Cat-eye makeup has been around for hundreds of years. Cleopatra is the most well known historical female to flaunt this sexy style. Angelina Jolie and Amy Winehouse have each put their spin on cat eye makeup. So, you’ve seen movie stars walk the red carpet and models walk the runway with this look, and now, with a little practice, you can sport this dramatic look as well.
Liner and mascara are the tools you’ll need to create this look. Whether it’s moving day, taking the kids to school, or going to the club, cat eye makeup can be just as versatile.
Summary
Choose Liquid or Pencil Eyeliner
First, decide if you’re going with a liquid or pencil liner. If you want the quick casual look of going for a gallon of milk, start with a pencil liner. Once you get the hang of it and feel more daring, bring the liquid liner out and go bold! Go with a black liner. If you’re going for the cat-eye look, don’t try a brown-black. Black is flattering and striking.
Getting Started With Eye Shadow
Once you decide on your liner choice, prepare your eyelid. Neutrals are an excellent choice to start. As a general rule, the eyeshadow should be just a shade lighter than your natural skin tone. Once you get the hang of it, or if you want to go bold, you can use a darker or more colorful shadow. Sweep the shadow over your entire eyelid before the eyeliner.
If you choose to use a highlight color, apply it now. Your highlight color should start below the inner portion of the brow. Following the natural arch, apply your highlighter by moving your brush outwards along the underside of the brow.
How To Draw Your Cat Eye Line
Now to the eyeliner. Start at the eye’s inner corner and lightly brush the eyeliner across the lash line toward the outer corner of the eye. Draw the line as close to the lashline as you possibly can. Less is more. You can go over this same line again to fill in any gaps or make the line thicker. A tip I’ve learned is if you tip your head and look up toward the ceiling, then down at the mirror, your eyelid will close enough to give you a somewhat flatter eyelid.
As you get toward the edge of the outer corner of your eye, slightly turn the liner upward toward your temple. A trick I use is to pretend that I’m extending my lower lashline towards my eyebrow. Experiment with how far you go up toward the temple. Fill in any gaps with the eyeliner.
Whether or not you do your lower lashes is totally up to you. If you do, apply the eyeliner to the lower lashes as you normally would—no need for anything fancy.
If you have a magnifying makeup mirror, because it gives you the appearance of a larger canvas, it can help until you feel more confident with your eyeliner. Another helpful tip would be to set a mirror on the counter and rest your elbow to steady your hand.
After you get your eyeliner applied, let’s work on the lashes. False eyelashes are perfect for a striking and stunning look. Don’t want to do the false eyelash thing? Get your eyelash curler, hold it for 10 – 12 seconds and apply bold blackest black mascara. Let each coat dry before applying a second coat.
Don’t panic if you don’t like your first results. A cotton swab dabbed with eye makeup remover can be used to remove any mistakes.
Bonus video:
Thank you for reading!