefer a brush with stiff bristles so I can really be precise when drawing on the liner.  I am a perfectionist when it comes to eyeliner.  If it doesn't go on completely straight and even, I get annoyed!  

1. ELF Angled Eyeliner Brush
2. ULTA Professional Fine Eyeliner Brush (Discontinued...MEH!) but comparable to the ULTA Pointed Eyeliner Brush
3. Real Techniques Eyeliner Brush which is apart of "Nic's Picks Set"

ELF, ULTA, Real Techniques

In my humble opinion, the bent angle feature seen on the ELF brush helped me out so much when I began playing with gel eyeliner.  It really offers a lot more control.  

Words of Wisdom:

• Practice makes perfect!
• Be patient, it takes time to master the use of eyeliner.
• Keep your hand steady by resting your elbow on your vanity as you apply eyeliner.
• Don't expect to get it in one stroke.  Start off in the middle of the eyelid and use small strokes, especially with the liquid and gel eyeliner.
• Messed up?  Take a q-tip or a fine-tipped eyeliner brush with some concealer to fix your mistakes.  Than take the eyeshadow color on your lid and re-apply!  
• When lining the inner rim of the eye, set your eyeliner with a powder to prolong the wear in the waterline.  
• Draw out the shape of your wing or cat eyeliner with a powder and then go over it with a gel or liquid eyeliner for the most dramatic look!  
• Use a flesh colored pencil eyeliner in the waterline to open up the eyes.  Darker colors make the eyes appear smaller but you appear more sultry and seductive.  
• Tightlining is lining your upper waterline.  This is not necessary but it makes your lashes look fuller at the root.  
• A good brush is everything!  

I hope you all enjoyed this blogpost and learned something!  If you have any questions, comments, feedback, or requests, please leave them in the comments section below.  Don't forget to follow my blog to stay up to date.  You can also follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Pintrest, and Tumblr for updates, hauls, mini-reviews.  All the links are in the sidebar.  Stay beautiful, Stay true!

Geek2Chic - Christine