Looking straight into the mirror and applying eyeliner can cause you to make an uneven application. It is best to always look down when applying your eyeliner while lining your top lid to avoid gaps between your eyeliner and lash line.
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Pulling Your Skin while Applying
Even though it sounds like it is a good idea to pull your eyelids when applying eyeliner, it is not. Not only does it cause pre mature wrinkles, it also can cause your eyeliner to bounce back. When pulling the skin the line might seem straight but when you release the skin your skin bunches up, causing bumpiness or jagged edges.
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Your eye pencil isn't sharp enough
THE #1 KEY to applying great eyeliner is a sharp pencil. Make it a priority to sharpen it after every 2-3 uses. Not only is it important for a great look, it is also important to keep away eye bacteria with every use.
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Too Much Liner on your Bottom Eyelid
Some like to add liner to the bottom eyelid to achieve a more severe look. Sometimes this isn’t the right thing to do. It is better to add a thin line within your bottom lashes to give you a darker shade but not like you have a black eye. Another con to adding too much liner on your bottom eyelid is that it makes your eyes seem dark and small rather than big and open.
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Not Lining your Waterline
Not everyone likes to add liner to the waterline (the bare skin between your lashes and your eyeball) but it can really complete your whole makeup look. Using a light tone can really open your eye, making your eyes pop and look fabulous.
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Lining your Waterline Black
Using black on your waterline (the bare skin between your lashes and your eyeball) is often a poor colour choice because it makes the eyes look smaller. Instead, opt for a nude colour or light tones. Darker colours can, however, be appropriate for evening outings, especially with a bit of smudging to make the final result closer to gray than pure black.
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Not Using Tape
Using tape can really make that winged eyeliner look go from “guesswork” to “perfection”. The tape will prevent you from colouring “outside the lines” so to speak. Just a small piece of tape placed diagonally to the lower eyelash line will limit the boundaries of where you want your wings to go, and voilà!
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Not Using Eyeshadow to Set it
Before you apply eyeliner, you should be applying a shadow to your eyelids. This will set any oils that may have built up on your skin before you apply the makeup. Too often, when people forget to do this, their eyeliner gets smudged and spreads away from its original spot.
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Not Using the Right Eyeliner
It can be really tricky to find the right eyeliner for you. There are different kinds, from the creamy, oily textures to crisper, harder textures that dry much more quickly. Beginners may want to choose a waterproof pencil, which will smudge less during the day.
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Using the Wrong Colour
Diversity is the name of the game here. You want to find a few different tones that suit your specific eyes. Black is a must-have, but it’s not always appropriate. Lighter tones (plum, brown, red, etc.) can be more flattering and look less “severe”, especially during the daytime. Blues will make eyes appear lighter, whereas greys and blacks don’t affect colour as much.
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