There is no one technique to obtain the ideal winged eyeliner, despite what many eye makeup tutorials claim. Because everyone's eyes are distinct, your perfect winged eyeliner approach and eyeliner materials should be as well.
So, how do you decide which method is ideal for nailing your cat eye? We've included the finest winged eyeliner application methods for every eye shape so you can choose the ideal eyeliner product approach for you (without having a beauty artist's steady touch). Plus, we've included a few quick and easy universal hacks for all eye shapes that you may apply in a pinch.
Cat-eyes and winged tips are designed to be as ferocious and individual as the person wearing them, so have fun figuring out which winged eyeliner style suits you best!
Winged Eyeliner Techniques for Upturned Eyes
A slightly upturned lash line defines an upturned eye shape. To master the ideal winged eyeliner for this eye shape, make an extra-graphic wing to bring emphasis to your eyes' inherent feline flick.
Try a gel liner (such as this user-friendly gel pencil from SMASHBOX) or a liquid liner to draw the contour of a radial nerve triangle (remember those from high school geometry?) on the outside corner of your eye, along your upper lash line for this eye appearance. Then, extend one triangle leg down to your bottom lash line, filling in the resulting blank area with your liner to create your wing.
Finally, to increase your eyeliner game, line your top lash line all the way into the inner corner of your eye. But don't stop there: stretch the liner all the way down to your tearduct to create a small point for the ultimate feline cat-eye.
To add a fun twist to this dramatic eye look, experiment with various colours eyeliner on your upper and lower lash lines.
How to Apply Eyeliner on Downturned Eyes
The best wing eyeliner for downturned eyes can extend and elevate your lash line. Look straight ahead and locate the middle of your eyelid (it's generally approximately where your pupil rests when gazing straight ahead). With your eyes still open, start lining your lash line from the centre and work your way outward to the outer corner of your eye.
Then, draw a line up to the outside edge of your brow (the further you extend, the bolder the look). Fill in the tapered wing to the thickness you choose. While you can line your bottom lash line and inner corner of your eye with eyeliner to accentuate your eye's downturned shape, leaving these regions bare will produce an extended and elevated winged eyeliner effect.
Hack
Use a pencil eyeliner like the MAC COSMETICS Pro Longwear Eye Liner for an on-point wing that's virtually hard to smudge. Of course, you can always apply a liquid concealer or a pencil concealer (whichever is more convenient) to remove any smudges and sharpen the lines on your eye appearance.
How to Apply Winged Eyeliner on Monolids
If you have a narrow lid space, often known as a monolid, you may simply emphasise your eye shape's strong lines by lining your top lash line with light, feathery strokes.
To create a winged eye, start at the inner corner of your eye and work your way out while keeping your eyes open. Taper the line outwards (towards the end of your brow) and fill it in to make a pointed wing until you reach the end of your upper lash line.
To complete your eye appearance, draw a fresh line from the outer border of your lower lash line to the wing on your top lash line, filling in the form as much as you wish. To produce dimension-building strokes, we recommend a felt tip liquid eyeliner, such as this MORPHE Felt-Tip Liquid Liner. Finish with a couple swipes of mascara and an eyeshadow swipe for an easy winged eyeliner smokey eye.