Perfecting your eye makeup game is essential to achieving a flawless, complete makeup look.
Eyeshadow and eyeliner are two essential eye makeup products that can transform your makeup from simple & natural to bold & eye-catching.
The thing about eyeliner and eyeshadow is if done right, they look great at enhancing your look. Done wrong, however, they can make your makeup look messy and unnatural.
If you're new to the makeup world, it can seem terrifying branching out & trying new products like eyeshadow & eyeliner. But trust me, with plenty of practice, you'll be able to achieve a perfect eye makeup look in no time.
That's why in this article, we'll cover the differences between eyeliner vs eyeshadow, whether you should use eyeshadow or eyeliner first, and so much more!
Eyeliner vs Eyeshadow: What’s the Difference?
Eyeliner and eyeshadow are two different types of eye makeup products that can be used to enhance your natural eye shape and color.
Eyeliner, as the name suggests, works to line and shape the eye to achieve a desired look.
Meanwhile, eyeshadow adds colors to the eyelids to make your eyes pop.
While there is only one main consistency of eyeshadow (powder), there are multiple consistencies of eyeliner from gel eyeliner, liquid eyeliner, and pencil eyeliner.
The great thing about eyeshadow is its 1) easy to use and 2) blendable. So, if you make a mistake with eyeshadow, it's rather easy to fix/ blend in.
However, eyeliner is a whole different story.
Eyeliner is rather difficult to apply. Plus, it's more difficult to hide your mistakes if you mess up your eyeliner.
But, fear not, just because eyeliner may be difficult to apply doesn't mean it's not worth trying to learn how to practice & perfect.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about eyeliner vs eyeshadow!
What is Eyeliner
Eyeliner helps enhance and define your eyes by applying along the lash line to make your eyes pop.
How you apply your eyeliner will determine the overall look you're going for.
From a winged liner look, to a natural liner look, to a cat eyeliner look, and more, there's so many ways you can apply your eyeliner to achieve a certain look.
While black eyeliner is popular, there are all sorts of colored eyeliners available to create a unique eye makeup look.
Different Types of Eyeliner
There are different types of eyeliners that can impact your overall look plus how to use them/ how easy they are to apply.
The four main types of eyeliner are:
1. Gel Eyeliner: Gel eyeliner uses a brush to precisely apply the product. Gel eyeliner is a great waterproof eyeliner pick!
2. Cream Eyeliner: Cream eyeliners are made for smudging and perfect for creating a smokey eye look.
3. Liquid Eyeliner: Liquid eyeliner provides an intense, dramatic look which is perfect for achieving a cat-eye look. But... be warned that while liquid eyeliner is one of the best types of eyeliner, it's also one of the trickiest to master.
4. Pencil Eyeliner: Pencil eyeliner is the easiest to use and provides a more subtle, natural look. The consistency is similar to a cream eyeliner and the pencil makes it easy to apply the product.
How to Apply Eyeliner
Eyeliner can be tricky to master, that's why it's important to practice & take your time when applying eyeliner.
If you're brand-new to eyeliner, consider starting with a pencil eyeliner as it's arguably the easiest eyeliner type to work with.
To apply eyeliner, follow these steps:
Step 1: Apply Eyeliner to Upper Lid: Draw a thin line from the outer corner of your eye inwards towards the inner corner of your eye. Always keep your eyeliner as close to the lash line as possible.
Step 2: Apply Eyeliner to Lower Lid: Like the above step, draw a line from the outer corner inwards, stopping a little past halfway from the inner corner of the eye. Fully lining your lower lid will make your eyes look small (which we don't want!).
Step 3: Connect: Connect the lines of the eyeliner from the lower and upper lip at the outer corner of your eye.
Step 4: Winged Look (Optional): Draw a line upwards from the outer corner of your eye to your desired length. Be sure to use your lower lash line as a guide when drawing your winged eyeliner.
Eyeliner Tips and Tricks
Eyeliner can be difficult to apply! However, with plenty of practice & patience, you'll become a pro in no time!
Here are a few pointers to keep in mind when applying your eyeliner:
- Apply Your Makeup In the Right Order: When applying your eye makeup, apply your eyeshadow first, then your eyeliner, then your mascara. This will prevent your eyeliner from smudging.
- Draw Dots or Lines and Connect Them: Consider drawing small dots or lines along your lash line and then connecting them to complete your eyeliner look.
