Thread: How do you apply eyeliner to the waterline?

I'm a slow learner when it comes to makeup, so please bear with me.

I love the look of heavily-lined eyes, with liner on the inner rim of the lid, but I have not had any success making this work. No matter what kind of liner I use, it seems to rinse off right away.

I know that there is some risk of eye infection from this technique, and I would only be planning to use it very occasionally.

When I try to apply liner to the waterline, I look like someone punched me, so I'll be watching this thread!

Our Make up Mavin, Azhia, addresses this in this thread: Play With Your Pencils!!

Have fun!

{{{HUGS}}}

I had to try using different pencils until I fell in love with MAC ..it does take practice and if you tear up easily or wear contacts the waterline wears off quicker

whenever i wear it with eye shadow underneath the waterline it looks too heavy..one of the MAC girls recently put a bright sunset orange on just the bottom part of my upper lids and swept some of the same orange under the waterline..been hooked ever since..the light colors make a softer effect

I use the Covergirl self-sharpening pencil...it's very soft, so you dont feel like the pencil is tugging at the delicate skin on the waterline. It doesn't wash away for general wear or performances, but try to keep your fingers off it because it can smudge if you touch it a lot.

Cover Girl Perfect Point Plus Eye Pencil - Black Onyx : Target

Originally Posted by jesennia

I had to try using different pencils until I fell in love with MAC ..it does take practice and if you tear up easily or wear contacts the waterline wears off quicker

I use the MAC Powerpoint Eyeliner (in Stubborn Brown) on my waterline. I'm also a contact wearer and it doesn't irritate my eyes and lasts really well...sometimes a little too well. It's dark enough to not be obviously brown near the black liquid liner I use on the top lid. It goes on very smooth as well.

i use urban decay
the trick is getting it on the water line, and then INTO the eye lashes, filling in all the little spaces between the folicles (sp)
stabilize the eye, then tilt the pencil so that it's pointing almost up and down and use short-ish strokes into the lash line, so that it's all one from your inside rim to where you have the liner on the outside of your lashes.

Duplicate post

It sounds like you're in need of Kohl? Or am I confused more than usual?

urban decay 24/7 i think its called zero but i dont rem the name. black color.

and hold your eye lid down to let it air dry for a few seconds before putting up against the wet eye. sometimes putting it under the eyelash line helps hide any coming off the inside

My eyes are really sensitive, so I had similar problems for the longest time. It didn't matter what kind of liner I got, my eyes would water and it would be gone 10 minutes later. It's not perfect, but I've found Maybelline's Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner works wonders. Using a brush instead of a pencil keeps your eyes from getting irritated and gives you better control over how much is applied.

If you are more comfortable with a pencil though, a friend from musical theater gave me this tip: hold the tip of the pencil over an open flame for a few seconds before use (make sure you test it to make sure it's not hot). This should help it go on smoother and a bit heavier.

I mostly use the black track and a stiff angled brush and I can physically dab dab dab and push the material into the lashes-

and I know this will sound goofy- but sometimes when I need that heavy look with sharp edges RIGHT NOW.... I do raccoon eyes- like to the point of excess and then use a cotton ball with some coconut oil on it and swipe over the lid.

that gives you the I wore make up all yesterday and washed my face and all that's left is the eyeliner look- so yes- sometimes I'll cake it on then take half of it off- just to get a look.

There are lots of technique and product tips here,just wanted to add my 2 cents

I prefer to use light flesh color (or white for stage)on the inside nether rim because of my small eyes(Isadora Inliner Kajal in "Blonde"),using a special tightliner from Kanebo´s drugstrore brand "Kate" for upper inside rims.
It looks like this:http://cosmetic-candy.com/japanese-b...yeliner-thing/

This area is very sensitive,so any bacteria or irritation will show up..mild cases redness/tearyness,and worse a stye or hordeolum

But if your waterline tolerates cosmetics well,take these precautions:
1.Sharpen the pencils you use before each use inside the waterline(you can dull it against a paper towel if it´s too sharp)
2.Wash brushes for gel liner before&after each use,and do not double dip into container.

Thank you, tahiradancer!
Lately I've been using MAC's Fluidline in "Blacktrack" with a LIPSTICK brush. It's much softer than an angled liner brush and can get even flatter to really get at the line w/o touching the eyeball.

