How to Tightline Eyes
Wash your hands., Pick your eyeliner., Sharpen your pencil., Hold your upper eyelid in place., Line your upper waterline., Fill in space between lashes., Emphasize your lower lashes (optional)., Curl your eyelashes (optional).
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wash your hands.
Whenever you are going to be touching your face (especially around your eyes), wash your hands.Your hands can transfer dirt and oils to your skin, and your eyes are extremely susceptible to infection and irritation. -
Step 2: Pick your eyeliner.
Since tightlining requires applying eyeliner closer to your eyeball, make sure that your chosen eyeliner is waterproof.
Tightlining is easiest with a pencil eyeliner, but you can use a cream or gel eyeliner.The eyeliner can be any color, but for a “natural” look, try to use an eyeliner that matches your eyelash color (brown, light brown, or black).
Avoid using liquid liner for tightlining.
The liquid liner will not dry quickly and can leak onto your actual eyeball, causing pain and irritation.
If you choose to use a pencil liner, consider using a plastic twist up liner rather than a wooden pencil liner.The wooden edges of the liner can irritate your eyes.
If you choose to use a gel or cream liner that doesn’t come in a pencil style, apply with an angled or flat edged brush.This will help you apply the liner accurately. , Your waterline is more vulnerable to infection than the rest of your eyelid.
To remove bacteria that can collect on makeup implements, sharpen your eyeliner pencil each time before tightlining.A sharp pencil is also easier to use for this precise task.
Do not borrow someone else's eyeliner. , Raise your chin to tilt your head back a little bit and look up.While your eyelashes are grazing your brow bone, use a cue tip or the end of a dry makeup brush to press your lashes upward and hold them in place on your brow bone.
Now you can look down while keeping your upper waterline exposed.
If you're having trouble exposing your waterline, gently increase the upward pull on your lashes until your eyelid is stretched taut.
You may use your finger instead, but the heavier pressure may cause creases and make even application more difficult. , Start by placing your eyeliner vertically on the outer corner of your waterline.
Your waterlines are the moist rims near the base of your eyelashes, which come in contact with each other when you blink.Trace your upper waterline back and forth with your eyeliner.Do this two or three times, depending on how deep you want the color to be.
Repeat on your other eye.
Don’t trace your eyeliner all the way into the inner corner of your eye.
This will make your tightlining look unnatural.
Stop when your get to the area where your tear duct starts, or where your lashes start to thin out.If you plan to only tightline your upper lid (which makes your eyes look bigger), take care not to blink while applying.
If you blink before the eyeliner dries, you'll transfer a little eyeliner to the lower lid and lose the effect.
Using eye drops before you begin may help. , You may use the same eyeliner for this, or an eye shadow of a similar color.
If using eyeliner, gently stipple and dot the spaces between your lashes.
If using eye shadow, push it up into the base of your lashes.If you use eye shadow to fill in the spaces between your lashes, make sure to use an angled edged brush.
This will help add pigment with precision. , If you would like a little more pop to your look, gently run your eyeliner near the base of your lower eyelashes.Most people apply this just below the lower waterline, not directly on it.
Be aware that dark eyeliner on your lower lids can make your eyes look smaller.
Try not to make this lining too thick or too dark, because it will detract from your natural makeup look.
Do this on both of your eyes. , If you like, use an eyelash curler to curl your lashes.
Open up the curler, fit your lashes in the curler’s open space, and gently close the curler shut.
Make sure the rubber strip of the curler is right at the base of your eyelashes.
Softly squeeze the curler with a pulsating rhythm.Curl both of your eyelashes in this way.
For added curl, after squeezing the curler vertically, turn the curler horizontally (following the curve of your eyeball) and squeeze a couple more times.Always curl your eyelashes using light pressure.
If you feel pain or discomfort, adjust the curler and try again. -
Step 3: Sharpen your pencil.
