Nothing scares me more than poorly drawn lids.
Imagine perfecting your base makeup, acing your contour game and then lining your eyes in the worst possible way: colored eyeliner. If low-quality eyeliners disappoint, the tinted kind could kill. No kidding, we’d die from second-hand embarrassment.
But it doesn’t mean you can’t wear them. Summer is still going strong (and posing mega-threats to my increasingly dehydrated skin). All sorts of beauty trends have popped up, and not many have tried pulling off colored eyeliner during the most perfect season. Let me tell you how you can.
Balance your look. The key to colored eyeliner is balancing it out with a mostly nude look. You want that pop of color to attract all the attention—not your clownish blush. Whether you’re sporting blues or bright hues, keep the rest of your look clean and subtle.
Turn it into your eyeshadow. The thing with colored eyeliners is that, sometimes, their pigment can overwhelm and downplay your eyeshadow game. The best way to solve this is, well, by dropping the latter. Since most, if not all, colored eyeliners are packed with a bold shade, you can use them all over the lid. Apply the No. 1 rule: Keep it simple elsewhere.
Use it as accent. Now if you don’t want the whole thing on your lids, you can also line it in key areas. Add a few swipes of color to your outside tear ducts and the outside of your upper lid for some eye “accents.”
Layer it out. If you’re all about upping your eye makeup game, try using both your basic black liner with your bright, colored one. Use lighter hues like white and yellow to create contrast. First, line your lid with the colored eyeliner, then add a thin layer of the black eyeliner later.
Recommended products
If you’re looking for eyeliners with staying power, I’ve chosen three you can depend on—with different types of applicators to give you choices depending on what you’re more comfortable with.
Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner. It delivers long-lasting definition with a twist of the wrist: Color winds up when you need it and winds down when you don’t. The gentle, soft, silicone-enriched formula delivers smooth, even lining. A built-in sharpener at the opposite end detaches for quick refreshes.
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner. The brand’s No. 1-selling waterproof liquid liner enables you to create a variety of eye-opening effects—from thin, precise lines to thick, dramatic looks. The formula glides on with ease, dries quickly and won’t smudge or run day-into-night.
Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil. The Aqua Eyes is a waterproof liner pencil available in 26 shades. Highly pigmented, its formula adheres to the eyelids, and doesn’t run or fade even under the most extreme conditions.
