Line Those Lashes!

There are many ways to use eyeliner. We use it to draw attention to our eyes, lift up our faces, enhance our lashes, and accentuate our best features. However, we all have different preferences, goals, and eye-shapes--and it's important that we acknowledge these differences and apply our eyeliner how we like it! Here are some easy tips, brands, and types of eyeliner to try, so that you're covered for any situation!

Testers of Sephora's Flashy Eyeliner Minis. Also try:
Sephora's Nano Eyeliners. 

First things first: the basics

 Every make-up-loving girl ought to have at least one eyeliner pencil. This make-up staple is easy to apply, easy to use, easy to correct, and easy to find (since it's obviously so easy you obviously have no excuse to complain about using one...). My personal favorites came from Sephora in a set of minis; at different times in the year, Sephora sells sets of mini-eyeliner pencils in fives and sixes. My personal set contains: silver, brown, black, blue, purple, and green minis--enough variety to keep it interesting and enough convenience to keep it simple. 

The fun range of colors offered in eyeliner pencils make experimenting with new styles easy and fun. And the best part? They're easily corrected with a cue-tip and a dip of make-up remover (useful for those early-morning make-up disasters that we've all had...)

                                                                    
                                                                      Gettin' Slick and Sassy

Urban Decay's 24/7 line. Also check out their
gold eyeliner pencil that's another wing of
the line.  I promise you won't be disappointed!

To take it a step up in the drama and difficulty departments, go for a liquid liner. I personally rarely wear it--but I have applied it to many people. The key is to go at it slow and steady and not rush--because then you'll look like you're bleeding blue/purple/black all over your face. Liquid liners are best for a clean or dramatic look; you can taylor the line to be as thin and natural-looking or as thick and cat-eyed as you'd like. Two of my favorites are Laura Mercier's liquid eyeliners (because they're easier to control) and Urban Decay's fun metallic-y set (let's be honest: I can't even resist that packaging!).

Fun and Fancy

Is this photo dramatic enough
for you? MAC's own website
brags that this "Penultimate"
eyeliner can help shape ANY
eye shape you want!

Now that we've hit the "Big 2", it's time to get fun and specialized. One of my favorite discoveries this past year has been the eyeliner pen. While I mainly use it for night-time occasions or winged eyeliner, I hypothesize that the eyeliner pen is on its way to make-up stardom. Not only is it like using a pen--it's also easy to control and to correct. It's the liquid look minus the risk of dripping, smudging, and missing. Mac's eyeliner pen creates a clean, steady black line that can be pulled off either winged or un-winged. Plus, it can be applied in a low-key way that doesn't leave you feeling naked without mascara. In short, my two favorite aspects of this type of eyeliner are: 1). It's easy to use, fun, and quality. 2). I've worn it several times during the day and it makes my eyes pop without any mascara at all! 

                                              Classy, Classic, and Romantic

The Macroviolet Gel Pot

I have a confession: I have one more favorite MAC product to flaunt to you today. Not only do they have me bound to their will through my adoration and fascination with the Penultimate eyeliner, but they have a killer gel eyeliner that puts any other brand's product to shame. The gel pots are savvy, compact, and long-lasting. My favorite MAC eyeliner is the gel eyeliner in Macroviolet (coolest color name ever!), and I discovered it with my mother in NYC last year. We walked into a freestanding MAC store over spring break, and I all but threw myself at a make-up artist there with a burning question: "I love eyeliner and make-up, but I need a fun to way to use eyeliner. Do you have anything besides a pencil??" The answer, my dears, was YES! And thus he instructed me on how to use gel eyeliners... If you need a lesson, please comment and I'll provide details! However, to apply gel liner you must use a special brush (or risk ruining the products) and never, ever, rush yourself. This is another product that you can wear without adding anything--including mascara! The purple/maroon/brown color of Macroviolet is a softer, sweeter shade than true black--especially since I'm fair skinned. Plus, it's a welcome sight after the multitudes of poorly applied black liner paraded daily by teens and women everywhere. Although no one will ever think that you've gone completely "natural" if you wear MAC's gel pot eyeliner, it's classy, sophisticated, and elegant--the perfect image we're going after anyways!

Quick Challenge: Now that you have all these wonderful new options for your eyeliner, go out and pick your favorite and experiment! Happy lining! For more inspiration just look to the Internet, make-up advertisements, or--yes, it's true--Lady Gaga herself. Just Google her, and you'll see what I mean.