Contrary to what Instagram or YouTube might’ve told ya over the past five years, winged liner…otherwise known as “cat eye” liner or “kitten flicks”, otherwise known as “one of the rare eye makeup trends that stands the test of time,” doesn’t have to soar across your face like an ominous pair of extra large bat wings.
There are still makeup lovers out there (me!) who still love a dainty, classic flick. It’s timeless, always looks great, and, best of all, it’s pretty easy to do.
REALLY!
I’ve been winging it out a lot lately, albeit not on days when I only have five minutes or less to put on my face paint, because DAYUM! — I can work *fast* but not that fast. But if I have a time budget of, say, 10 minutes (which is what it took to do the look I’m wearing here), that really is enough to do my entire face, along with some classic, elegant everyday winged liner.
Here are three things that help me. I hope they give you some inspiration to try winged liner this week!
Tip one: A pencil liner with a super sharp point is key.
There are lots of ways to go about winged liner (liquid, gel, eyeshadow, I’m sure there’s more), but the easiest way, especially if you’re usually pressed for time, is using a super sharp pencil eyeliner, so definitely keep your pencil sharpener handy and use it to keep that tip sharp.
Why? Pencil is easier to control — and correct! — because all you’re doing is drawing lines on your face, as there’s no brush in the mix to wrestle with. And having a pencil with a super sharp tip allows you to draw the thinnest and most precise lines possible.
I became a true believer in this watching this life-changing how-to video by the goddess of glam herself, Charlotte Tilbury.
No, really, this video is life-changing! Charlotte applies liner on a model in real-time, thoroughly breaking down her method step-by-step, and along the way, she emphasizes over and over again the importance of working with a sharp pencil. Her method is easy, too. LOVE YOU TO MARS AND BACK, CHAR. You have forever changed my winged liner life.
Tip two: Use a mix of brown and black pencils.
If you find black liner looks too harsh, try layering a brown directly on top of your black. It reduces the contrast of the black liner against skin and softens the look. I do this allllll the time now in my 40s. Wearing black liner alone is too jarring, and I find that it makes me look older than I am, so I’m all about layering brown on top. You still get the impact of black, but with the brown on top it’s less harsh.
Tip three: Practice makes purrfect.
Like any makeup skill, you need to do it a bunch of times — and mess up a bunch of times — before it starts to look good. I’d start by giving yourself two solid weeks of wearing winged liner every day and accepting that it’s gonna look a little wonky during that period. (Remember, it’s makeup, and it washes off.) Keep at it. Every day, you’ll get a little faster, and pretty soon you’ll have it down. Keep the faith! You’ll get there.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Sound tips! I’ve been flicking since 13 years old (I’m 48 now). Lots of practice years in there but the new challenge is changing eyelids/face. I can still make it work; I actually like the challenge and accepting the changes. 🙂 Yours looks beautiful as always!
One super tip that I always use now to start whatever size wing is to make the flick mimick my last outer eyelash (“last lash”). I always hear AlyArt’s lovely Russian accent in my head before I draw it, “luhst luhsh.”
Happy Healthy Aloha Friday! Boy our beaches are empty these days….
I agree about the black liner (for myself). Definitely way too harsh. 🙂 On a completely different subject, have you tried the Chanel blush in Quintessence? If you’ve taught me anything – and you’ve actually taught me a ton – it’s that how it looks in the pan, in swatches and actually on the face are very different things. I’m going to try to make my way to a counter next weekend.
Great tips. Thank you! I love the look of winged liner, but have never felt confident enough to try it. I think I could handle trying it with a pencil and some practice. If I am stuck at home in the upcoming weeks I think I could find some time to practice.
Happy Friday! 🙂
Cat eye till I die!
Brown alone is the best way to go. It looks intense enough without looking ridiculous. (Try Urban Decay and Nars.) I feel that way about mascara, as well. While everyone is trying to find the blackest black, I am always looking for brown. Cat eyes? I have been doing that since I was 16. I am now 54 and am taken for 36-38. I have had many years of practice and tried all different kinds of eyeliner. Pencil really is the best for not overdoing the wing, but constant sharpening means buying pencils every month, and I buy two at a time to avoid constant sharpening. I use one to line and the other to sharpen, switching which one I sharpen between the two as I go. Try lining from the inside of your lashes. It helps limit how much you put around your eyes.