kiko ultimate pen long wear eyeliner review

While it comes down to a matter of preference, if you’re looking to achieve “razor-sharp wings and tight lines,” Maderich suggests going for an old-school paint-pot-and-brush liner, like this one, which has been praised in reviews for the classically thick, stay-put line it creates. Generally, the experts we spoke to agreed that felt-tip liners are easier to use and are more beginner-friendly. While the felt-tip pens function more like Sharpie markers, the classic versions of these liners, of course, involve dipping your applicator into a paint pot filled with liquid pigment. Liquid liners fall into two categories: those with felt-tip applicators - like the two above - and traditional liquid liners.

Then use gentile strokes to connect the dots.” Eventually, as you get more confident, you’ll be able to get your flick right in one go.

And if you’re struggling to master the stroke, one guiding application rule to follow, according to makeup artist Amanda Shackleton, is to “apply very tiny, evenly spaced dots close to the lash line in the shape you wish to achieve, which will give you a much better chance of making a tighter, more precise line. Their favorites include options with felt tips, matte pigments, and and even a highly smudge-proof formula that Winehouse herself was known to use they’ve also called out the best choices for those with monolids, hooded eyelids, and mature skin. And not just for Sephora prices, either: Many of your drugstore liquid eyeliners can work wonders, as the eight makeup artists we spoke to below can attest. The right liquid eyeliner is your key to an everyday cat eye, an Amy Winehouse–esque wing, or a graphic pop of color.

Liquid eyeliner is a bit like the megaformer of the makeup world: challenging to figure out, but once you do, it can offer dramatic results. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty/Getty Images

Kiko ultimate pen long wear eyeliner review