Recently, I was asked to throw my two cents in on showing someone how to apply a cat eyeliner. Someone that was doing a cat eyeliner for the very first time.
I could only think of 5 words.
Use a felt-tip eyeliner pen.
Well, I guess it’s 6. Let’s just say 5. Felt-tip eyeliner pens make cat eyeliner, winged liner, you name it in the world of clean, well-defined 1960s (or Egyptian-inspired) derived as easy as it’s ever going to get.
So here for your reading pleasure are my picks of the most affordable, user-friendly, and therefore the best liquid eyeliners of the felt tip variety.
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Maybelline Eyestudio Master Precise All-Day Felt Tip Eyeliner – Best All Rounder
- waterproof
- long-lasting up to 12 hours
- felt tip for precise lines
- rich pigment
- matte finish
- dermatologist tested
- ophthalmologist tested
- fragrance-free
- suitable for sensitive eyes
- suitable for contact lenses
Find Maybelline Eyestudio Precise All Day Liquid Eyeliner here.
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HAUS Laboratories Micro Tip Liquid Eyeliner – Best Precision
- budge-proof
- high precision ultra fine micro-tip
- semi-shine finish
- vegan
- cruelty-free
Find the Haus Laboratories Micro Tip Liquid Eyeliner here.
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Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner – Best Dramatic Look
- for more dramatic, thick lines
- long-lasting
- smudge proof
- paraben free formula
- intense pigment in a single-stroke color
Find Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner here.
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Almay Conditioning Liquid Eyeliner – Best for Sensitive Eyes
- matte finish
- long-lasting for up to 24hrs
- intense color pigment
- nourishing and hydrating ingredients
- hypo-allergenic
- ophthalmologist tested
- cruelty-free
- fragrance-free
Find Almay Conditioning Liquid Eyeliner here.
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NYX Epic Ink Eyeliner – Best Drugstore Felt Tip Eyeliner
- waterproof
- matte black finish
- cruelty-free
- high pigment
- vegan
Find NYX Epic Ink Eyeliner here.
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L’Oreal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Tip Eyeliner – Best Grip
- long-lasting up to 30hrs
- available in 5 shades
- smudge-resistant
- waterproof
- rubber grip for ease of use
- high pigment
Find L’Oreal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Tip Eyeliner here.
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Tarte Maneater Liquid Eyeliner – Best Cat Eye
- semi-matte finish
- vegan
- high precision micro-brush tip
- quick drying
- rich black pigment
Find Tarte Maneater Liquid Eyeliner here.
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Physicians Formula Ultra-Fine Liquid Eyeliner – Best Lash Builder
- waterproof
- ingredients include a lash-boosting complex to improve lash appearance
- lash conditioning serum with peptides
- precision brush tip
- satin finish
- affordable
Find Physician’s Formula Ultra Fine Liquid Eyeliner here.
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Honest Beauty Liquid Eyeliner – Best Humane
- high pigment
- 8hrs of smudge-proof, flake-proof staying power
- dermatologist tested
- ophthalmologist tested
- hypoallergenic
- cruelty-free
- vegan
- paraben-free
- carbon black pigment-free
- silicon free
- PEG free
- EWG certified
- climate pledge friendly
Find Honest Beauty Liquid Eyeliner here.
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The Balm Schwing Liquid Eyeliner – Best Cult Classic
- matte formula
- smudge-proof formula
- flake proof
- quick drying
- slim packaging perfect for your makeup bag
- thin felt tip applicator
Find The Balm Schwing Liquid Eyeliner here.
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Clio Waterproof Pen Liner – Best High Pigment Felt Tip Eyeliner
- waterproof
- smudge-proof
- quick-drying formula
- available in 6 different shades of black and brown
Find Clio Waterproof Pen Liner here.
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If you love Clio Waterproof Pen Liner, take a look at all of these amazing Korean eyeliners too!
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Revlon Skinny Liquid Eyeliner – Best Skinny Tip Felt Tip Eyeliner
- long-lasting up to 10 hrs
- short handle to make application easy
- skinny brush tip of 0.1mm
- 4 pigment shades
- affordable
- matte finish
Find Revlon Skinny Liquid Eyeliner here.
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hince Ambience Color Range Liquid Eyeliner – Best Color Range
- matte finish
- unique high pigment color range
- waterproof
- sweatproof
- long-lasting up to 12 hrs
- smudge-proof
- cruelty-free
- hypoallergenic
- gentle and non-toxic formula
Find hince Ambience Color Range Liquid Eyeliner here.
