This article was originally published on InStyle.
Don’t get me wrong: I love a dramatic cat-eye look. But I’d be lying if I said that I had the patience to paint on a pair of wings everyday. So lately I’ve been relying on a quick and simple makeup-artist trick to define my eyes without a lot of work. I call it “invisible eyeliner.”
To do it, you need an eyeliner with a very small, skinny point (I like Tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea So Fine Micro Liner, $22; sephora.com). Once armed with my pen, I look in the mirror and use my finger to gently lift my eyelid.
Then I place the tip of the eyeliner below the roots of my eyelashes and dot in between the hairs. I’m essentially lining the upper water lines (taking care not to poke out my eye in the process). If I want a sultrier look, I’ll wiggle the tip a bit to distribute more ink.
If this is your first time trying this trick, I suggest doing it to just one eye. Then to your other eye, take your liner and line above your upper lashes the way you typically would. You’ll see a difference right away.
This trick produces definition without harsh lines. It also eliminates the pressure to draw two perfectly symmetrical lines (because doing that is so easy). Your lashes will look thicker and darker, and your eyes will appear more pronounced, but not covered in makeup.