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    How to do winged eyeliner: make-up artist approved tricks

    Winged eyeliner - the beauty lover's nemesis

    Katie Thomas's avatar
    By Katie Thomas
    Published 15 August 2021 In How Tos

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    woman peeking out from behind something with winged eyeliner - how to do winged eyeliner
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    Winged eyeliner - the beauty lover's nemesis

    How to do winged eyeliner tutorials are the most popular beauty videos on Youtube.

    We completely understand why, when done well a winged (or feline) flick can look incredibly chic. It has the power to transform and define your eye make-up. But when it's done badly, it can look...messy.

    The key to perfecting the look is making sure that you're armed with the best eyeliner. Next you want to make sure your eyeliner is as close to the lash line as possible and that the wings look equal and flick up in the right direction. In other words there is a lot of room for mistakes.

    With that in mind, we thought we would offer some tips and tricks from the industry's most trusted make-up artists. Because who better to give advice on one of beauty's trickiest looks.

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    'Eyeliner is one of those things that gets better the more you do it, so practice makes perfect.'

    'Look down into a mirror, making sure your eyes are open and then draw your line. This works best because your eyelid and eye line is completely smooth like this. If you do it look directly into a mirror, with your eyes closed, holding your lid straight it won\t actually give you the right eyeline because as soon as your let go of your lid, it will bounce back.' the shape will never be completely seamless

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    How to do winged eyeliner with a sticky note by Huda Kattan

    • Start by holding your mirror slightly below the eye so that when you’re drawing your liner, your lashes are facing down – trust me, it makes the process a whole lot easier.
    • Next up use a sticky note as a stencil to get a clean straight wing. Start by placing the sticky note edge along the lower lash line and angle it so it meets near the tail end of your brow.
    • Use this edge as a guide to create your wing. Wait for the liner to set, then slowly peel away the sticky note and ta da-the perfect wing.
    YouTube YouTube
    Watch On

    How to do winged eyeliner with a dot by Cher Webb

    'Looking downwards into a mirror, line your eyelid with a fine eyeliner pen in small brush strokes. Once you reach the end, look straight into the mirror and draw a dot where you want your wing to end. It should be in the direction of the top of your ear. Draw a line from your top lash line to the dot to create a wing. Loosen the pressure as you get close to the dot to create a nice point that isn't too severe. To get rid of any smudging, put some of your best concealer on a brush and take it under the line to clean up any blurring and define the wing.'

    A photo posted by on

    How to do winged eyeliner with a brush by Mario Dedivanovic

    Mario created his Master Pigment Pro Pencil to help people nail their wings. After seeing his sister's lopsided flicks, he wanted to launch a product that would take the difficulty out of the cat eye eyeliner.

    He recommends applying his heavily pigmented eyeliner to your top lid and before it dries down use the tip of the brush on the other end to gently wing it out towards the outer side of the brow.

    A photo posted by on

    Keep scrolling for the products our pros recommend to achieve the perfect winged eyeliner...

    Huda Beauty Life Liner Quick 'N Easy Precision Liquid Liner - how to do winged eyeliner

    Huda Beauty Life Liner Quick 'N Easy Precision Liquid Liner, £18 | Huda Beauty
    VIEW NOW

    A precise liner that works on subtle flicks or graphic lines.

    Mac Pro Longwear Fluidline Eye Liner and Brow Gel - how to do winged eyeliner

    Mac Pro Longwear Fluidline Eye Liner and Brow Gel, £17.50 | Mac
    VIEW NOW

    A waterproof liner that's applied using an angled liner brush. It's silkier and softer than a pen liner.

    liquid eyeliner how to

    Illamasqua Illustrator Pen, £21
    VIEW NOW

    The skinny pen applicator tip allows for effortless and precise application with the water resistant, super black formula ensuring a sleek finish. Smudge proof and quick drying; this versatile pen is also a great tool to create detailed, illustrative make-up detail. Sponsored.

    Morphe M165 Brush - how to do winged eyeliner

    Morphe M165 Brush, £4 | Feelunique
    VIEW NOW

    This synthetic brush is soft enough to create shape, but firm enough to do a clean line.

    Tom Ford Emotionproof Eyeliner - how to do winged eyeliner

    Tom Ford Emotionproof Eyeliner, £35 | John Lewis
    VIEW NOW

    An intense pigmented liner that's called Emotionproof, because once it's on there's no budging it.

    Bareminerals Lash Domination Ink Liner - how to do winged eyeliner

    Bareminerals Lash Domination Ink Liner, £18 | John Lewis
    VIEW NOW

    A perfect introductory eyeliner for beginners if you're new to the winged eyeliner game.

    Makeup by Mario Master Pigment Pro Pencil - how to do winged eyeliner

    Makeup by Mario Master Pigment Pro Pencil, £19 | Cult Beauty
    VIEW NOW

    This formula is more gel than pencil, so glides onto eyelids easily. It dries quickly and lasts and lasts.

    Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Longwear Eyeliner and Kohl Pencil - how to do winged eyeliner

    Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Longwear Eyeliner and Kohl Pencil, £24 | Chanel
    VIEW NOW

    A super slim liner that is long-lasting and water, humidity and sebum-proof.

    Katie Thomas
    Katie Thomas
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    Senior Beauty Editor

    Katie Thomas is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire UK. With over 10 years of experience on women's luxury lifestyle titles, she covers everything from the best beauty looks from the red carpet and stand out trends from the catwalk, to colonic irrigation and to the best mascaras on the market.

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