Raccoon eyes. Panda face. Last night’s leftovers. Unfortunately, runny liner happens to the best of us. Sometimes it seems that no matter what eyeliner you use, it transports from your eyes to your cheeks. Maybe you’ve decided it’s part of life, something you need to live with, like the fact that Ryan Gosling has a daughter and you will now never have the #1 place in his heart. However, we’re here to tell you: it’s not your liner, it’s your technique (well, it might also be your liner, but we’ll address that below).
When applying nail polish, it’s common knowledge that applying a base coat helps the polish adhere to your nail. Once that dries, you apply a few coats of your chosen color, followed by a top coat. The same concept applies to eye makeup: you need to prime and set your liner to avoid looking like a hot mess as soon as you walk out of the house. Fix your eye makeup and get it back in line with some of these speedy solutions.
1. Prime Before You Line
If you’re going to put in the superhuman effort it takes to create straight lines with matching cat eye flicks on both of your lids, don’t ruin your look before you even start it. This is not a step worth skipping, especially if you have oily lids. To prime your lids, spray a shadow brush with Skindinavia’s Makeup Primer Spray and dab all over your lids, orbital bone, and underneath your eyes. This will soak up oils, mattify the skin, fill in any fine lines, and prep lids for even coverage.
2. Pick the Right Formula
Using the wrong liner type for your eye makeup can completely stunt your look. If a fluid cat eye liner look is what you’re after, you’ll want to avoid pencils and powders in favor of liquids and gels, which can be drawn on more precisely for a fluid, even look. If you seek a hazy, smudgier, smoky eye look, then kohl and cream liners are your BFFs.
3. Apply Like a Pro
Once you’ve picked the right liner for your look, put it to work! Jagged, uneven lines are a huge sign that your application technique is off. Stretching the lid is the easiest and most common way to glide liner onto your lid, but it’s also the worst: it causes skin to crinkle, resulting in those crooked lines. Instead, stand in front of your mirror and look down into it – your lids will look half-closed, but your liner will glide on effortlessly and ridge-free. Start with as thin as line as you can manage and go from there. Remember: it’s much easier to add more liner than it is to remove it. If you’re using a liner brush to apply a gel or cream liner,spray the brush with Makeup Primer Spray before dipping it into your liner. Just be sure to dampen, not saturate, your brush. This will not only intensify your liner look but give it the added bonus of being double-primed.
4. Smudge-Proof and Set Your Look
Now that you’ve gone through all the trouble of priming, lining, and expertly defining your eyes, it’s time to set your look. Do not skip this step. It’s like ordering and paying for your drink at Starbucks then leaving before it’s ready: why would you do that? You wouldn’t. So keep any streaks in check with Skindinavia’s Finishing Spray: shake it well then spritz it across your face in an X formation. Let it dry for a few seconds, and boom: say goodbye to panda eyes for the rest of your day.