APPLYING EYELINER

The Different Types of Liner

You can use an eyeliner pencil, a liquid liner or an eyeliner brush dipped into a deep shadow to line eyes. If you use a pencil, set the line with eyeshadow because penciled lines tend to melt and won't stay put all day.

How to Apply Liquid Eyeliner

Too apply liquid eyeliner, line the eye from the inside of the lashes outward in one big sweep. You can also line the eye from the middle of the lash line outward, then finish the line from the inner corner of the eye to the middle.

Another liquid eyeliner trick requires a steady hand and will make eyes appear wider.

• Start with a completely bare eye.
• On the upper lashes, dot the liquid liner into the spaces between the lashes, wiggling the liner into the lashes. The result is not supposed to be a line. It's supposed to look as if the lashes themselves are super thick at the root.
• Apply mascara.
• Compare eye to other naked eye.

The Basic "I'm Off to Work or the Weekend" Eye

This is the perfect work or weekend look for women who want their eyes to "pop" without giving off the appearance of a woman who's really, really into makeup, so into makeup she has this site bookmarked in her Web favorites.

The key to the basic eye is to apply with a light hand. The basic eye is all about appearing natural so consider a deep brown (versus black) eyeliner if you have light hair.

• Holding the skin of your upper lid taut, trace the upper lashes from the inside of the eye with a pencil, or an eyeliner brush dipped in a dark eyeshadow. For a more dramatic look, make the outside line a bit thicker than the inside and extend it just beyond the lash line. Another shape I love is narrow at inner corners, thicker in the middle and swept up a bit at the outer edge.
• Once the line is set, trace over it with a liquid liner. Hand unsteady? Keep your elbow on a table. (You can skip this step, but it will hold the eyeliner longer if you include it).
• Set liner with an eyeshadow.
• Apply eyeshadow or an eye pencil to lower lashes. I like to use a different color on the bottom lash line, one that brings out the blue in my eyes. Apply a deep-hued eyeshadow or pencil along the bottom lashes from the outside in. Unless you have wide-set eyes, don't line the entire lower lid. Instead, stop halfway across. If you're using a pencil, smudge the line with a cotton tip or clean brush, so it looks more natural.