Eyeliner Guide: Every Format, Every Technique and Which Eye Shape Each Suits

The Four Liner Formats and What Each Does

Pencil Liner

Characteristics: Soft and forgiving. Easier to blend. Less precise than liquid. Suitable for the waterline (the inner rim of the eye).

Best for: Beginners, soft smudged looks, waterline application, tightlining.

Limitations: Less precise for sharp graphic lines. Transfers more easily than liquid or gel.

How to apply:

Draw short strokes along the lash line, connecting them rather than attempting one continuous line. Smudge immediately with a small brush or fingertip for a diffused result, or leave as-is for a slightly softer defined line.

Liquid Liner

Characteristics: The most precise format. Creates sharp, clean lines. Waterproof formulas have the best longevity (6 to 8 hours). Unforgiving of mistakes.

Best for: Precise cat-eye shapes, graphic liner art, defined lines with no smudging.

Limitations: Mistakes require full removal to fix. Not suitable for the waterline. Requires a steady hand.

Tip applicator (felt or brush-tip): The felt tip is stiff and gives the most control. The brush tip produces finer lines. Start with felt for beginners.

How to apply:

Rest your elbow on a flat surface to stabilise your hand. Look straight ahead into a mirror, not down into a held mirror. Draw the liner in small connected strokes from the inner corner outward. Complete the outermost flick last.

Gel Liner (Pot)

Characteristics: Creamy formula applied with an angled or liner brush. Sits between pencil and liquid in precision. Highly blendable when wet; sets to a firm finish within 60 seconds.

Best for: Versatile; delivers soft looks and sharp looks depending on brush size. Excellent for the upper lash line and for thicker graphic styles.

How to apply:

Load the brush with a small amount of gel. The most common mistake is taking too much product; less product gives more control. Apply close to the lash line in small connected strokes.

Kohl and Kajal

Characteristics: Very soft, highly blendable. Traditional formulas from India and the Middle East. Designed for waterline application and creating a smoked, diffused effect.

Best for: Waterline definition, smoky eye base, soft rimmed looks.

Note: Authentic kohl and kajal formulas contain lead compounds in some markets. Check for lead-free versions; modern kohl-style pencils use safe synthetic formulations.

Eye Shape Guide: Which Liner Style Works for Each

Almond Eyes

Almond eyes are balanced, with visible upper and lower lash lines and a moderate lid. Most liner styles work well.

Best styles:

• Classic thin liner along the upper lash line
• Cat-eye flick (extend the outer corner upward and outward)
• Tightlining for a natural, defined look

Round Eyes

Round eyes have a visible iris at the top and bottom, giving a wide, open appearance. The goal is adding length to balance the roundness.

Best styles:

• Extend liner beyond the outer corner with a horizontal flick (not an upward flick, which increases roundness)
• Concentrate colour at the outer third of the upper lash line
• Avoid heavy liner around the entire eye; this creates a smaller, rounder appearance

Avoid: Thick liner at the inner corner and heavy waterline lining across the full waterline.

Hooded Eyes

Hooded eyes have a fold of skin that covers part of the upper lid when the eyes are open. Standard liner placement is hidden when the eyes are open.

Best styles:

• Draw liner with eyes open, not with eyes closed. The placement must be above the hood line where it remains visible.
• Cut crease technique: Apply liner slightly above the natural lid crease so the liner remains visible with the hood present.
• Keep liner thin at the inner corner and increase thickness toward the outer corner.

The test: Apply liner, then open your eyes and look straight ahead in the mirror. If the liner disappears, raise the placement by 1 to 2mm and retest.

Downturned Eyes

The outer corners sit lower than the inner corners. The goal is creating a visual lift at the outer corner.

Best styles:

• Apply a flick at the outer corner that points upward (above the natural corner direction)
• Keep the liner thin in the inner two-thirds and extend or thicken at the outer third

Avoid: Following the natural downward angle of the eye with the liner; this reinforces the downward direction.

Monolid Eyes

Monolid eyes have no visible crease. The entire upper lid surface is visible when open.

Best styles:

• Thick liner on the upper lash line in a gradient (thinnest at the inner corner, thicker toward the outer)
• Graphic and coloured liner styles show well on monolid eyes because the full lid is a visible canvas
• Lower lash line liner with a complementary colour

The Cat-Eye: Step-by-Step for Every Format

The cat-eye is the most requested liner shape globally. The technique changes slightly depending on the liner format.

The dot method (works with any format):

1. Draw a small dot at the outer corner of the eye where you want the flick to end
2. Draw a second dot at the inner corner of the eye on the lash line
3. Connect the outer dot back to the lash line, creating the flick outline
4. Fill in the triangular space between the flick lines
5. Complete the upper lash line from the inner corner to meet the base of the flick

The tape method (for perfect edges with liquid liner):

1. Place a small piece of tape from the outer corner of the eye at the angle of your desired flick
2. Apply liquid liner using the tape edge as your guide
3. Remove the tape before the liner fully dries

The most common cat-eye error: Drawing the flick downward. The flick should extend from the natural end of the lash line in an upward direction, regardless of your eye shape.