Tag Archives: beauty how-to

I’ve been obsessed with the idea of the ’60s-inspired kitten liquid lined eye. It’s basically a more subtle version of the cat eyeliner look (a look that reader Katie said she wanted to learn how to create) — it simply has a shorter winged out tail. More of a flick at the ends, really. I think the kitten version is a little more modern, playful and flirty. So, I caught up with New York City-based makeup artist Raychel Wade to have her explain how to create the coveted look with as little effort as possible.

What you need: “A lot of people think that traditional liquid liner is what you should use for a cat eye. But, I find that the brush it comes with is sometimes not perfect or the product itself is a little too, well, liquid. For a winged liner [look, I] always use a gel liner in a pot (usually Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, $22) and a fine pointed brush (like MAC 209 Eye Liner Brush, $18),” says Wade.

Step 1: “My personal little trick is to start the line in the center of your eye and then work your way out,” says Wade.

Step 2: Next, line from your inner corner to the middle of your eye — until your lines meet in the middle. “Make sure that the line is the thinest in the inner corner and gets thicker as you go out, she says.

Step 3: Once your initial line is drawn from inner to outer corners, “go back and thicken it at the ends [a bit] to give the winged effect”, says Wade. In order to keep the look more kitten than cat, only add a “little flick” at your outer corners to “give the eyes some lift,” she says.

Step 4: Clean up mishaps or too thick lines by using a Q-Tip dipped in a bit of makeup remover. Wade prefers them for “sharpening the edges and erasing mistakes,” she says.

Step 5: When your line is to your liking, apply concealer around your eyes to help clean up the area and allow the makeup to stand out.

One warning: If your eyes droop down at the outer corners, you’ll want to keep your winged ends short — don’t take them past the outer corners of your eyes or else you won’t be able to see them, says Wade.

Do you have a beauty question you’d like me to ask an expert about? Tell me about it by commenting on this post.