Several weeks ago, I was sipping my morning tea on the verandah and perusing r/makeup on Reddit when I came across a comment that nearly had me spitting Earl Grey.
“Cat eyeliner is dated," said anonymous.
I shook my head. Nonsense. Assuming this comment came from some prepubescent child who’d wandered into the wrong forum, I stamped my foot, “get off my lawn!”
Over the coming days, however, I encountered this same opinion in other posts across the forum and on Tiktok.
I clutched my pearls and asked myself,
Is Cat Eyeliner / Winged Eyeliner Really Out?
Before you panic, let me put you at ease. No, cat eyeliner is still stylish.
Famously worn by Audrey Hepburn, the cat eye trend is classic. In fact, it goes beyond classic. The winged cateye is thought to be one of the oldest makeup styles, with Egyptian busts wearing it dating back to 3000BC.
And with the new Amy Winehouse movie coming out, even big bold winged styles are making a comeback.
Now, John Maclean said “trends are for the anxious”, and I tend to agree with him. However there are some small changes you could make to how you do your winged eyeliner to update your look for a more contemporary style.
Photo by Philip Pikart
How to Not Do Your Eyeliner
I say this a bit tongue in cheek, because I believe you should do your eyeliner exactly how you want to, and not how someone else says you should. These are merely suggestions for creating an updated look, but if you prefer another style, by all means follow your heart. Some kid on Tiktok calling you “dated” is not the worst thing that can happen to you. In fact, I'd wear it with as a badge of honor.
What makes the above look harken to 2016?
At the moment, soft, subtle makeup looks are in. The above look is heavy. Here's how:
The color of the eyeliner is black and, combined with the sharp edge of the liquid liner, is very harsh. It sweeps up instead of out, creates a thick line across the eyelid, and extends past the pupil. I also added a smudge of black to the outside corner of the bottom lashline.
Now this look is not bad. In fact, done even more dramatically, I think it could be rather stunning. But it is a more dated way of doing a cat eye. Contemporary styles are more subtle, use lighter colors, and have less of a curve to the wing.
Let’s look at two different ways we can update this makeup look below.
The Thin Line
This look is very similar to the above, but we’ve made some subtle changes that freshen it up. Makeup trends today favor a clean look, often called “clean girl” style to the ire of some. Here’s how we made a lighter version of the cat eye:
- Use a thinner line
I used a very fine line to create the wing and follow along the lashline. I also did not extend the line past my pupil, instead letting it gradually fade into my lashes. This creates a look that's lighter on the makeup.
- Use a lighter liquid eyeliner color
Instead of going to solid black, try a lighter liner color such as brown, taupe, or gray, for a more subtle look. However, this tip can be skipped if your skin is dark or your hair is black.
- Don’t line the whole eye
I'm a big fan of ending my eyeliner around the middle of my pupil, letting it fade into my lashline. This makes for a lighter makeup look and also allows the outer wing to have a bit more drama.
- Leave the bottom lash line bare
If you're into the "clean" makeup look, skip the eyeliner on your lower lashline.
The Smokey Cat Eye
Named after one of my favorite 90’s makeup trends, this version of the cat eye takes inspiration from smokey eyeliner. Instead of using liquid eyeliner, which creates a harsh line, we used a little bit of dark brown eyeshadow on the end of a flat, narrow makeup brush. The effect is soft and sultry.
- Use eyeshadow or smudged pencil instead of liquid eyeliner
I used a dark brown eyeshadow and a narrow, flat eyeshadow brush to make this shape. Dot the powder onto your brush and tap off the excess to keep it from smudging.
- Use brown instead of black
Like I mentioned above, a softer color such as brown, taupe, or gray makes a softer effect than straight black eyemakeup.
- Think thick and short instead of long and curved
For this style, I tend to keep the wing thick and short. Doing a dramatic curve is easier with a more precise applicator, such as an eyeliner pencil or liquid eyeliner.
Tip: To create a the tapered wing, start the line at the corner of your eye and sweep out, instead of starting at the wing tip and sweeping in.
More tips on updating your winged eyeliner
Curved or Straight?
Right now eyeliner that goes straight out from the eye, instead of curved up, is super in, thanks to Bella Hadid and her foxy eye look. I love this look, but not on me. Cat eyeliner comes in a lot of possible shapes, lengths, and thicknesses. The most important thing is to pick the one that you feels flatters your eye shape, instead of blindly following trends.
Photo by Jenty
Should I Use Eyeshadow?
Eyeshadow can enhance a cat eye look. I like a warm neutral shadow in my crease and under the outer corner of my eye. Then I put a lighter shade on top of my eyelid. This is a subtle and classic eyeshadow trend that nods to vintage makeup.
Feel free to experiment with other styles and colors of eyeshadow to find a look you love!
When I don’t feel like doing eyeshadow or want a more bare faced look, sometime I opt instead for a little highlighter in the inner corner of my eye and along my brow bone.
I hope these makeup tips gave you some fresh new looks to try! Tag us in your makeup pics on Instagram @sunandsanctuary. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Sultry Styles
To Go With Your New Eyeliner
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