Are You Guilty Of Making This Major Black Eyeliner Mistake?

We’re going to guess that eyeliner is likely the first thing you reached for when starting your make-up journey. We all have those throwback images of raccoon eyes  – when we were dark, rebellious, and declaring our adultness to the world. Now, we are grown and the subtle art of eyeliner is respected. Like, who doesn’t want their flicks on fleek?

But, no matter what look you’re going for, “eyeliner is meant to frame the eyes, giving them shape and making the whites appear bigger and brighter,” says Troy Surratt, celebrity make-up artist and founder of Surratt Beauty. But it can easily backfire, he warns. The biggest mistake? Going too OTT. Yep, “heavily ringed in black, eyes tend to recede and can appear tired,” Troy explains.

So, for natural-looking definition, steer clear of hard edges and dramatic smudges.

Troy shares his tips for avoiding overdrawn lines and getting your flicks just so…

1. Buy the right product

A creamy pencil that isn’t waterproof glides on smoothly and is easiest to blend. One that also has a built-in smudger, like the MAC Black eye kohl pencil, €15.20 will come in handy when blending.

2. Sit down

Sit your bum down, girlfriend. Once your bum is glued to the chair, place a mirror on a flat surface and look down when applying liner. This gives you a better angle to see the grove between your lashes and lash line.

3. Connect the dots

The upper lash line doesn’t draw as much attention as it’s lower counterpart, but it’s equally important. To apply, create three short strokes as close to the lash line as possible – one on either corner and one in the middle – then connect them. With practice, you’ll eventually be able to apply it in one quick swipe. Promise!

4. Go easy on the bottom

“One of my biggest pet peeves is when the lower lash line is too dark or too hard,” confides Troy. For soft definition, he says, apply a short stroke of colour along the outer corner under your lower lashes. (Steer clear of the waterline; liner there can easily migrate, causing dreaded raccoon eyes.) Then use a smudging brush or Q-tip to blend liner in toward the centre of the eye. “Colour should diffuse into almost nothingness as you approach the tear duct,” Troy explains.

5. Always finish with mascara

Liner looks best when paired with lush lashes. Clamp and squeeze a lash curler three times at the lash line, in the middle and again at the ends—then seal the curl with a few coats of lengthening mascara.  Our fave is Benefit They’re real lengthening mascara, €22.11. Perfect!

By Jennifer Conway.

• Beauty
• fleek
• liner
• mascara