get in line
We spy with our little eye… party season’s most-wanted liners. The only rule? Go beyond the basic black flicks
Smoke signals
Dramatic jet-black eyes needn’t be time-consuming or require hundreds of products – sometimes a swipe of black kohl, blended to mimic post-night-out smudginess, is all you need to hit the spot. Take your pencil and glide it across your top and bottom lash lines, skipping the temptation to colour your waterlines (that’ll keep your eyes looking bright). Then use your ring finger or a small smudging brush (we like Illamasqua’s IL105 Curved Smudger Brush, £10) to diffuse the line slightly, edging along each eye with small smudging motions. ›
Pop in pink
This colour has major face-brightening power, but is a little more high-maintenance than your average liner look, lest you appear as if you’ve spent the weekend bathing in chlorine. We’d suggest starting with an eye primer (Nars Tinted Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, £21, is excellent), before going in with a pinky-toned pencil liner. If you’re too nervous for fuchsia lids, opt for a richer raspberry shade with a hint of glitter in the corner.
Silver linings
Need proof that bigger (and shinier) is absolutely better? Clock these supersize silver wings. Because you’re working with chunkier shapes, it’s also an easy one to nail once you’ve got your angles right. Trace the top line of the wing just above your crease, and the bottom one out from your upper lash line until they meet directly below the end of your eyebrow. Then fill in the shape. To sharpen up your lines, fold a face wipe in half and use the corner to clean your edges (try Simple x Little Mix Biodegradable Cleansing Wipes, £3.65). ›
Golden touch
The eyeliner equivalent of delicate gilded jewellery, this one makes a statement, but is subtle enough to be wearable for everyday too. Grab your gold liner and paint a tiny, thin line from your outer to inner corners, keeping the width constant all the way across. Every time you flutter your lids, the shimmery pigment will reflect the light gorgeously. Brush brows through with Givenchy Mister Brow Groom, £20.50, to keep things tidy, minimal and chic.
Flip-reverse it
If you’re stuck in a smoky-eye rut, meet your new night-out look: the under-liner. To perfect, leave your lids bare and coat your top lashes sparingly with a lengthening, minimalist mascara like Glossier Lash Slick, £14. Then pick a neutral shade and trace a thin stroke along your lower lash line, extending it past the outer corner. We opted for rose gold – and yes, that’s a neutral. ›
Green-eyed monster
If you want to keep your shape classic but update the shade, try a deep jewel tone like teal or amethyst. Got the flick-painting fear? The solution lies in drawing your wings in two separate motions – even the steadiest of hands will find it hard to nail in one shot. Trace a thin line from your inner to outer corners on both eyes, and once those lines look even, you can focus on adding a little tail-swoop. ◆