There's no doubt about it; the perfect winged eye liner is a difficult task. In a series I hope to continue, I will be sharing some of my holy grail kit items. Today, we will be talking about gel eyeliner. Gel eyeliner isn't for everyone; I can agree that at first it is challenging and a little intimidating to work with. I assure you though, there are some wonderful benefits of working with a gel product.
Gel eyeliner allows you to get a super dark, super black line. It also is extremely long wearing and budge-proof. Don't be afraid to paint this on the upper water line for tight-lining, or even use in the lower water line for a waterproof, long lasting finish.
For those of you who have tried several black eyeliners in the lower water line and notice them fading or completely disappearing in a few hours, try using this gel eyeliner and setting it with a black shadow. It will last all night.
This product, the Inglot #77 black gel eyeliner, is a wonderful consistency that is thick and creamy enough to allow for a super smooth line, but maintains it's opacity and dries to a matte finish. This product is extremely long wearing. If you have hooded eyes, or experience transfer of eyeliner to your upper eyelid, make sure you allow the product to dry completely. You can also lightly smudge the line out for more of a diffused look. It doesn't dry instantly; wait about 2-3 minutes and it will be set. For super long wear, set it with a dark black eye shadow.
The downside of gel liner is that it can dry out quickly if the cap is left off for extended periods or over time. You can simply add some contact solution or, more preferably, a mixing medium such as the RCMA Thinner.
It can also be easy to get heavy-handed. My tip is to always load up the brush, and then brush the inside cap or back of your hand to remove a bit of the product. I also always start at the center of the lid to deposit the most product. Then, with a thinner line, finish of the inner and outer corners.
Keep in mind, the liner is only as good as a quality brush. There are several types of eyeliner brushes out there, but I prefer the very stiff, small liner brushes. I recently tried out the MAC 210 Precise Eyeliner Brush and it is my new favorite. As shown above, you can create the tiniest line that is perfect for a wing.
Alternatively, I also enjoy using the Make Up For Ever 250 Extra Fine Eyeliner brush. It is very similar but just slightly larger and not quite as fine of a tip. It is also a couple of bucks cheaper.
Lashes: Ardell Demi Wispies
Lipstick: MAC Pure Zen
