How To Get The Perfect Cat Eye
If applying makeup was an Olympic sport, then nailing the perfect cat eye would be the equivalent of getting a gold medal. Accordingly, many have tried to accomplish the look, but few have actually succeeded. That’s all about to change, though.
Cat eyeliner is notoriously tricky, even for the most seasoned makeup artists among us. To get the perfect feline wing, you need a few things - the right products, the right technique, and some serious skills. Your skills will depend on how often you practice (practice makes perfect, after all!), but this list will guide you through everything else. You'll even learn about the best eyeliners for that perfect flick.
Start With Primer
Before you can start creating that high fashion cat eye, you need to make sure to cover the basics. The perfect cat eye makeup is defined by a sharp, clean wing. And if you put a lot of time into applying your liner, the last thing you want is for that wing to smudge or fade. Prime your eye area before you apply any eye makeup to make sure that your final creation stays put all day long. Try Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eye Primer (about $35).
Find Your Angle
If the angle of your cat eye is off, there's no fixing it. That's why you need to make sure to get your angle right the first time! There are a couple of ways to find the angle that works best for you.
Take your eyeliner pencil and hold it next to your nose, at the edge of your nostril. Then, angle the pencil until it intersects with the outer corner of your eye. The resulting angle will be the guideline for your wing! Make a mark at the outermost edge.
If that seems like too much trouble, grab the Cat Eye 101 tool ($32). The tip of the eyeliner pen includes a traceable rubber edge that you can place at the outer corner of your eye and use as a guide!
Start At The Outer Corner Of Your Eye
Get ready to have your mind blown. For a flawless cat eye application, you need to start from the outside and work your way to the inner tear duct.
Once you find your angle, make a dot at the highest, outermost point. Then, trace a straight line from that dot to your lash line. You can gently pull your skin taut to make this step a little easier.
Next, draw another line below the first one, connecting the wing to your lower lash line. Finally, fill in the gap between line one and line two. Done!
Stay Close To The Lash Line
We've all been there. In an effort to even out your eyeliner, you make the line too thick on one side, and then you have to even it out on the other eye. But then that line looks too thick, and you end up looking like a very chic raccoon. Here's the lesson you need to learn; the thinner your line, the better it's going to look.
Just apply a thin layer of eyeliner super close to your lash line. In addition to being easier to manage, it's going to make your flick look so much more intense.
For A More Dramatic Look, Fill In Your Waterline
Want to take your cat eye up a notch? Use a liquid liner to create a very thin line under your lower lashes, and make sure to get in between the lashes, too, right up to the waterline. Then, extend the thin line above your upper lashes down at an angle, until it crosses your tear duct. Finally, join that line to the one at your lower waterline. A little confusing, but so worth the extra effort. You'll get a totally feline vibe!
Don't Do Your Eyes Separately
When you do your eyes individually, you're just asking for them to be uneven. Instead, try this simple trick; do both eyes together, step-by-step.
For example, when you find your angle on one eye, switch over to the other eye and do the same. Repeat like this, in little baby steps, for every part of the process. It seems counterintuitive, but it'll ensure that your process stays the same for both eyes. You'll get two perfectly symmetrical liner wings.