How to Apply Eyeliner in 6 Different Styles

Applying a perfect eyeliner, as simple as it sounds, can get pretty challenging when you actually do it. It can be quite intimidating. You need to have a really steady hand because one wrong move can spell disaster and end up ruining all of your makeup!

How many times you wanted to get the perfect eyeliner, but ended up looking like a panda instead? It can be quite heartbreaking, right?

You, an independent young woman out to capture the world, cannot seem to be able to master the art of applying something as simple as eyeliner. Moreover, every time you try to look online for help, you get more confused by the different and complicated ways of applying eyeliner.

But fret no more! We are here to help you, ladies. We have listed below some of the latest trends in lining your precious peppers along with a step-by-step guide on how you can achieve the different looks.

Make a Statement with Your Favorite Look

You can ace any look, be it smokey, smudgy, or a crisp cat eye. All you need is a little bit of patience and practice.

Here's how you can apply eyeliner in six different styles.

1. Under Eye

We have all smeared a half-inch-thick mascara during our teenage years, and we are all aware of how tricky it can be. If done correctly, you will get a natural-looking definition that will go perfectly on its own or with eye makeup.

But one wrong move and you are again looking like a panda. No offense; we all love pandas. It’s just that, unless it’s Halloween, no one really wants to look like an animal at a party.

Applying eyeliner under your eye isn’t really that hard. You just have to approach it with caution. Here’s how you can do it.

Step 1. Draw a flick on both ends of your eyes

• With an eyeliner, draw a flick at the end of your right eye.
• Draw a similar flick at the end of your left eye.
• Make sure that the flick is cohesive, thin and pointed.

Step 2. Draw another flick inside the corner of your eyes and connect both ends with eyeliner

• Just like how you drew a flick at the end of your eyes, draw a flick at the inside corner of your left eye.
• Extend the liner under your eye until it meets the outside flick.
• Repeat the same step in your right eye.
• The line needs to be thin and soft. You don’t want to look like you have dark circles beneath your eyes.

Step 3. Fill the connecting line with Kohl

• Gently fill the inside line between the flicks of your eye with a kohl pencil of the same color as the liquid liner.
• It might take a couple of swipes before the inside is uniformly filled.

Step 4. You now have the perfect under eye look

• Take a picture of your eyes and check for uniformity.
• Smile, for you have successfully applied the eyeliner for this under eye look.

2. Thumbprint Eyeliner

Thumbprint eyeliner isn’t for wallflowers. It is a sure way to make a statement. As weird as it sounds, it is a thing.

In thumbprint eyeliner, you create a round swoop on the outside of your eyes like a thumbprint. Good news: no perfect lines or flicks are required in this look.

This is the ultimate lazy girl look, and celebrities like Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, and Bella Hadid are rocking this look. Learn how you can achieve this look with perfection.

Step 1. Apply the eyeliner normally (without any flick)

• Apply a basic eyeliner above your lash line as you normally would.
• Don’t make any flick.

Step 2. Make a round-shaped outline at the outer ends of the eyeliner

• Draw a round-shaped outline at the outer edge of your eyeliner.
• The outline needs to be thin but not exactly perfect.

Step 3. Fill the shape with color using a liner brush

• Take a liner brush and gently fill in the shape.
• Fill in the entire shape uniformly on both the eyes.

Step 4. You are ready with the thumbprint eyeliner look

• See how amazing you look in this thumbprint eyeliner.
• No need to worry about lines or edges at all!

3. Cleopatra or Full-Fledged Eyeliner

Another look that has been trending lately is the Cleopatra eyeliner, also known as the full-fledged eyeliner. The Cleopatra eyeliner is super-graphic, super-pointy, super-dramatic.

Not to mention it is heavy along the bottom lashes. A little tricky to apply, we admit, but this style is absolutely worth the effort you put in.

We have simplified this seemingly daunting eyeliner look for you in the following steps.

Step 1. Apply kohl on your eyes

• Very gently apply a thin line of kohl on your left eye.
• Cohesively, apply Kohl on your right eye.

Step 2. Apply a thin line of eyeliner on both of your eyes

• Apply eyeliner on both of your eyes. There needs to be a flick at the end of your eyes.
• Connect the two ends of the lower and upper eyeliners with kohl.

Step 3. Draw a liner boundary on the crease of your eyes and fill it with eyeliner

• With the liner, draw a boundary on the crease of your eyes.
• Connect the boundary line to flick of eyeliner that you applied.
• Fill the boundary with the eyeliner.
• Both the eyes should be uniformly filled and perfectly shaped

Step 4. Now you have Cleopatra eyes

• See how simple it is to get the Cleopatra look.
• You look stunning!

4. Winged Eyeliner

A perfect winged eyeliner is every girl’s best friend because nothing elevates your eye makeup like a perfectly drawn dramatic winged eyeliner. It not only looks super hot, but it also complements any look.