Also, everyone dreads this "raccoon eye." Of course if you are up close to the mirror and wearing the appropriate amount of eye makeup you will look like a raccoon. There are a lot of oils around the eyes that causes makeup to slide. From a stage or darkly lit restaurant, however, this simply looks "smoldering", not raccoon-like.

If you really feel uncomfortable with it, always prime not just on the eye lid, but ANYWHERE YOU APPLY EYE MAKEUP, that includes under the eyes. MAC Paint Pots contain kaolin clay to absorb excess oils. I use this on the lid and have never encountered any eye shadow "accumulation lines" in the crease or lid. I also apply this under the eye, and around the outside of the eye; essentially, anywhere I will apply eye makeup to keep the product from migrating downward. Apply gently with your finger or use a nylon brush.

Hi everyone.I mostly prefer different soft pencil than eyeliner because it's making me disturb.I am using soft different color pencil.If you want to learn more about waterline you can go luminess air makeup.It's for your help.

One thing I remember from wearing black eyeliner on the waterline was that it would get in my eye and form little black gunky bits at the corners. Bleah! I also decided that I don't look good with black circling my entire eye, so I put all the focus on the upper lid and lashes. Recently I started using a gold pencil on my waterline and it really opens up my eye, and doesn't create any icky gunk.

I saw a picture of kim kardashian rocking white on the lower waterline... I was surprised at how much it opened her face. I have been wanting to give it a try but i dont have a white that is "white enough" to stay on the waterline.

I do have gold that would work... Sounds like a new technique to try!

I got the idea from seeing a tutorial where they used white. I like the gold because it's much more subtle, but still makes a difference.

I use a white pencil on the waterline, and I find it works well and stays on. I don't use any special kind of pencil. I have a couple of different brands, and I just use whatever's handy.

Originally Posted by Basha

I saw a picture of kim kardashian rocking white on the lower waterline... I was surprised at how much it opened her face. I have been wanting to give it a try but i dont have a white that is "white enough" to stay on the waterline.

I do have gold that would work... Sounds like a new technique to try!

Try MAC Chromaline in white.
For black I use Fluidline in blacktrack like some of the others here.
Wax melts w heat... pencils have a fairly high wax content and don't stay put on me with dancing.
The gel eyeliner formulas (Chromaline and Fluidline) go on smoothly and STAY PUT even during multiple shows. Bonus that they don't fall all over the cheekbones like powders (kohl) do.

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

Try MAC Chromaline in white.
For black I use Fluidline in blacktrack like some of the others here.
Wax melts w heat... pencils have a fairly high wax content and don't stay put on me with dancing.
The gel eyeliner formulas (Chromaline and Fluidline) go on smoothly and STAY PUT even during multiple shows. Bonus that they don't fall all over the cheekbones like powders (kohl) do.

Mk thanks for the tip. I mostly make do with otc stuff lorel etc but a white for that has escaped me. I put N order in with NYX cosemtics and have been using them religiously since i got them so i might try a variation from them as well.

I used to have the fluidline blacktrack but it dried up... So i went with lorels... Might be time to go back to the mac counter! Thanks for suggestion!

I need to try this white-or-gold-on-the-waterline thing.

I found I can't use black because it does make my eyes look smaller-- I fare much better putting it just outside my lashes. Lightening up the area would probably be great on me, though.

Is it a certain gold you use, though? I find if I go too heavy with the gold shadow, it just makes me look jaundiced (but if I don't put on that much, then you can't even tell I have it on). Hence I really don't bother to wear it. Which is too bad, because you'd think I'd look great in gold-- my eyes are dark brown but light up gold-ish in the right lights. Maybe something with a bit more sparkle so it's obvious it's there?

I use MAC chromaline gel in black black. I use it for eyeliner, doing flicks/wings and also my waterline. I use a fine artists brush which I clean between uses.

When freshly done it looks like there are some gaps bewteen the waterline and the lower lashes, but I find that if I just leave it for a couple of minutes it all blends and I don't need to colour in between the lashes.

I use a a very sharp white pencil to put a little flash between the upper and lower eyeliner wings on both corners of the eye.

I often have to do my makeup early in the morning, even if I am not on till late afternoon and I have never had a problem with it coming off.

Getting it off at night before bed is a bit of challenge though.

I suffer from hayfever and I find that if I take an anti histamine before doing my makeup, my eyes tolerate it very well. (not that i suggest drugging yourself just to do waterline eyeliner)