Decisions, decisions
Liquid liners come in two formats: felt or brush tip. “If you’re a liquid-lining virgin, don’t touch a brush tip,” advises Lora Spiga, regional makeup trainer for Lancôme. Instead, try a product with a felt-tip applicator, such as M.A.C Liquid Liner or Lancôme Artliner. “A felt tip is narrow enough to draw a straight line, but it has the texture of a sponge, so it’s more forgiving than a brush tip,” explains Spiga. If your hand is steadier than a Ukrainian egg artist’s, give a brush-tip product a try, like Chanel Chance Eye Liner. It’s kind of like using a mini paintbrush, and you’ll be able to draw a thinner, more precise line.

Survivor
Trying to draw a thin, straight line across your eyelid can be as daunting as strutting in a pair of five-inch stilettos. Here’s how to make it a cakewalk. With your liquid liner in one hand, look straight into the mirror. Using your free hand, gently pull the corner of your eye outward. Now draw a line as close to your lashes as possible from the middle of your lid to the outer corner of your eye. When you reach the end of your lash line, lift the applicator and go back to the inner corner of your eye to complete the line. If you make a mistake, don’t even think about wiping it off until the liner has dried. To remove, use a cotton swab dipped in eye-makeup remover to correct the line.

What’s your line?
Follow these tips from Lora Spiga to make the most of your eyes, whether they’re close-set, wide-set, round or narrow.

•If your eyes are close-set, you’ll want to make them look like they’re farther apart. Gradually angle the liner onto its side as you work your way outward so the line gets thicker as it reaches the outer corner.

•If you have wide-set eyes, give them a cat-eye appeal. To get this look, draw a thin line across your lid. When you reach the end of your lashes, create a very tiny line upward from the outer corner of your eye.

•If your eyes are small or if you have deep-set eyes, make them look larger by creating tiny dots very close together in between your lashes with the tip of the liner. This will make your lashes look fuller and your brow bone less prominent.

The last line
For a saucy Audrey Hepburn look, use eyeliner but leave your lid completely bare and wear a bright-red lipstick. For an understated, smoky eye, match a dark liner with a lighter shadow. Polish the look with a pink gloss or lipstick. For a glam effect, apply a dark, shimmery shadow and a nude lipstick. Finally, always add two coats of black mascara to your lashes.