How to Apply Eyeliner: A Step-by-Step Guide | Mavala UK

To apply eyeliner, start with a clean, primed lid, rest your elbow on a firm surface to steady your hand, and draw the line in short connecting strokes from the inner corner to the outer corner, keeping the colour as close to the lash roots as possible. Build the thickness gradually rather than aiming for a perfect line in one stroke. Finish the outer corner last, where any flick or wing is shaped. The technique is the same whether you use a pencil, a kohl or a liquid liner, only the finish changes.

This guide takes you through the full method step by step, then through the three classic styles, the cat-eye or winged flick, the tightline, and the smudged smoky line, and finishes with what suits different eye shapes, including hooded and downturned eyes. Mavala has formulated eye products in Switzerland since 1958, with a particular focus on the delicate skin of the eyelid, so every step below is written with comfort and precision in mind.

Good eyeliner is as much about preparation as it is about the line itself. A few minutes spent setting up makes the difference between a clean, long-lasting finish and a line that smudges or skips.

• A primed lid: eyeliner grips and lasts far longer over a prepared base. An eye base smooths the lid, holds colour in place and stops liner sliding into the crease through the day.
• The right liner for the look: a pencil or kohl for soft, smudgeable lines and tightlining; a liquid liner for sharp, defined lines and crisp wings.
• A steady surface: rest your elbow on the table or basin edge. A supported hand is a steady hand, and almost every wobbly line comes from drawing in mid-air.
• A small angled brush or cotton bud: for cleaning up edges and softening or sharpening the line after you have drawn it.
• A mirror at eye level: looking slightly down into a mirror, rather than tipping your head back, gives you the clearest view of the lash line.

If your eyes are sensitive or you wear contact lenses, choose a liner that is ophthalmologically tested and formulated for the eye area, and keep the line just outside the waterline unless you are deliberately tightlining.

This is the core method. Work on one eye at a time, and take it slowly the first few times, speed comes with practice.

1. Prime the lid. Pat a thin layer of eye base over clean, dry eyelids and let it absorb. This gives the liner something to hold onto and keeps it from migrating.
2. Steady your hand. Rest your elbow on a firm surface and look down slightly into a mirror so you can see the full lash line.
3. Start in the middle. Place the liner at the centre of the upper lash line and draw outwards towards the outer corner in short, light strokes, staying as close to the lash roots as you can.
4. Work back to the inner corner. Return to the centre and join the line inwards towards the inner corner, keeping it thinnest here.
5. Connect and refine the strokes. Go back over the line to join any gaps into one smooth line. Drawing in short sections and then connecting them is far easier than attempting one long sweep.
6. Build the thickness. Once you have a continuous line, thicken it gradually from the centre outwards until it is the weight you want. Keep it thinner at the inner corner and slightly thicker at the outer corner to flatter the eye.
7. Shape the outer corner last. This is where you add a flick or wing if you want one (see the next section). Leave it until the rest of the line is even.
8. Tidy the edges. Sharpen or soften any uneven spots with a slightly damp cotton bud or a clean angled brush before the liner sets.

For everyday wear, you can stop after step six with a simple, close-to-the-lash line. The eye looks defined and awake without any obvious "make-up" line.

The cat-eye, or winged flick, is the most asked-about eyeliner look, and the one most people find fiddly. The trick is to build it in stages rather than attempting the wing freehand in a single stroke. A liquid liner with a fine, firm brush gives the cleanest result, because it lays down a precise line and sets quickly.

1. Find your angle. Imagine a line running from the outer corner of your eye up towards the end of your eyebrow. Your flick follows this angle. This keeps the wing lifting upwards rather than dropping down.
2. Draw the flick first. With your eye open or only half closed, make a short, light line out and up from the outer corner along that angle. Keep it small to begin with, you can always extend it.
3. Create the triangle. From the tip of the flick, draw a line back down to your upper lash line, meeting it roughly two-thirds of the way along. You now have a small open triangle at the outer corner.
4. Fill the triangle in. Colour in the triangle so the wing is solid.
5. Join the wing to your lash line. Draw your liner along the upper lash line from the inner corner to meet the base of the wing, keeping it thin at the inner corner and thickening towards the outer corner.
6. Check both sides match. Look straight into the mirror with both eyes open and compare the angle and length of each flick. Adjust the thinner one to match.
7. Sharpen the edges. Clean up underneath the flick with a cotton bud for a crisp, defined point.

If a sharp wing feels too much, smudge the flick very slightly with a cotton bud while it is still wet for a softer, lived-in cat-eye.

