The Makeup Box

katnac asked:

hi what are some of your favourite eyeliner brushes for achieving that perfect wing/cat eye? thanks!

—-

Actually I use 3 different brushes interchangeably! 

I hate to say which is better for beginners because everyone masters each brush differently. You also have no reason to stick to one particular brand unless you are not able to find the shape elsewhere. (E.g. the Coastal Scents detail brush on the right, which is not only hard to find, but also REALLY cheap.)

(From left…)

1. Angled synthetic brush (also called Push Liner brush): I found this easiest to use as a beginner. You can just push the brush onto sections of your skin without dragging the bristles at all. This means you can use the length to gently “place” or stipple the outer flicks onto your skin without having to stroke it on, especially if you have shakier hands. Versatile if you need your line to go from thin to thick quickly.
2. Fine liner brush: If you’ve ever seen the amazing Sam Chapman from Pixiwoo using this brush, you’ll know some people are a pro at it. This gives a very fine line and more precision, but only if you have steady hands! You can definitely use this to draw in a thicker line, but it takes a bit more time to draw and fill it in than the push liner brush.
3. Tiny detail brush: Great for very thickly-lined, sultry, Mila Kunis eyes. This gives you the most control because the bristles are so short, and you can use the edge and sides for a finer line or the flat-face for thick ones. The problem is that because the bristles are short, it will not grab a load of product, so you need to re-dip into the pot a few times to finish each eye. Not so good for drawing a long wing (it’s still do-able), but great for shorter, thicker wings.

In general, the tip to a clean line is not to overload your brush. If you have a visible clump of liner on the bristles, it is not going to go on nicely.

Helena Christensen with heavy liner-rimmed eyes

—-

There’s something so instantly sexy about eyes rimmed with solid black. It draws attention to the gaze and adds subtle drama without having to apply a whole lot of other makeup.

This look on Helena Christensen is actually similar to the Mila Kunis version here, because the liner

• goes onto the water line (inner rim of the bottom lashes) thickly so there is no flesh visible
• follows the downward slope of the upper lash line at the outer corners. 
• is probably waterproof black gel for that intensity, control, and ability to cling in an opaque layer to the water line.

The only difference is that Mila’s liner is slightly thicker and then extends into a low wing at the outer corners (more dramatic), while Helena’s does not extend beyond the corner of hers (great for day or if you’re new to liners).

Both Helena and Mila have slightly sloping doe eyes, and this way of applying liner plays it up.  If your eyes don’t slope, it would still be gorgeous; just more cat-like.

(Note that if you have a mono-lid or your eyes are extremely hooded (the fold goes over your lash line at the outer portions, this look would not work for you.)

http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/

Mila Kunis in W Magazine (March 2011)

—-

Tousled hair and super-defined, thick black liner. Absolutely beautiful.