Eye Spy... EYEliner :)

This blog is all about EYE LINER!!!!  
Liquid, pencil, gel, powders and don't forget that there are more colors out there other than black and brown.  Get creative, use navy, deep plums, or any other color you choose.  That's the great thing about makeup, you are creating a look that is personalized by YOU.  It is a form of creativity and art so have fun with it!!  

there are so many forms of how to line your eyes.  The purpose of lining the eyes is to add definition and shape to the eye for a more dramatic look.  Most of the time it makes your eye color pop and makes the lashes look fuller and more voluminous.  There are so many ways to use and apply eyeliner and we'll go over a few of my favorite ways and products.  

I'll start with my ABSOLUTE, hands down, staple FOREVER favorite... 

Loreal Lineur Intense liquid liner with the brush tip applicator.  I know, the brush is a difficult tool to master but I've been using it since i was 14.. literally the same product too.  The image on the right is the effect a liquid liner gives.  It's extremely dramatic and definitely makes a statement with your makeup.  For someone who is new to liquid liner and wants to try it i suggest starting with the felt tip applicator that Loreal makes.  It's the same formula just a different applicator.  You can find this at any drugstore for around $8-9 dollars. 

I find that liquid stays on longer and it's less prone to smudge or to run during the day.  It's definitely a difficult task to master but practice, practice, practice and you'll be a pro in no time!!

Your going to want to start with a lid primer.  I use a Paint Pot by M.A.C. called Painterly or Soft Ochre that is around $17.50.  Once the lid is prepped you can begin. For beginners i would start at the outer corner by making small dashes across the lash line like this

Once you have your dots across the lash line, now you can connect the dots with soft and short strokes.  Once you get the hang of it it will become easier for you.  I have used the trick of lining the lash line with a black or smokey gray shadow, then applied the liquid liner.  It's up to you with what works best for you.  Now applying liquid to the bottom can be tricky because of the way our lower lashes curl downward and get in the way.  I personally DO use it on the lower lashes and I'll go over it with a black shadow to soften it up a bit.  Sometimes I just use a shadow on the bottom if I'm not going for a real dramatic look.  

Another similar form of liquid liner is a gel liner.  The gel formula is a thicker consistency.  I LOVE using this on my clients because it gives the effect of a liquid without the harsh line that a liquid creates.  It just gives the prettiest shape to the eye.  My all time FAVORITE that i use is the Fluid line by M.A.C in Blacktrack ($15).

  

It will last you a LONG TIME!  I apply it with my M.A.C. 266 small angled liner brush($19.50).  What i do is dip my brush in the gel pot and just coat both sides of the angled brush with product and slide the excess product off on the side of the pot.  You need to kinda work fast with this product because it tends to dry quickly leaving little room to get the whole line lined.  It's ok to go back over the line to get a more opaque look.  I find it really great for the lower lash line.  The angled brush just slips between the skin and lashes and just goes on so smoothly!
  

Once you get the line and thickness you want, you want to get as close to the lash line with the product.  Try not to leave any gaps between the liner and lash line.  Like the above picture, Just fill in that space with product!  

The next type of liner we'll talk about is the pencil liner.  I'm not a particular fan of a pencil liner.  I feel like it smudges, runs, and doesn't really give a dramatic effect.  If you know me then you know i like a more dramatic look!!  But recently I've been loving the Urban Decay 24/7 glide on liner ($19 at Sephora or Ulta). 

Although it is a pencil is gives a very pigmented and liquid like application.  I find that it doesn't run throughout the day like most pencils do which to me is a plus!!  I also love lining the water line of the eye.  To me it gives a really sultry and dramatic look.  It's hard to find a liner that will stick and stay to the water line and i haven't found a product that works as well as this one!  For those who aren't familiar with the "water line" this is where it is. 

It's the inner rim of your bottom lash line.  Now don't get me wrong, if you choose to do this look don't forget to put your pencil in your clutch for the night because touch ups will be a must simply because that part of your eye gets wet.  I just like this product because it lasts so much longer than any others that I've tried.

The last product that i want to talk about is using a powder as a liner.  You can use it alone or along with any of the above liners.  it gives such a soft smokey effect.  I recently purchased the Urban Decay Naked 2 pallet($50) at Sephora and I'M ECSTATIC!!  You could use most of the dark shades of the pallet as a shadow liner.  Here's what the pallet looks like...

and here's what the swatches look like on the skin...

I mostly use the blackout and busted to line my eyes before i put the liner on to give a soft look.  Or feel free to just use the shadow alone for a more subtle look.  

I suggest using a M.A.C 219 pencil brush($24) to apply a powder to the lash line.  I'm currently obsessed with this pallet and before it's over with i may have to repurchase another one because it will be gone before i know it!!  

I hope you've enjoyed all my little tips on eyeliner.  Please feel free to send me any questions here or on my website www.ashleyanselmo.com and i look forward to seeing y'all next time :)