When it comes to makeup, eyeliner is a staple. However, there are common eyeliner mistakes that you might be making. Nobody wants to end up with panda eyes with smudged eyeliner.
Here are some common eyeliner mistakes and how to fix them:
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Pulling your eye while applying eyeliner
It’s natural to want to pull your eye when applying eyeliner but don’t. This is one of the most common mistakes when applying eyeliner. You want your line to be straight. Pulling your eye while applying eyeliner will also make your eyes age wrinkle and in some instances sag. Your eyeliner will also be bumpy and textured which is a no no. This is a hard habit to break but you can try tilting your head so you can see clearly.
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Overdoing the lower lid
We all want to have a balanced look especially when it comes to the eyes. So, it’s easy to overdo the lower lid. Overdoing the lower lid is one of the more common eyeliner mistakes. However, this makes your eyes look smaller than usual.
Looking straight into a mirror
Looking straight into a mirror can lead to uneven application so to avoid this look down on the mirror to have a more even application. This will ensure you have no gaps between your liner and your lash line.
Liquid liner on the lower lid
If you don’t want to look like a panda or a raccoon, avoid liquid liner on the lower lid. Liquid liner on the lower lid tends to run because of sweat and tears. Even the waterproof and smudge-free liquid eyeliners tend to run. Use only gel or pencil eyeliner on your lower lid unless you’re doing a smoky eye.
Using the wrong eyeliner formula
If you’re a newbie, you might want to start with the pencil eyeliner. The liquid and gel eyeliner dry really fast so you don’t have much time to blend. If you have shaky hands you might also want to stick to pencil eyeliners. If you’re a pro you can go for liquid and gel eyeliner. However liquid eyeliners tend to smudge throughout the day. Get a waterproof and smudge-free eyeliner if you want a seamless look all day.
Eyeliner on just the lower lash line
This is another common eyeliner mistake. You only apply eyeliner on your lower lash line. This will only draw to your under eyes and you don’t want this. If you’re applying liner, do it on both your upper and lower lash.
Wearing black liner in your waterline
Black eyeliner is an essential for your make up kit. However wearing black liner on your waterline should not be an everyday look. Using softer colors like brown or gold can brighten your eyes. While black eyeliner is great it makes your eyes look smaller. Black eyeliner has a dramatic effect and is better suited for nighttime events.
If you’ve never tried switching to other colors you can start by trying a dark shade of brown. Then with time, you can work your eyeliner color to match your makeup. Eventually, when you gain more confidence to try out other colors you can switch to colors like blue or pink to add a pop of color to your overall look.
Leaving a Gap
When applying your eyeliner, you want to be as close to the lashes as possible. You don’t want to leave a gap. This is one of the noticeable mistakes you can make when it comes to eyeliner application. It can be scary especially if you’re a beginner, but practice makes perfect.
Using curler after applying eyeliner
If you plan on curling your eyeliner, you may want to use your curler before applying your eyeliner. The eyeliner is very close to your lashes so if you do use a curler after it will end up smudging your eyeliner.
Not applying a primer
Wrong: Apply the eyeliner without a primer. Result: The eyeliner does not last long and gets smudged during the day. Right: Always apply powder or a light eye shadow as a primer. If necessary, set the eyeliner in place with black eyeshadow and a flat definer brush.
Applying primer before you apply eyeliner ensures it lasts longer and does not get smudged. If you have oily eyelids or hooded eyes primer should be a definite must-have. You can apply a light shade of eyeshadow or some powder to act as a primer.
Applying mascara first
We’re all too eager to coat our lashes in mascara as quickly as possible, but piling it on before liner just makes the job too hard. Firstly, because those thick, lacquered lashes may get in the way, making it hard to line the roots without causing a major smudge. And lastly, because you run more risk of over-doing your eyes, and by applying the liner first, you can judge how many coats of mascara you’ll need.
Using dry eyeliner
If you use liquid eyeliner, make sure your eyeliner is not dry. Dry eyeliner will be bumpy and textured. You want a smooth line to make it look effortless. Using old and dry eyeliner is not healthy and you might even end up with eye infections.
Eyeliner not sharp enough
If you’re using a pencil eyeliner you want to make sure it’s sharp enough. You don’t want to use a dull eyeliner as it will not be straight and accurate. If you want a clean straight line without poking your eye. Sharpen your eyeliner after every 3-5 uses.