The Ten Commandments - Eyeliner for beginners

Maria Callas - queen of theatrical winged liner

A few months back I posted my ten commandments for perfect foundation, inspired by the countless women I see on a daily basis dancing the "tangerine tango" with an unsuitable foundation partner....

This time my mission is eyeliner. I don't know how many this post will reach, but I'm hoping that even if it changes the way one single woman wears liner then I could go to bed feeling I'd have achieved something, sleeping soundly in the knowledge that there is one less soul walking about sporting the kind of liner that scares small children and puppies......and me.

Don't scare me, please....blend your eyeliner and I'll let you stroke me....

Make-up gets a really bad rap. When it's applied badly it's really, really bad, and gives rise to the myth that make-up looks cheap, theatrical, comical, fake and obvious. Men (and women) who say they 'don't like women who wear make-up' don't actually mean it, what they mean is they don't like make-up which screams

 "LOOK AT MY FOUNDATION, ISN'T IT LOVELY AND THICK? AND WHAT ABOUT MY RED LIPSTICK? ALL COLOURFUL AND GLOOPY AND NICELY LINED IN A DARK PLUM LINER WHICH IS 3 MM OUTSIDE OF MY LIP LINE.... AND MY EYELINER? DON'T YOU JUST LOOOOOVE THE WAY I'VE DRAWN TWO BLACK RINGS ROUND MY EYES, NOW THEY'RE DEFINED, YOU SEE...."

No no. Even with all the advances being made in the make-up industry this is still the negative impression that many have. Technically there is no reason for anyone to be wearing their make-up like this anymore, not with micro-fine powders, imperceptible foundations and smooth, blendable shadows and pencils. But somehow they still manage it.

So, back to the liner. If there is ONE look that I would love to see banished from the face of the earth for ever and ever and ever it's the 'two black rings around the eyes':

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Do I even need to explain why? Suffice to say that this works only on men in theatrical shows and even then only from a distance. Why? Because it's harsh and masculine and defines the eyes without making them look like women. So apart from it's use as 'guyliner' this look does not flatter anyone.

Even Captain Jack Sparrow smudges his liner....

So, without further ado, here are my commandments:

1. Thou shalt not ringeth thine eyes in the manner of a panda.
2. If thy hath ignored this rule and rung thine eyes like a panda, then thy must at least smudge the liner to soften thy gaze. Fingers worketh well if thy hath no brush.
3. Knoweth that black or brown smudged/blended liner is indeed encouraged on the top lash line only. This suiteth many a fair dame. 
4. Lineth not the bottom lash line if youth be not on your side - this ages thy fair face and pulls down thine eyes. 
5. Attempt not the winged line without previous practice especially if thou art not familiar with liners of liquid or gel. YouTube tutorials will be thy friend in this.
6. Winged liner in un-blended pencil is not advised, it is strange and unbecoming.
7. Thou must NEVER apply liquid liner to thy bottom lash line.
8. Thou shalt consider using dark eyeshadow to define thy eyes. A fine or slanted brush will aide you on this route to prettiness.
9. For instant prettiness without garishness thou shalt consider pressing thy liner as close to thy lashes as possible, thereby defining thy lash line without creating harsh lines.
10. If thou art not at ease with liner then better to leave it be. Thy face will thank you for it. And many puppies and small children too. 

And.... breathe.... Now that's off my chest. I feel better now, thank you for asking

PS: A final note on the 'Kate Middleton eye' because in many ways she breaks the 'rules'. Kate has youth and natural fine looks on her side, which means that even though she's a fan of the 'panda ring' she gets away with it by making sure that the line, although strong, is still blended.

The fact that she is young also helps, although she would appear far younger and fresh-faced without the black rimming the entire eye. In my humblest of opinions I think there are far more flattering ways for her to wear her eye make-up which would turn her from pretty to knockout.... what do you think?