10 Eyeliner Tips for Beginners, Straight From the Pros

Start With Pencil

If you're new to the eyeliner game, you might be overwhelmed by all your options. Pencil, gel, liquid, felt… the list goes on. We'll give you our best advice: Pick a pencil. Why? Because it's the easiest and a great starting point for eyeliner beginners. A smooth pencil glides on easily, doesn't tug, and is more forgiving with shaky hands than liquid or gel.

"Similar to writing with a pencil, an eyeliner pencil is the easiest and most fail-proof eyeliner to use for beginners," says Loiz. "Just hold as you would a regular pencil and draw along your lash line. I'd also recommend using a non-waterproof eyeliner pencil and having Q-tips and makeup remover on hand to... erase any mistakes."

Layer Your Formulas

Crave the inky-black, perfectly flicked look of liquid liner but lack the technique for a precise line? Try lining your eyes with a pencil liner, then layering the liquid on top. This intensifies your lines without requiring the skill of tracing precisely on a blank canvas (i.e., your lids). 

"While looking down in the mirror, tilt your head back, then steady your drawing arm/elbow on a flat surface," says Loiz. "Start at the outer corners of the eye and draw liner going inward... as close to your lash line as you can. Draw the line slowly and steadily. Fill in any gaps between your lashes with the eyeliner to give the illusion of fuller lashes. If you have any mistakes, clean them up with a Q-tip and makeup remover."

Connect the Dashes

If your lid always seems to tug when you apply liner, you might want to try an easier route: Namely, drawing three dashes along your eye and then connecting them. "It's kind of like playing connect the dots," says Loiz. "Have fun with it and take your time. Practice makes perfect."

You can blend the line using an angled eyeliner brush or clean up any unevenness with a cotton swab dipped in makeup remover. 

Clench Your Toes (Seriously)

So you're getting the hang of eyeliner, but your hands are still annoyingly shaky. Here's an easy solution: Clench your toes. We learned this weird cat-eye trick from Kat Von D's makeup artist, so you know it works.

Murdick has another tip to help your eyeliner look flawless. "If you have shaky hands, create some stability for yourself. Do your makeup sitting at a table so you can rest your elbow," she says. "If you don't have a table handy, create what I call a 'pinky kickstand' by resting your pinky on your cheek as you apply the eyeliner." 

Flick, Then Connect

Cat-eye wings are intimidating for the unschooled—we get it. Our advice to beginners is to start from the outside in. Place your eyeliner in the outer corner of your eye, draw a wing up at the same angle as your lower lid, and then trace a line along your upper lid and connect it.

If you're still feeling intimated by the cat-eye, try a cat-eye guide or stamp, such as the Kaja Wink Stamp Eyeliner ($29). "Guide eyeliner will be your new best friend. This is the easiest way to make a perfect cat-eye," says Loiz. Just position the cat-eye stamp at the outside corner of your eye and press down. It stamps a perfect wing. You then use the included eyeliner pin to draw along the lashes and connect.

Clean Up

We're going to let you in on a little secret: Even pros don't trace a perfect line every time. Most makeup artists will reach for a cotton swab to perfect their lines and flicks—dip it in a bit of makeup remover (or even eye cream) to wipe away mistakes. Another industry secret? Muji Cotton Buds ($8), which are tightly wound and provide a super-precise cleanup. Beyoncé's makeup artist swears by them, as do many others.

Try Tightlining

Ever heard of tightlining? It's pretty much the easiest way to wear eyeliner and will define your eyes subtly. To tightline your eyes, gently place one finger in the center of your eyelid, then lift. Take an eyeliner—black is preferable—and trace a line on the skin below your lash line. (You might look weird doing this, but we promise the result is worth it.) We recommend using an eyeliner brush to smudge out the line so it isn't as harsh. Then, curl your lashes and apply mascara as usual. Your eyes will pop, we promise.

Set Your Eyeliner

If you have oily lids or hooded eyes, you may be tempted to give up liner after seeing the streaked, smudged mess on your lid at the end of the day. Luckily, there's a simple fix. Just take a bit of loose translucent powder on a fluffy eyeshadow brush and apply it over your liner to set.

Another trick: Only buy waterproof eyeliners. "Whether it's a pencil or liquid, make sure it's waterproof," says Murdick. "Also, don't apply eyeliner to bare eyelids. At least put down an eye primer or do a basic eyeshadow look. This gives the liner something to grab onto and helps absorb any oils on your eyelid that can cause smudging."

Consider Going Nude

Tired eyes? Here's the easiest tip ever: Take a nude eyeliner pencil and lightly trace your bottom waterline. The nude will open your eyes and make you look like you got eight hours of sleep (even if you were up all night binging Netflix). "If you want to wake up your eyes, use a tone that looks like a light skin tone," says Murdick. "Don't forget, eye drops are your best friend when you're tired. They help eyes look refreshed before you put on your makeup."

Stay away from white liners, which will only accentuate any redness in your eyes and give a distinctly '60s-vibe. Great for Twiggy, but not so much for you. "Pure white works, but it's too harsh and attention-grabbing, in my opinion," advises Loiz. "Using a more natural shade brightens things up without causing a distraction." Try Make Up Forever's Artist Color Pencil ($22), which comes in many neutral shades.

Tailor Your Technique

Now that you've mastered all of the above, we have one last piece of advice for you: Consider tailoring your eyeliner application to your eye shape. This small adjustment might solve your eyeliner frustrations (e.g., wobbly lines and uneven wings).

For small eyes, Murdick says there are a few tricks to open up your peepers. "If you have small eyes, heavy liner across the eye can make them look even smaller. Stick to lining only the outer half of the eye—from the center of the eye to the outer corner. You can even make the liner a bit thicker as it gets to the outer edge to give the eyes a bit of a lift."