SHEfinds | Katelyn Holland
You’re almost done with your makeup. Your foundation is flawless, your eye shadow is perfectly blended, and your lip gloss is poppin’. There’s only one thing left that you need to complete your look: winged eyeliner. It’s the most challenging part of any makeup look. One wrong move and your makeup is ruined. So what do you do if you accidentally mess up your eyeliner? Is all hope lost?
Luckily, most eyeliner blunders can easily be fixed with a Q-tip. I recommend investing in pointed cotton swabs, like these, which will give you more precision. Dip the cotton swab into cleansing water and try to fix the wayward wing. Unlike makeup remover, cleansing water won’t leave a residue. If the mistake is beyond help, switch things up and go for a smudged-eyeliner look instead. Use eye shadow to smudge out the eyeliner, creating a sultry, smoky eye. No one will even know you made a mistake.
I constantly get asked how I perfected my winged-liner look. My tip is simple: practice, practice, practice. When I first started out, I practiced winged eyeliner on days when it didn’t matter if I messed up. Even if I was just going to the grocery store, I’d try out a new way to do winged liner. If I screwed up, it didn’t matter because no one is looking at your eyeliner in the frozen food aisle of Whole Foods. The constant practice took the pressure off, so when it was finally time to do winged eyeliner for a big night out, I was more relaxed.
Credit: @stilacosmetics/Instagram
If you are really worried about messing up your eyeliner, use Scotch tape to create a guide. This will help you create a smooth line with your eyeliner. Another trick is to experiment and find the product that works best for you. My preference is an eyeliner pen, such as the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner ($22). I find eyeliner pens easier to control and they help me create the perfect “flick.” However, my roommate prefers to use gel eyeliner and apply it with an angled eyeliner brush. Practice with different products until you find a method that works for you. Once you find a product you are comfortable with, the perfect winged eyeliner will be a breeze.