Tightlining means applying liner to the upper waterline, the rim just above your lashes, on the inside of the lash line, rather than on the lid itself. It is the most natural-looking technique of all: it makes lashes look denser and the eyes more defined without any visible line on the lid. It is ideal if you find a drawn-on line too heavy, or if you have hooded eyes where a lid line tends to disappear.

• Use the right product. Tightlining needs a soft, creamy pencil or kohl that deposits colour easily without dragging on the delicate rim. A hard or scratchy liner is uncomfortable here. Choose one that is formulated for the eye area.
• Lift the upper lid gently. Look down into the mirror and lift your upper eyelid slightly with one finger to expose the waterline above your top lashes.
• Press, do not drag. Gently press the pencil tip into the gaps between the lash roots, working along the line in small dabs rather than one continuous stroke. You are filling the gaps so no skin shows between the lashes.
• Stay on the upper rim. For the most natural effect, tightline only the upper waterline. Lining the lower waterline too can make eyes look smaller, so leave it for smoky looks.

Tightlining can be worn entirely on its own for a "your eyes but better" effect, or used under a lid line to make the lashes look thicker at the root.

A smudged line is softer and more forgiving than a sharp liquid line, which makes it a great place to start if you are new to eyeliner. Because the finished look is meant to be diffused, small imperfections simply blend away. A pencil or kohl is the right tool here, liquid liner sets too fast to smudge.

1. Draw a slightly thicker line. Apply a pencil or kohl along your upper lash line, making it a little thicker than you would for a sharp line. Precision does not matter at this stage.
2. Smudge straightaway. Before the liner sets, soften the line upwards and outwards with a cotton bud, a smudger tip or a small brush. Work in small circular movements.
3. Add the lower lash line. Run the pencil along the outer half to two-thirds of your lower lash line, then smudge it to meet the upper line at the outer corner.
4. Build depth at the outer corner. Concentrate the darkest colour at the outer corner and fade it inwards, which lifts and elongates the eye.
5. Set it if you want it to last. A smudged pencil line lasts longer pressed over with a matching powder eyeshadow, which locks the colour in place.

Keep the densest colour at the outer corner and let it fade towards the inner corner, a wash of colour all the way around can close the eye up and make it look smaller.

Hooded eyes have a fold of skin that covers part or all of the mobile eyelid when the eye is open, so a line drawn on the lid often disappears from view or transfers onto the brow bone. The aim with hooded eyes is to place colour where it shows when the eye is open, and to lift the outer corner.

• Open your eye to check placement. Draw with your eye open, or only slightly closed, so you can see exactly where the hood sits and where your line will actually be visible.
• Keep the lid line thin. A thick line gets swallowed by the hood. A fine line close to the lashes makes lashes look denser without using up the visible space.
• Tightline instead of lining the lid. Tightlining the upper waterline (see above) defines hooded eyes beautifully because it sits below the hood and never smudges onto the fold.
• Lift the wing higher. If you want a flick, angle it steeper and place the tip above the hood, so the wing clears the fold when your eye is open rather than vanishing into it.
• Smoke the outer corner. A softly smudged, slightly winged shadow of liner at the outer corner opens hooded eyes up more than a hard line does.

The single most useful habit for hooded eyes is to stop drawing with the eye shut. Always check the line with the eye open before you commit.

Eyeliner is most flattering when it works with the shape of your eye rather than against it. Here is a quick guide to the most common shapes.

• Round eyes: extend the liner slightly past the outer corner and flick it upwards to elongate. Keep the inner corner clean and thin so the eye does not look even rounder.
• Almond eyes: the most versatile shape, almost any style suits. A classic winged line follows the natural shape and needs little adjustment.
• Hooded eyes: keep the lid line thin, tightline the upper waterline, and lift any wing above the hood (see the section above).
• Downturned eyes: lift the outer corner with an upward flick to counteract the natural downward angle. Avoid dragging liner down at the outer corner, which emphasises the droop.
• Upturned eyes: balance the natural lift with a softer line, or smudge the lower outer corner gently to even out the shape.
• Monolid eyes: build a slightly thicker line on the upper lash line, as the line needs enough weight to be visible when the eye is open. Tightlining and a gradual wing both work well.
• Close-set or wide-set eyes: for close-set eyes, keep the inner corner light and concentrate liner at the outer third to draw the eyes apart. For wide-set eyes, extend the liner slightly towards the inner corner to bring the eyes visually closer.

Whatever your shape, the principles stay the same: thin at the inner corner, build towards the outer corner, and lift rather than drop at the very end.

The format you choose decides how easy the line is to apply and how it finishes. Most people end up owning more than one.

