Mascara is great for making your eyes pop, but the key is to make applying it the last thing you do, not the first. If you attempt to put eyeliner on over already mascara-coated lashes, they may get in the way, making it difficult to line the roots.
Unless that's the makeup look you're going for, you'll likely want to use eye shadows first, then apply your eyeliner on top of the shadow. That way, both can remain sharp and crisp—no muddled makeup here. Keep reading for more on the best way to apply eye shadow and eyeliner.
So there you have it. In the class of makeup best practices 101, makeup artists recommend applying eye makeup first before moving on to face makeup with foundation first and then (and only then) concealer.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Applying Any Mascara
Think of mascara as the finishing touch to your makeup routine—it comes after eyeshadow, eyeliner, and any other eye makeup you are using and completes your look.
For beginners, there are two basic ways to apply eyeliner. One way is to start by making dots along the upper lid. After you have made the dots, you simply connect them. The second easiest way is to simply start in the middle of the upper lid and draw the line outward.
Keep Your Lines Thin. Keep eyeliner on the lower lid thin and inconspicuous. The obvious pitfall of bottom eyeliner is that it can create the impression of dark circles beneath your eyes, which no one wants.
And if you still love the look, you'll be happy to know that this makeup trend is pretty classic. Lining the rim of your eyes, also called tightlighting, requires placing eyeliner on your waterline, aka the inner rim of your top or bottom eyelid.
If you're using eyeliner pencil, it won't really affect the quality of your makeup if you apply it before or after. And those with liquid eyeliner prefer to put eyeshadow first before applying after makes their lines less sharp.
Keeping your look as simple as possible is a great idea for summer and it's totally fine to wear eyeliner without eyeshadow. In fact, if you're looking to speed up your makeup routine, try skipping mascara and wearing a very thin black or dark brown liner close to the lash line.
Just draw a line, extending from your lashline, then repeat on the other eye, step back and see if they are even, and then if they are, connect the line to the mid eye, and fill in!
DON'T wear mascara on your lower lashes. Playing up your lower lashes can make your eyes look droopy and draw attention to dark circles. It makes the eyes look older and accentuates the under eye wrinkles.
She explains: "The reasons eye doctors do not recommend wearing eyeliner on the waterline of your eye is because there are specialized glands there that produce and excrete oil. “The oil should be an olive oil texture, but as you can see it looks more like toothpaste.
"Keep the liner to the top lid for a more lifted, youthful effect." If you really, really want to go after your bottom lash line, Stiles recommends using a lighter color there than you're using on the top. "This will still give you definition, but feels softer and more flattering," she adds.
Line the Outer Three-Quarters of the Eye, Avoiding the Inner Corner. Adding dark liner to the inner corner of the eye “closes” the eye and makes it look smaller—that's what you don't want.
Despite what you may have heard, it's not the best idea to apply dark eyeliner to your bottom waterline because this can actually shrink the appearance of your eyes.
Start With a Pencil
We'll give you our best advice: Pick a pencil. Why? Because it's the easiest and a great starting point for eyeliner beginners. A smooth pencil glides on easily, doesn't tug, and is more forgiving with shaky hands than liquid or gel.
The Best Eyeliner Colors For Blue Eyes
If you've got blue eyes, the best eyeliner color happens to be another primary hue: red. But reds with a tint of brown are especially complementary to blue eyes. “Red browns make blues super icy, so it'll boost your eye color and look more natural than just black,” says Smith.
Mascara is great for making your eyes pop, but the key is to make applying it the last thing you do, not the first. If you attempt to put eyeliner on over already mascara-coated lashes, they may get in the way, making it difficult to line the roots.
“I've always been a big believer in applying mascara first—and last. After you've primed your skin, apply a coat of mascara to open your eyes, create that important definition, and map the rest of your makeup look. Once you've finished your eye makeup, then apply a second coat of mascara.
Typically when you apply a coat of mascara, you're only coating the bottom part of your lashes. Use the wand to brush down on the topside of your upper lashes to coat all sides. Then, brush the lashes back up. “Do the top first so you don't weigh the lash down,” says Inglessis.
You start with your top lashes.
To prevent those, start with your bottom lashes when putting on your mascara. Otherwise your top lashes will smudge when you look down.