All About Eyeliner - Which type is best for you?

Gel/Cream Eyeliner

My favorite type of eyeliner is gel liner. Smashbox's JetSet Waterproof Eyeliner is amazing! If you want a very bold line that stays put all day and night, a gel liner like Smashbox's is the way to go. These liners are bold and dark. They come in an assortment of shades from basic back to cool colors like deep purple and green. They are not generally easily smudged so you have to apply and smudge very quickly or leave the line as it is.

Gel liners are creamy and apply nicely with a good liner brush. The brush you use will determine whether you get a thick or thin line. Choose the one you feel most comfortable with then dip the brush into the gel and create your bold line. Gels work on upper and lower lids and look fabulous with smoky eyeshadow or even alone. I love the many shades and have been complimented often when I used gel liner.

Liquid Eyeliner

Liquid eyeliner is the next boldest in the line up. It comes with its own slim brush, making the liner handy on the go and easy to apply anywhere. Choose a waterproof or long lasting one so the line will stay put. Liquids are less forgiving than pencils so you have to have a steady hand. They also don't smudge. I love to use Maybelline Line Works Liquid Eyeliner in black for a very intense line. I use it on my lower lid to make my brown eyes pop. It's the longest wearing liquid I have ever used and it really adds drama to my eyes, especially when I use a good volumnizing mascara and a nice eyeshadow. I tend not to go the smoky eye route when using liquid liners because I can't smudge them. I use lighter shadows and let the liner do the work of making my eyes appear larger and deeper hued. This stuff stays on for hours so you never have to worry that it is fading away.

Pencil EyeLiner

Pencil eyeliners have been around for decades. Many women prefer them over the other types because they are easy to use and can be smudged or not and are forgiving if they make a mistake. I like Avon's Glimmersticks as well as a few others for a natural looking, soft line. The pencils are creamy and will glide effortlessly across the lids with no problems. If you make a mistake, you can correct it or just smudge it!

Smoky eyes look great combined with pencil liners. Just choose a black or charcoal shade (or get wild and go for deep purple or forest green!). Line the eye then take a smudger or a cotton swab and smudge the line. Make it look a little messy. Add a smoky shade of shadow such as silver or charcoal to lids and blend it all together. Ahhh, a sexy smoky eye is born!

Pencil liners are also great for naturalist who want just a little emphasis on the eye area but nothing too bold. Go with charcoal if you want to tone down the deepness of black liner. It will give you just a bit of definition without the rock star look. Don't use brown eye liner unless you're a fair skinned blond or redhead. Brunettes generally should stay with black or charcoal liners as brown can wash out their skin tone. Use liner alone or with any shadow for a pretty, but not TOO over the top, look.

Wet/Dry Eyeliner

This type of liner can be mineral or not. It starts out dry and you decide if you want a subtle line or a bolder one by dipping your liner brush into water and wetting the powder. I am not a big fan of this type of liner because it's very subtle and it seems hard to apply but many women love using their own deep hued eye shadows as liner by wetting their liner brushes and using the shadow as liner. They then use the same shadow dry on their lids or go with a lighter shade. It's a pretty look and one that is most natural looking. It's subtle yet still rims the eyes and makes them look more attractive.

Whichever eyeliner type you choose, play around with it. Experiment with shades and with lining the upper and lower lids or just one or the other. Try smudging pencils or powders. Do a nifty cat's eye look for fun. Eyeliner can make your eyes pop, can give you the look of a vixen, a rock star, a girl next door, or anything you want! You just need to experiment with different types and shades and find the right ones for you. I have many types and shades and use them for all kinds of looks. I am a klutz and can barely manage to line my upper lids so, if I can do it, anyone can.

I hope this guide helped and you have fun experimenting with eye opening looks!