• Pencil and kohl: the most beginner-friendly. Soft, easy to control, and forgiving, ideal for tightlining, smudged smoky lines and softer everyday definition. A kohl gives a deep, smoky finish and is the right tool for the waterline. The trade-off is that pencil and kohl can move through the day, so a primed lid and a setting powder help them last.
• Liquid liner: the choice for precision. A fine, firm brush lays down a sharp, defined line and is the best tool for a crisp cat-eye or wing. It sets quickly and resists smudging, which is exactly why it cannot be smudged for a smoky look. It takes a little more practice than a pencil but rewards it with the cleanest finish.

If you are buying one liner to start with, a soft pencil or kohl is the most versatile and the easiest to learn on. Add a liquid liner when you want to master the wing. Whichever you choose, look for a formula made for the eye area and, if your eyes are sensitive or you wear lenses, one that is ophthalmologically tested.

A line that looks perfect at 8am and smudged by lunchtime usually comes down to preparation, not the liner itself. A few habits keep it sharp.

• Always prime the lid. A thin layer of eye base over clean lids gives the liner something to grip and stops it sliding into the crease or fading.
• Set a pencil line with powder. Press a matching powder eyeshadow over a pencil or kohl line to lock it in place. This is the single biggest improvement you can make to a pencil's staying power.
• Let liquid liner dry fully. Hold the eye still for a few seconds after drawing a liquid line so it sets before you blink, which prevents transfer onto the brow bone or upper lid.
• Keep the waterline clean if you smudge easily. Skipping the lower waterline, or sticking to a smudge-resistant formula, helps avoid the under-eye shadow that comes from a running line.
• Choose a long-lasting, run-proof formula. A long-lasting, run-proof formula designed to set and stay put on the eyelid will always outlast a general-purpose one.

Beginners should start with a soft pencil or kohl, which is far more forgiving than liquid. Prime the lid, rest your elbow on a firm surface to steady your hand, and draw the line in short connecting strokes from the centre of the upper lash line outwards, then inwards, staying close to the lash roots. Build the thickness gradually rather than aiming for a perfect line in one go, and tidy the edges with a cotton bud. A smudged line is the most forgiving look to learn on, because any unevenness simply blends away.

Draw the flick first, angled up from the outer corner of the eye towards the end of your eyebrow. From the tip of the flick, draw a line back down to your upper lash line about two-thirds of the way along to create a small triangle, then fill the triangle in. Finally, connect your lash line to the base of the wing, keeping it thin at the inner corner and thicker at the outer corner. Building the wing as a triangle is far easier than trying to draw it in a single stroke. A liquid liner with a fine brush gives the sharpest finish.

For hooded eyes, a thin lid line plus tightlining the upper waterline works best, because a thick line drawn on the lid disappears under the hood when the eye is open. Always draw with your eye open to check where the line will actually be visible. If you want a wing, angle it steeper and place the tip above the hood so it clears the fold. A soft, smudgeable pencil or kohl is more flattering on hooded eyes than a hard line.

Use a pencil or kohl for soft, smudgeable lines, tightlining and everyday definition, it is easier to control and the best choice for beginners. Use a liquid liner for sharp, precise lines and crisp cat-eye wings, as the fine brush gives a clean, defined finish that sets quickly and resists smudging. Many people own both: a pencil for natural days and a liquid liner for a defined flick. If you buy one to start, choose a soft pencil for its versatility.

To line the waterline, look into a mirror and gently pull the lid away from the eye to expose the rim, then press a soft, creamy kohl pencil along it in small dabs rather than one drag. Lining the upper waterline (tightlining) makes lashes look denser and is very natural. Lining the lower waterline creates a smokier, more dramatic look but can make eyes appear smaller, so keep it to the outer half if you want definition without closing the eye up. Always use a soft pencil formulated for the eye area on the waterline.

Mavala is a Swiss beauty house founded in 1958 and based near Geneva. Known worldwide for its nail care, Mavala also develops make-up and skincare with a particular focus on the delicate eye area. Its eye products are formulated for the eyelid's sensitive skin, ophthalmologically tested, and suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. Mavala UK shares the brand's expertise through step-by-step guides like this one.

• Mavala Eye Liner — long-lasting, run-proof liquid liner with a high-tech foam-tip brush for precise lines and wings
• Mavala Eye Base — smooths and primes the lid so liner and shadow last longer and colours stay vivid
• Kohl Kajal Pencil — soft, deep kohl for the waterline, tightlining and smoky smudged looks
• Soft-Kohl Pencil — a creamy, smudgeable pencil for softer everyday definition
• Shop all eye make-up at the Mavala UK eye collection