The waterline—a beauty term, not a medical term—is the line of skin between the eyelashes and the eye. It's as close to your eye as you can put eyeliner without actually drawing on your cornea.
Lining the waterline is probably the most under-appreciated makeup trick ever. It's an easy way to brighten up the eyes or get a super-precise look—but that's only if you're strategic with the colors. "I love a dramatic eye, but very often black liner in the waterline can make your eyes look smaller," says Stiles.
As it turns out, it's probably not the safest idea. Applying eyeliner on the waterline increases your risk of contaminating your eye. Any bacteria or contaminants on the tip of your eyeliner have the potential to travel into your eye and cause discomfort, irritation or redness to those with sensitive or dry eyes.
Line the eye just above the lash line on the top lid and just below on the bottom lashes. The key is connecting the liner at the outer corner. A pencil or liquid eyeliner works well as it won't shift from the outer corner where it can get damp from your eyes natural moisture.
It is best not to use liquid liner at all on the bottom lashes since it has the potential to smudge unevenly and create fine lines below the eyes. Additionally, it can make the eyes appear harsh because it is difficult to blend.
As an incredibly sensitive area, the waterline requires a special type of eyeliner. (Just imagine the red and watery eyes brought on by irritation from a generic black eyeliner or worse, a liquid liner!) “I look for silicone-based liners that are longwearing and waterproof,” says celebrity makeup artist Jamie Dorman.
Dr. Carver-Schemper does not recommend doing it at all — and no type of eyeliner is "safe" to put in your waterline either. "It doesn't matter what kind of eyeliner it is, all of them can obstruct the oils glands and cause irreversible gland damage," she said.
To limit the risk of developing dry eyes, Dr Carver told BuzzFeed that people should avoid wearing eyeliner or eye makeup in their waterlines on all occasions, as there is no eyeliner that is “safe” for doing so.
White eyeliner is a makeup artist trick for brightening up the face and making your eyes look bigger and more awake, particularly when used on the bottom waterline. When using a dark color on the bottom lash line, it can make eyes look smaller and drawn-down, but white has the reverse effect.
That means no lipstick, blush, lip liner, or general color product should ever go near your eyes. At best, you risk mild eye irritation. At worst? "Using unapproved colorants around your eye could even lead to blindness," says cosmetic chemist Randy Schueller, the editor of thebeautybrains.com.
"When makeup is applied to the area known as the waterline, it can potentially block the glands known as meibomian glands that release an oily substance that contributes to the tear film, which can subsequently lead to dry eye or irritation," Garshick said.
What's the difference between tightlining and waterlining? Tightlining is applying eyeliner underneath the upper lash line, whereas waterlining involves applying eyeliner just above the lower lash line.
Use a cotton swab (optional).
To remove any lingering eyeliner on your waterline, wet a cotton swab and dab the tip along your lower lash line. Your waterline rests on delicate skin, so using a cotton swab is a gentle and precise way to remove eye makeup.
Tightlining is an eyeliner technique that applies eyeliner to the waterline, the eye area where the top and bottom eyelids meet when your eyes close. Tightlining defines your eye shape and makes the lash line appear fuller.
Mascara as Eyeliner
Simply apply the mascara super-close to the lash line, shimmying it up against the skin to create a smudge-y line. If you have a brush, use that—you can drag the brush along the mascara wand and apply the product like a gel liner.
Professionally, white eyeliner is a makeup artist trick for brightening up the face and making your eyes look bigger and more awake—particularly when used on the bottom waterline. When using a dark color on the bottom lash line, it can make eyes look smaller and drawn-down, but white has the reverse effect.
Also called "tightlining," lining your waterline can make a huge difference in your finished eye-makeup look, especially along the lower waterline. It can add continuity to an intense, smoky eye or an impactful jolt of unexpected color in an otherwise low-key look.
“It gives a softer, more natural look as opposed to a black or pop of colored liner,” says O'Leary. It proves brown eyeliner makeup doesn't necessarily need eyeshadow to make the eyes pop; just pair it with a lengthening mascara to add definition.
Also, try to avoid applying makeup on the lower lash line as it makes the eyes look smaller, highlights fine lines and drags down the whole face. The eyeliner can get smudged from the bottom lash line, clearly showing signs of fatigue, and making you look older.
Opt for a lighter eyeshadow rather than a dark, smoky shade on your eyelids and around the eyes, like Jenna Dewan Tatum. "Highlighting the corners makes eyes look brighter and fresh," says Ahnert. "Use a light color shadow in matte or shimmer to inner corner, lower lash line in outer corner, and the inner lid."
A statement color, glowing skin, and graphic eyeliner are not going out of style anytime soon. And don't forget to add on your face gems–they're a must-have (trust us).