Applying liquid eyeliner can be a headache for many people because the effect is very bold and dramatic, and therefore it is obvious when a mistake has been made. The application technique also differs greatly from regular pencil eyeliners. One of the most common pieces of advice that people experienced with liquid eyeliner relate is to take it slowly and carefully and learn how to fix all kinds of mistakes.
Some women prefer applying liquid eyeliner to only the upper eyelids, either leaving the lower lids bare or using a pencil eyeliner to accentuate the bottom half of the eye. Usually, this is done to avoid having the lower half of the eye look too dark and "heavy," a look which may just make the wearer appear to be tired or ill. Other women argue that an intense liquid eyeliner line on the lower lid adds drama and can be attractive if done correctly. Most women familiar with applying liquid eyeliner agree that, in either case, starting with a very thin line and progressively making it thicker is a lot easier than fixing a line that appears too thick.
Depending on the brand, applying liquid eyeliner over a base of eyeshadow or other powder may help the eyeliner stay on longer because the powder absorbs the natural skin oils from the face that are frequently the cause of makeup smudging. If eyeshadow is used, it will also give the eyes a more smoky look and may help to soften some of the harshness of the liquid eyeliner. A contrasting color of eyeshadow underneath the liner, on the other hand, can be very dramatic and accentuate the sharp, dark line of the liquid eyeliner.
When applying liquid eyeliner, it is important to consider how to safely and effectively remove the eyeliner later. Unlike pencil eyeliners which can often be removed with warm water and gentle facial soap, makeup removers may be needed to completely get rid of liquid eyeliner. It is also a good idea to keep the makeup remover handy to remove any mistakes made while applying the eyeliner. Do not attempt to use force to rub or scratch off liquid eyeliner that will not come off, as this could damage the eyes and the sensitive skin of the eyelids.
As with pencil eyeliner, try to keep the line of makeup as close to the edge of the eyelid as possible to avoid an obvious gap between the eyeliner and eyelashes. Some women take this a step further and try to fill in gaps between the eyelashes for a solid, uniform look. Another popular way of applying liquid eyeliner is to create an upward-pointing line or point at the outer corner of the eyes.