-
Step 4: Hold your upper eyelid in place.
-
Step 5: Line your upper waterline.
-
Step 6: Fill in space between lashes.
-
Step 7: Emphasize your lower lashes (optional).
-
Step 8: Curl your eyelashes (optional).
Detailed Guide
Whenever you are going to be touching your face (especially around your eyes), wash your hands.Your hands can transfer dirt and oils to your skin, and your eyes are extremely susceptible to infection and irritation.
Since tightlining requires applying eyeliner closer to your eyeball, make sure that your chosen eyeliner is waterproof.
Tightlining is easiest with a pencil eyeliner, but you can use a cream or gel eyeliner.The eyeliner can be any color, but for a “natural” look, try to use an eyeliner that matches your eyelash color (brown, light brown, or black).
Avoid using liquid liner for tightlining.
The liquid liner will not dry quickly and can leak onto your actual eyeball, causing pain and irritation.
If you choose to use a pencil liner, consider using a plastic twist up liner rather than a wooden pencil liner.The wooden edges of the liner can irritate your eyes.
If you choose to use a gel or cream liner that doesn’t come in a pencil style, apply with an angled or flat edged brush.This will help you apply the liner accurately. , Your waterline is more vulnerable to infection than the rest of your eyelid.
To remove bacteria that can collect on makeup implements, sharpen your eyeliner pencil each time before tightlining.A sharp pencil is also easier to use for this precise task.
Do not borrow someone else's eyeliner. , Raise your chin to tilt your head back a little bit and look up.While your eyelashes are grazing your brow bone, use a cue tip or the end of a dry makeup brush to press your lashes upward and hold them in place on your brow bone.
Now you can look down while keeping your upper waterline exposed.
If you're having trouble exposing your waterline, gently increase the upward pull on your lashes until your eyelid is stretched taut.
You may use your finger instead, but the heavier pressure may cause creases and make even application more difficult. , Start by placing your eyeliner vertically on the outer corner of your waterline.
Your waterlines are the moist rims near the base of your eyelashes, which come in contact with each other when you blink.Trace your upper waterline back and forth with your eyeliner.Do this two or three times, depending on how deep you want the color to be.
Repeat on your other eye.
Don’t trace your eyeliner all the way into the inner corner of your eye.
This will make your tightlining look unnatural.
Stop when your get to the area where your tear duct starts, or where your lashes start to thin out.If you plan to only tightline your upper lid (which makes your eyes look bigger), take care not to blink while applying.
If you blink before the eyeliner dries, you'll transfer a little eyeliner to the lower lid and lose the effect.
Using eye drops before you begin may help. , You may use the same eyeliner for this, or an eye shadow of a similar color.
If using eyeliner, gently stipple and dot the spaces between your lashes.
If using eye shadow, push it up into the base of your lashes.If you use eye shadow to fill in the spaces between your lashes, make sure to use an angled edged brush.
This will help add pigment with precision. , If you would like a little more pop to your look, gently run your eyeliner near the base of your lower eyelashes.Most people apply this just below the lower waterline, not directly on it.
Be aware that dark eyeliner on your lower lids can make your eyes look smaller.
Try not to make this lining too thick or too dark, because it will detract from your natural makeup look.
Do this on both of your eyes. , If you like, use an eyelash curler to curl your lashes.
Open up the curler, fit your lashes in the curler’s open space, and gently close the curler shut.
Make sure the rubber strip of the curler is right at the base of your eyelashes.
Softly squeeze the curler with a pulsating rhythm.Curl both of your eyelashes in this way.
For added curl, after squeezing the curler vertically, turn the curler horizontally (following the curve of your eyeball) and squeeze a couple more times.Always curl your eyelashes using light pressure.
If you feel pain or discomfort, adjust the curler and try again.
About the Author
Marilyn Clark
Marilyn Clark is an experienced writer with over 8 years of expertise in non profit. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Marilyn creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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