HOW TO: WINGED EYELINER

Eyeshadow (on lids): Covergirl Eye Enhancers #110 (find it here)

Eye Liner: Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Line in Black (find it here)

Eyeshadow (over liner): NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Paris (find it here)

Mascara: Covergirl LashBlast Mascara (find it here)

Hi everyone! I haven't done a beauty post in a while, so I thought I'd do a makeup tutorial today to change things up. As you all know, I'm a complete creature of habit when it comes to makeup, so I pretty much do the same look everyday. I really love winged eyeliner - it's a fun way to add a little personality to a professional, everyday look. Even though a 'cat eye' can seem a bit daunting at first, it's actually very easy to do once you get the hang of it. Check out the tips below and, with a little practice, you'll get the perfect eyeliner every time!

TIPS AND TRICKS

• Choose a thin, flat eyeliner brush. A good way to tell how well a brush will work is to turn it to the side and gauge the thickness of the bristles. You want it to be super skinny and pointed from the side, even if it's a wider brush. Don't feel obliged to use the brush that comes packaged with the eyeliner.

• Start small. Use little brushstrokes and build up your line slowly. It's much easier to add more colour than to take some away.

• Try a gel formula. If you find that liquid liners are messy or too hard to apply, try switching to a gel formula. They are far more precise than pencil liners, but much easier to work with than liquid formulas.

• Apply your liner before your mascara. This step is important for two reasons. Firstly, your eyeliner and brushstrokes might disturb your eyelashes - making them look spiky or clumpy - if you've already applied your mascara. Secondly, you can wiggle your mascara wand at the base of your eyelashes to fill in any empty spots that you might have missed. 

• Seal your liner with eyeshadow. Like any liquid or gel makeup product, eyeliner lasts longer and looks 'blacker' if it's sealed with a powder. Think of how you dust powder over your foundation with a fluffy brush. Do the same thing with your eyeliner by packing a little black eyeshadow onto your eyeliner brush and (carefully) pressing it onto the line.

Dip your eyeliner brush into a gel or liquid liner and wipe any excess product onto the lip of the container. For the best results, be sure that the bristles of your brush stay flat and thin. Line the front of your brush (the widest part) up horizontally with the base of your eyelashes, so that the top of the bristles leave a thin line against your eyelid. Starting at the middle of your lid, confidently draw the brush towards the outer corner of your eye. Stay as close to your lash line as possible.

Add a little more product to your brush, using the same technique as before, and slowly build up your line. Draw the line down towards the inner corner of your eye using small, thin strokes. You want the line to be the thinness towards the inner corner of your eye and slightly thicker towards the outer corner of your eye. Use small brushstrokes to thicken the outer third of the cat eye.

Once you are satisfied with the shape and thickness of the line, use the thinnest part of your brush to create a small extension. Place your brush at the outer corner of your eye (where the top and bottom lids meet) and draw the product up to meet the top edge of your eyeliner. Like a little triangle. Depending on how dramatic you want to be on a scale of one-to-Adele, add little brushstrokes to extend the cat eye. Once you are all done, keep your eyelid closed and give the liner a minute to set (especially if you are using a liquid formula!).

Have a great Friday!
Talk soon,
Vi