Applying winged eyeliner is not really hard, unlike what most girls think. Follow these simple steps, and you will have the most perfect and most dramatic winged eyeliner ever!

Step 1. Line your eyes thinly using eyeliner and extend on the outer edge with a flick

• Apply kohl to line your eyes.
• Using an eyeliner, draw a straight line above your eyes by using short even strokes.
• End the line in a flick. Join the two ends (of kohl and liner) using the eyeliner with a reverse “V.”

Step 2. Curl your eyelashes

• As a finishing touch, curl your eyelashes using a mascara wand.
• Check if both the eyes are uniformly winged.

Step 3. You have the perfect winged eyeliner

• You have perfectly applied the winged eyeliner.

5. Glitter Eyeliner

If you want your eyes to pop and sparkle, then glitter eyeliner is perfect for you. After all, who doesn’t love a bit of sparkle?

Glitter eyeliner is the trend of the season and provides an edge to your eyes. However, as is always the case, you need to be very careful in doing so because one mistake can ruin the entire look.

Learn how to perfect the glitter eyeliner look below.

Step 1. Line your eyes with glitter eyeliner

• Dab a thin brush in glitter eyeliner.
• Very gently swipe the brush above your eyes in short and thin strokes, just as you would normally do with any regular eyeliner.
• End the line in a flick.
• Apply uniformly on both sides.

Step 2. Apply glitter eyeliner to your upper eyelashes

• To further pronounce your eyes, apply the glitter eyeliner to your upper eyelashes.
• Use the same thin brush to dab in the glitter eyeshadow for this step.
• Apply on both the eyes.

Step 3. Apply a second shade of eyeshadow just above the glitter eyeliner

• To finish the look, dab your thin brush in a shade that complements the color of your glitter eyeliner.
• Apply a thin line of this eyeshadow just above your eyeliner in short gentle strokes.

6. Smokey Eyeliner

A smokey eyeliner is perfect if you want to add some drama and allure to your makeup. A smokey eyeliner fades from a dark color at the base of the lashes to a lighter shade at the brow bone.

You may choose any color to create the smokey eye effect, but the shading principle remains the same: from darker color fading to lighter like an ombre.

The smokey eye is one of the classiest makeup looks of all the time, and it is absolutely perfect for your Saturday night party or date.

You might need some practice in blending, but we have broken down the entire procedure into small and easy steps so that you can master them in no time.

Step 1. Apply sticky tapes on both the ends of your eyes in flick direction

• Take a small strip of sticky tape.
• Position it right below the end of your left eye in the direction of the flick. However, be careful to make sure your eyelashes don’t get stuck under the tape.
• Similarly, position a sticky tape below the end of your right eye.
• Apply a light eyeshadow from the inside corner of your left eyelid to the tape and give it a shading effect.
• In a similar way, apply the eyeshadow to your right eye.
• Once you are done, gently remove the sticky tapes.

Step 2. Apply the eyeliner with a long flick

• After you have applied the eyeshadow, line your eyes using an eyeliner.
• Apply it as you normally would with a long flick.

Step 3. Line your under eyes using a white eyeliner pencil on the lash line

• After applying the eyeliner, take a white eyeliner pencil.
• Apply it on your eyes as you would normally apply kohl.

Step 4. Smudge the ends of your eyeliner with eyeshadow

• To achieve a smokey eye, choose an eyeshadow in a darker shade.
• Using an eyeshadow brush, smudge the ends of your outer eyeliner with the dark eyeshadow blending them together a bit.
• Apply the eyeshadow under your eye with this brush in a similar fashion.

Step 5. Finish up by applying mascara

• Apply mascara as a finishing touch to your smokey eye look.

Tips to remember

• There shouldn’t be a gap between your eyeliner and upper eyelash. If you end up with a gap, then fill it up with a kohl pencil.
• The flicks of your eyeliner should not droop. Droopy flicks pull down your eyes. You can draw a dot where you want to end your flick. Then connect the eyeliner to this dot.
• If you are using liquid eyeliner, then set it with translucent powder after it dries. This trick will prevent your eyeliner from transferring to the lid.
• A long-winged eyeliner makes the eyes look bigger. Conversely, if the eyeliner is short, then your eyes will look quite small.
• The eyeliner wings should always be sharp.
• If you have shaky hands, anchor your elbow on a flat surface and rest your pinky on your cheeks for support while applying the eyeliner.
• Don’t stretch your skin while applying eyeliner. This will cause wrinkles such as crow’s feet.
• If your liner starts to break or crumble, then clean the tip, close the lid, and place the liner in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• You can line the inner lines of your eyelids to give your eyes a deepening effect.
• If you are a beginner, it is advisable that you start with the pencil eyeliner and move on to other types as you get the hang of applying eyeliner.