Smudging, wonky lines and unevenness – those are just a few of the issues you can face when looking to make your eyes appear bigger and more defined with eyeliner. To avoid the pitfalls, we spoke to the make-up artist Morganne Martini about her three simple tricks for perfect eye make-up every time.
1. Move your eyeliner back and forth in small motions
Although it can be tempting to try and apply your eyeliner in one, straight line, unless you have the steadiest of hands you’re unlikely to get the flawless finish you want.
“For the perfect flick, move your eyeliner pencil make and forth in small motions while pressing very gently. This allows you to build up the definition and minimise the risk of wonky lines”, says Martini.
“Then, if you want a smoky finish, use a smudging eyeshadow brush to gently feather the line too. You’ll find it easier to do one eye first and then move on to the other, so that the eyeliner is still blendable.”
Martini recommends using Marc Jacobs’ Fineliners in the colour of your choice for a creamy, high-definition finish.
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2. Keep your eyes open, not shut
If you can put your fears of poking yourself in the eye aside, Martini recommends you apply your eye make-up with your eyes open for a cleaner, more even finish.
“Defining your eyelid crease will make your eyeshadow standout, especially for smokey eye make-up and I’d recommend doing so with your eye open, so you can clearly see where your eyelid stops. I do the same when placing my flicks. That way you can compare what you are doing more easily and get it tight to the waterline.”
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3: Use a q-tip to make your flicks really sharp
If mistakes do happen – and inevitably they will – don’t reach for a cotton wool ball or try to use your fingers. Instead, use a slim cotton bud.
“I always use a tiny q-tip dipped in a little bit of make-up remover to clean-up uneven eyeliner flicks and to make the ends look more defined. My go-to are Muji’s Thin Cotton Buds. But, if you build-up your eyeliner slowly with light, small strokes you should be able to avoid too many mistakes.”
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Advice from the beauty team: Step away from the perfume
If you always find yourself ruining your eyeliner because you sneeze after perfectly applying it, it could be your fragrance to blame.
Bazaar‘s beauty director Katy Young says, “people often reach for their fragrance straight after finishing their make-up, when they’re eye make-up isn’t necessarily dry. That can make you sneeze, smudging your eyeliner onto your brow bone.”
If that sounds familiar, wait until you are stepping out the door before spritzing your signature scent to your heart’s content.
From: Harper’s BAZAAR UK