Eyeliner nowadays has become a solid staple in the make-up world, applied in various ways ranging from the simplest of lines on the top eyelid to glittery, colourful designs seen all over runways, photo shoots and social media. Having been around for tens of thousands of years, eyeliner styles have changed and developed with time and new trends are always popping up and being created and recreated. Here are 5 easy and unique eyeliner styles to try if you want to vamp up your make-up look a bit or you're looking to experiment with your eyeliner.

 

The Classic

This is the classic, seen all over Instagram eyeliner, that celebs like Ariana Grande and Rita Ora, as well as make-up lovers such as Huda Kattan and Kat Von D like to rock. It is relatively simple to create, starting very narrow at the inner corner of the eye and widening gradually along the lid until it finishes in a 'wing' at the outer corner. The reason this is so loved by many people is that it is very flattering to most eye shapes - thanks to the elongated wing at the end, the eye appears more lengthy, almond shaped and less wide.

How to do it:

This eyeliner is best done using a liquid eyeliner with a fine tip for better precision. Starting from the inner corner, draw a fine line across the upper lashline and come to a stop at the outer corner. From there, drag a line up and outwards, in the direction of the tip of your eyebrow. Stop at your preferred length and then draw a straight line from the tip of this line to the middle of the upper lash line until you have a triangular shape on your lid. Fill in the remaining space, fix and smooth out any edges and finish off with mascara and some false lashes! 

Key tip: Keep the inner corner area as thin as possible and only start widening the eyeliner when you reach the centre of your lash line (or the widest point of your eye).

The Simple

This eyeliner is similar to the Classic except it is on a smaller and simpler scale. This is great for when you want a less 'in your face' look or you don't want to draw too much attention to your eyes. It is great to pair with a bold lip and/or crazy hair, or else with a soft lip and light waves.

How to do it:

Using a liquid liner or a felt tip liner, start from the centre of your lash line, drawing a line out to the outer edge while keeping close to your actual lash line. Then create a small wing, connect it back to the already drawn line and smooth them both out. Use small strokes to avoid making the look too heavy or thick. Smooth out the front of the eyeliner keeping close to your lash line, while try to 'blend' the eyeliner to your lashes.

Finish off with some mascara and a pastel lip for a soft look or a darker shade for a vampier appearance.

Key tip: Remember that less is more for this look, so keep your strokes light and short and only add what's necessary when it comes to liquid liner.

The Runway

This eyeliner look is for anyone who wants to get creative with their look, and wants to go for a more runway style wing. Perfect to pair with a red lip, lots of highlight and some funky clothes. Although not everyone's cup of tea, it's great if you want to change up your look, or for some amazing pictures.

How to do it:

Start off by creating the Classic eyeliner look, once again, using a felt tip liner for better control. Following your natural crease line, draw a simple and clean line and then draw a second line from the same point, directing it just a bit closer to the centre of your eye to create a second mini wing, adjacent to your Classic eyeliner wing. Fill in any gaps, sharpen up any edges and finish off with mascara and false lashes, if you want.

Key tip: Since you're adding a liquid product in your crease, there is a chance of some smudging. To avoid this problem add some loose powder or black shadow on top of the eyeliner to lock it in place and prevent any smudging after application.

The Smudged Liner

In the 1920s and '30s, bold, sharp eyeliner wasn't a thing at the time. Instead, everyone preferred smudging out their liner to create a softer, blurrier version of today's modern eyeliner look. Worn often by Kylie Jenner, this is great if you're looking to add some darkness to the eye and lengthen it, but you don't want the look to be too harsh or bold.

How to do it:

Start by drawing a thick line from the outer edge of the eye towards the centre using a black or dark grey pencil liner which is easy to blend. This should have a roughly winged liner shape, but shouldn't be precise or too sharp. Using a soft angled brush, start blending out this line to form further a winged shape. Soften the edges slightly, again using soft strokes to avoid a 'dirty' look. Next, go in with a liquid or felt tip liner, following the same shape and keeping close to the lash line. Using the same brush again, blend the liner some more. Darken up the outer corner of the lower lash line with the remaining product and an angled brush and finish off with mascara. Wear a bold red or pink lip.

Key tip: This look can also be done using dark eyeshadows of any colour. Make sure you use an angled brush to apply the shadow in the same manner as the pencil liner but skip the liquid liner on top.

The Dark and Vampy Liner

This final look is perfect for anyone who wants to attract as much attention to their eyes as possible. Dark and gothic, it's the ultimate dark eye look for a confident and badass appearance. Pair it with a dark burgundy lip and a high ponytail for a more edgy appearance and pop in some black contact lenses to finish it all off.

How to do it:

Using an eyeliner of your choice, start by drawing the outer wing of the eyeliner look, going as large or small as you prefer and then drawing it inwards. Create the rest of the eyeliner by dragging the line to your inner corner. With the same liner, apply a line to your lower lash line and then use a black pencil liner to draw a line in your lower and upper waterline. Connect the upper and lower lash lines at your eye's inner corner, joining them at your tear ducts. Add lashes of your choice and go for a full gothic look with a dark matte lip.

Key tip: Use a liner with a fine tip to achieve sharp edges especially at the outer wing and inner corner.

Mastering the perfect eyeliner can take time and practice, often resulting in numerous failed winged liner looks or one eye not matching the other. But once you've got the basics down and you've found the perfect brand of eyeliner for you, creating and experimenting with new styles and looks will become easy.

Although we no longer use eyeliner for its original purpose - to protect the skin and eyes from the sun's harsh rays - eyeliner is still very important and relevant today, practically dominating the make-up world, with everyone going crazy whenever a new eyeliner trend is established. Whether you're an eyeliner fan or not, we can all agree that it's something timeless and unique and in many ways, a form of art. Get hold of the perfect eyeliner from these cosmetics and perfume stores found across Malta and Gozo.

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