I have been using colored eyeliner in my everyday makeup routine for the last six months. I was first inspired when scrolling through the instagram of my one of my sister’s friends. She posts pictures of these daring, complex, and bold eye looks using every color of eyeliner under the sun. Although I am not artistically inclined and can barely hold a paint brush, I knew that this makeup concept was that one I have been missing all my life. I immediately bought every color of NYX vivid bright eyeliner and started to experiment. It took some time, some complete failures, and some major successes, but now I am here to share with you 5 simple and user friendly colored eyeliner looks you can wear out to a party or around campus.
Before you start
- I recommend using an eye primer (like the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion) under your eyeliner so that it stays in place longer.
- Remember that make up is just like another accessory. Match the eyeliner to your jewelry, your clothing, or use it to add a pop of color.
- There is no problem a bit of micellar water and a Q-tip can’t fix.
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Make sure you have the right eyeliner! You want a formula that is pigmented enough that you don’t have to go over your lines a million times but is also a consistence you are comfortable with (I am partial to liquid eyeliner). Here are a few brands that I love:
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NYX Vivid Bright Eyeliner (their red eyeliner is gorgeous!!)
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Sephora Retractable Waterproof Eyeliner
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Kat Von D Ink Well Long-Wear Matte Eyeliner
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1. One and Done
This one is a classic with a little twist that adds a pop of color without being too overpowering. All you have to do is brush a thin line of you choice colored eyeliner starting from the outer corner of your eye pointing toward the end of your brow. You can make the line as short or as long as you want, depending on how dramatic you want your makeup to be. If you want your look to be a bit more bold, line your top lash line.
2. Inner Corner Realness (my favorite!)
This one is a subtle but unique look that can brighten your eye or just bring an interesting element to any makeup look. I recommend using yellow or white eyeliner if you are going for a brightening effect. Light purple and blue are also great options to add a little bit of funk into your everyday look. Take your color of choice and start by lining the inner quarter of your upper lash line. Then line the inner eighth of your lower lash line. Finally, to top it all off, connect the two lines at the inner corner. If you want to be even more daring, bring the inner corner into a point for a elongating reverse cat eye.
3. A Touch of Coachella
If you want a look that is low key but will also turn heads right and left, then this is for you. Taking inspiration from the classic dotted coachella makeup, take your color of choice and draw a line from your outer corner to create a cat eye. Then add a dot of the same or different color to the end of your cat eye and a dot on your inner corner. You can also take this concept and make it your own by adding dots in different places. For example, on your lash line, the end of your brow, or go crazy and create a full constellation. The combinations are endless which is what makes this look so much fun.
4. An accent
Even though colored eyeliner is a bold choice it doesn’t have to be the star of the show. If you are a black eyeliner lover looking to bring a pop of color into your classic look, this one’s for you. First, create your classic black cat eye. Then, draw an accent line with your favorite colored eyeliner underneath the wing. You can also add more pizazz by outlining your entire wing with multiple colors or by putting eyeliner on the inner corner of your eye.
5. Go crazy!!!
One of the best things about colored eyeliner is that you can use multiple colors and shapes in one look to give your makeup dimension and spunk. Let your creativity take over!! Use a combination of lines, triangles, dots, and a mixture of all the techniques from the concepts above to create a one of a kind eye.
Which colored eyeliner look are you gonna rock tomorrow?
Photo courtesy: Tess Harvey