Getting your winged eyeliner on point on the daily is no easy feat. Believe me, after many years of practice and whirlwinds of emotions, I've learned how to handle my liquid eyeliner brush in a very precise and accurate way. Call me obsessed, but I take winged eyeliner very seriously. Whenever someone approaches me and tells me a thing or two about my cat eyes, they'll usually ask, "Is it really hard to do that?" Usually, I'll say no, but add that it takes a ton of trial and error. And I'll always mention that there are a couple of truths that I wish I would've known beforehand.
One of these truths is that doing winged eyeliner is truly a work of art. Well, for me it is, anyway. Getting your wings to match perfectly takes a lot of commitment, but if you're dedicated enough, it'll soon feel almost natural. Although you may have to go through many makeup remover wipes and cotton swabs, the payoff is definitely worth it. Ask any winged liner expert — once you've finally got the hang of doing your cat eyes without too much struggle, it definitely feels like a great accomplishment. But if you're completely new to doing winged eyeliner, I highly suggest knowing the following truths before attempting.
1. It Takes A Lot Of Patience
OK, patience comes in a different form when you attempt winged eyeliner. Usually you'll have to go through many tries to figure out your personal preferences — how long to make your wings, what feels most comfortable for you, and getting that winged tip perfectly angled. It doesn't really happen overnight, but you'll go through many trials until you find what works best for you.
2. ...And A Lot Of Time
Along with patience, you'll also need a lot of time getting your winged eyeliner on point. I remember in college, when I first started doing cat eyes, I would spend forever in the mirror redoing my eyeliner over and over again. I would literally allocate time to do my eyeliner, because trying to do it five minutes before class was definitely not the smartest idea if I was trying to be punctual.
3. You Might Not Get It The First Time
If you're a born natural in doing cat eyes, then more power to you. But, at least for me, my first attempt at winged eyeliner was not OK. I also tried using a pencil eyeliner for practice, so it didn't turn out as great as I wanted to. That didn't stop me from trying again, though. Like I said, practice makes perfect.
4. You’ll Probably Experiment With Different Ways To Do It
Scotch Magic Tape 3105, 3/4 x 300 Inches, Pack of 3, $4.75, Amazon.com
From using tape to using business cards, to just doing it freehand, there are many different ways to achieve winged eyeliner. You'll have to play around with a bunch of different techniques to figure out which one is best for you. Personally, I always find the one spot that I start my wings from and move in towards my inner crease. But it's best to just do you.
5. You Have To Try With Different Liners
Sephora Collection Long Lasting Eyeliner High Precision Brush, $12, Sephora.com
This is an extremely important thing to remember. For me, liquid eyeliner is what I'm most comfortable in using. I know a lot of people who like to use gel instead. It all depends on you and what gives you the most control.
6. It Can Get Messy
Neutrogena® 25-Count Makeup Remover Wipes, $7.99, Bedbathandbeyond.com
When you attempt to do your winged eyeliner, make sure you have a full case of makeup remover wipes at hand. You may make a lot of mistakes, so having your wipes to give you a clean slate each time will be extremely useful.
7. You May Feel Like Giving Up, But Don’t
And finally, when you feel like giving up — don't. Once you've finally mastered the art of creating the perfect pair of wings on your face, it definitely feels great. It might take a while to get there, but it's so extremely worth it!
Got it? Well, what are you waiting for? Welcome to the cat eye club.
Images: Tatjana V. / EyeEm/EyeEm/Getty Images; Courtesy Brands; Giphy.com