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Wet’n’Wild Breakup-Proof Liquid Eyeliner – Best Smudgeproof Felt Tip Eyeliner
- waterproof formula
- smudge-proof
- flake-proof
- cry proof
- cruelty-free
- affordable
Described as a great alternative to the much beloved Kat Von D liquid Eyeliner Pen.
Find Wet’n’Wild Breakup-Proof Liquid Eyeliner here.
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Maybelline Hyper-Easy Brush Tip Liner – Best Rule Breaker
- high satin finish
- long-lasting – a whopping 24hrs!
- the flexible tip is made from flexible synthetic fibers and is essentially a firm brush
- hexagonal grip shape for extra comfort and ease of use
- ophthalmologist tested
- suitable for contact lenses
- suitable for sensitive eyes
Find Maybelline Hyper-Easy Brush Tip Liner here.
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Although this makeup is more of a graphic, contemporary take on the cat eyeliner, I still love it and couldn’t help but share. So clean and pretty!
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And if you need some further guidance and hand-holding before attempting your fabulous cat eyeliner, here’s a quick step-by-step to make things a little less scary.
Stay tuned for visual tutorials in the future too!
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How to Apply A Cat Eyeliner
Step 1
Step one of your skin prep is to prep your eyelid by removing any makeup, dirt, and oils with your favorite toner or astringent. I love to use this gentle toner or my favorite witch hazel.
Step 2
Prime your lids with your best eye primer. Be sure to take the primer all the way to your lash line – as close as you can.
Step 3
Apply your eyeshadow or at least the first color to your lids. Usually, if I’m going for a cat-eye look, I’ll keep the eyeshadow minimal so as not to compete too much with the dramatic look of the liner, but let’s say you’d like a little wash of a taupe, or soft skin tone, now is the time to do it.
Step 4
Once you have your eyeshadow makeup on, or at least a base of it, you can begin applying your liner. It’s a good idea to do this sitting down. And with a table or something you can lean on, to help support you if you don’t have a steady hand. And as I have mentioned ad nauseum, please start with a felt pen. It simplifies the job so much, and really takes out so many variables for eyeliner novices.
Step 5
Now, some people like to start by putting in a guideline. A series of small dots or dashes that act as a template for you to follow with your felt tip liner. This is entirely a personal preference. I tend to think that it’s best to start without them, as they can end up making you create a way thicker line than you are looking for. It’s entirely up to you.
Start your liner from the center of your eyelid. Keep close to the lash line, if not on the lash line and gently work your way out to the outer corner of your eye shape. Don’t worry too much about the wing at this point, as you can always come back later to extend it, shape it, and make it bigger. Right now, it’s about getting that liner on and to a thickness and shape that you are happy with.
Step 6
Then extend inwards from the center and fade the line away to almost nothing as you create the eyeliner that runs along your lashline across your whole eye. You can get an extra fine, clean and smooth line by turning sideways to your mirror, and then shifting your gaze outwards towards the mirror (looking to the right with your eyes, if you face your body leftwards, and looking to the left with your eyes if you turned your body rightwards) This will place a tiny bit of tension on the skin of your inner eye and give you a super clean thin line in the center.
Step 7
Once you have the liner in place, you can then go ahead and add your wing to the outside. I like to do this part last, as your hand will be warmed up by now, and you will probably be a bit more relaxed by now, too. Work outwards from the outer corner of your eye, with short sweeps across the lashline, and extend to the point you are finished. Try to follow the angles of your face, and always head upwards and outwards for the most flattering finish.
Step 8
And then, once you are happy with the liner shape and size, you may need to clean up any parts of the liner to make it razor sharp and clean. To do this, take a pointy q-tip and your go-to no-mess micellar water or makeup remover and gently clean up the line where needed.
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Well, that’s it, my friend. My pick of the most affordable, and easy-to-use, best felt tip eyeliners your money can buy. I’m really happy to say that these are all drugstore products, with almost entirely budget-friendly price points – nothing fancy here. But that doesn’t mean you walk away with less than a brilliant quality product.
Whether you are looking for a dramatic look like, say, Amy Winehouse finish, or something of a finer finish. You need look no further than a felt tip eyeliner to create that perfect wing. Every time.
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What’s your favorite method for creating a perfect cat-eye? Something else? Comment below, or reach out and let me know! And if you have a friend that should read this article, go ahead and share it with them! It might be just the info they need to conquer that cat-eye liner fear!!!
Featured Image by Samanta Sokolova
