Flick it, wing it, line it.

Giambattista Valli Ready-To-Wear Autumn/Winter 2010-11

One of the few things im petrified of in this world is walking outside without eyeliner. I walk the streets of Melbourne and London constantly wishing this person and that would just chuck a bit of liner on. I mean I dont necessarily believe that you need chunks of the stuff on, just a sublte soft smudged line is ok. If you have some balls though, go for gold. Your eye is your oyster- line the thing!

From a simple lined edge with a khol (MAC Smolder is amazing..), which can be smudged and feathered out for a soft, rocky edge; to a strong winged eye using a gel (MACs Blacktrack fluidline with the 210 or 266 brush..) you can literally create anything!

I know some look at their pencil and think one of two things:

1. When i use it, i look like ive been punched in the face.

2. I wont use it, cos where the hell do i apply it!

Well, here i am! Im gonna tell you.

Almond eyes: look, we all wish we had this eye. and if u have it- we hate you. you can wing that eye out, smudge it and rock it and itll look incredible. Do anything- I dare you!

Round eyes: you want to elongate the eye and draw it out.. rather than making it look like a big round circle when lined. Start the liner on the top, 1/3 in, where the lashes start, in a thin line, and as you reach the outter edge go thicker. Underneath- only smudge the khol softly into the last 1/3.

Small eyes: use very little kids! the whole idea of putting something dark on your face is to take it back. And when you put something light on it, itll bring it forward (eg. thats why you look skinnier in black and with a tan.. and your cheek bones look lovely with some highlighter on them). Get a small brush, such as MAC's #228 brush, brush it over the end of your khol, and then use the brush to deposit the colour between your outter bottom lashes. Then using the same brush, get a warmer eyeshadow and blend that over the top..

Heavy lid or browbone: Thin top liner (using a hard wearing product, as not to allow the heavy lid to transfer product to the top of your eye) and flick it slightly towards the outer edge. Only a small flick though!

If your not too sure where to place your flick and how long to do it.. open your eye before applying. Analyse how your lashes flick on the outside egde. Pick a spot where the lash would end and place your brush or pencil and draw back down to the line you have created. The whole effect should look like the liner is a continuation of your eyelashes..

At the end of the day, its just a matter of practice!

For those wanting a bit more of a challenging look on the eye, and keeping up with eye trends now- be edgy with it. Above at Giambatista Valli's show, the liner is very bat-winged-esk and two toned. Awesome.

Other shows for A/W 2010 that had amazing lined eyes were Nathen Jenden (also keeping in trend of contrasts), Zac Posen, Threeasfour and Jeremy Scott (my fav.)

Be inspired! x