Beauty
9 Winged Eyeliner Hacks That Make Cat Eyes Ridiculously Easy
Perfect your flick.
When you think of winged eyeliner, you might think of a cat eye, the timeless look immortalized by icons like Sophia Loren and loved by modern-day pop stars like Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa. Adding a little flick to your liner is an excellent way to elongate and enlarge the eye — but the distinct, slightly upturned and curved direction of the liner can be tricky to master, even for the most dexterous of makeup artists.
Getting the perfect angle on both eyes is a challenge, too; you might have attempted to extend your eyeliner before, only to end up with mismatched, uneven wings that looked more like distant cousins than identical twins. Luckily, just as there are a ton of general eyeliner hacks on TikTok, there are also a number of beginner-friendly tutorials depicting foolproof ways to tackle winged eyeliner.
Whether you have hooded eyes or monolids, love liquid liner or are a pencil devotee, these genius tricks — which include the use of unconventional materials (like flossing picks and clear tape), winged eyeliner stamps, and a simple connect-the-dots method — will help you achieve a look that’s truly *chef’s kiss*. Once you take a look, you’ll see it’s not so hard after all.
1The Stamp Hack
If you want a winged liner look in a pinch, consider using a winged eyeliner stamp, like this user. A dual-ended one with both a stamp and a classic pointed tip works best, as you’ll be able to avoid a gap between the little swoop at the end and your upper eyeliner.
2The Flossing Pick Hack
This creator reached for a dental flossing pick to execute a super precise winged eyeliner look. She coated half of the flossing wire in a black pen liner, stamping it onto the outer corner of her eye and along half of her upper eyelid to create a triangular shape. From there, she simply colored in the space with the eyeliner pen.
3The Gift Card Hack
Have a spare gift card lying around? If so, consider using it to get a winged look, like this user. Hold the card diagonally against your outer eyelid and gently trace black eyeshadow (or shadow in the color of your choosing) with an eyeshadow brush along the outer corners of your eyes. Add a Q-tip in the mix for a little smokiness.
4The Triangle Hack
This TikToker opted for a classic liquid eyeliner, tracing the line from the outer corner of the eyes toward the temples. Next, she drew a line along the top of her eyelid, connecting the two end points to create the same triangular shape seen in the flossing hack above. Fill in the space and voilà.
6The Multitasking Hack
Those under eye masks you love are dual-purpose. Because of their curved design, they make excellent tools for a winged liner effect. Simply trace the eyeliner of your choice along the edge of the mask. Remove it — and boom, you’re done.
7The Connect-The-Dots Hack
This hack might work best with a felt-tip pen liner, as it requires a little skill. Draw a series of vertical lines along the top of your eyelid and one diagonal, slightly curved line on the outer corner. Connect the lines and fill in the space to create a thick, dramatic flick.
9The Tape Hack
This creator incorporated a household item — tape — into her winged liner routine, which she creates in 15 seconds. Simply place the tape in a diagonal direction along the outer corners of your eyes. Trace the shadow of your choice along your eyelid and upper lash line and you’ve got a perfect wing.
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