- Start with a Pencil Eyeliner: A pencil eyeliner is the easiest type of eyeliner to use. Start with this & work your way up as you become more comfortable applying eyeliner.
- Have Q-Tips & Eye Makeup Remover Nearby: Keep q-tips and eye makeup remover closeby so you can clean up any mistakes along the way, or completely start over if you need to!
What is Eyeshadow
Eyeshadow is a pigmented powder eye makeup product used to draw attention to the eyes.
Whether you are looking to give your eyes a pop of color, or create a more neutral smokey eye look, eyeshadow is a great way to tie your look together.
Eyeshadow is applied to the eyelids and essentially adds dimension to complement the eyes.
While there are several different consistencies of eyeshadow (liquid, cream, mousse), powder eyeshadow is by far the most common form.
There are also many different kinds of eyeshadow looks. Some common eyeshadow looks include:
- Cut crease
- Natural
- Smokey
- Halo
- Shimmery
As you can see, eyeshadow is a versatile eye makeup product. Not to mention, eyeshadow can even be used as a form of eyeliner.
This hack will be discussed later in the article!
How to Apply Eyeshadow
Depending on the type of eyeshadow look you are going for will impact the exact steps you'll use to apply your eyeshadow.
In this case, will keep things nice & simple and provide steps for a more simpler eyeshadow look.
Here's how to apply eyeshadow:
1. Prime Your Eyes: Apply eye primer on your eyelids. Eye primer will help keep the eyeshadow from fading.
2. Start with Your Base: Using a small fluffy makeup blending brush, pick you're "base" color and sweep the product evenly across your entire eyelid.
Of note: Many eyeshadow looks use at least 3-4 complementary colors. The base color is a neutral tone, followed by a slightly darker medium color along the crease of your lid, a darker shade at the outer corner, and lastly a light color or highlighter on the inner corner of the eye.
3. Define Your Crease: Next, move on to your slightly darker, or medium toned color and apply this along the crease of your eyelid. This will add some definition to your eyes and make your eyes appear bigger.
4. Darken Outer Corner of Eye (Optional): For a more dramatic eyeshadow look, consider applying a small amount of an even darker shade of eyeshadow to your outer corner of your eyelid, making sure to blend in with your other two shades applied in the previous steps.
5. Blend: Blending is critical when it comes to eyeshadow. Whether you opt to use 2,3, or 4+ shades, it's essential you blend the shades together to look natural and effortless.
6. Highlighter: To make your eyes pop, apply either a light shade of eyeshadow or use your highlighter to apply to the inner corner of your eye. You can also put a small amount of highlighter on the middle of your eyelid to brighten up & draw even more attention to your eyes.
Eyeshadow Tips and Tricks
Eyeshadow without a doubt is much easier to master than eyeliner.
That being said, if you're just starting out, it can be tricky understanding the do's and don'ts when it comes to applying eyeshadow.
Here are some top eyeshadow tips and tricks to keep in mind:
- Blend, Blend, and Blend Some More: Blending is an essential part of applying eyeshadow. This will help make your eyeshadow naturally enhance your look, rather than looking messy & unnatural.
- Highlighter (a little goes a long way!): Highlighter can be a great way to bring out your eyes. However, if you decide to apply to both your inner corner and center of your eyelid, be sure to use only a small amount. Otherwise, too much highlighter will just make your eyes look extremely shimmery all over.
- Use Eyeshadow As Eyeliner: A clever eyeliner hack is using a dark eyeshadow color and using that to create your eyeliner look.
Read on to find out how to use eyeshadow as eyeliner!
How to Use Eyeshadow as Eyeliner
Yes, the hack you've been waiting for.... you can use eyeshadow as eyeliner!
This is truly a game-changer, especially for those who struggle to apply eyeliner no matter how much you practice.
To apply eyeshadow as eyeliner, you'll first need an angled brush that has thin bristles that are precise (not a fluffy brush!).
This eyeliner brush by Essence is perfect and gives you the precise lines you need to achieve a clean eyeliner look!
Using this eyeliner brush, follow the below steps on how to apply eyeshadow as eyeliner:
Step 1: Add Dark Eyeshadow to Brush: Using your angled eyeliner brush, dab the brush into your dark eyeshadow, and then tap the brush to remove any excess on the brush.
Step 2: Dab Product Along Lash Line: Apply the dark eyeshadow along your lash line. If you want to do a winged look, dab the product at an angle upwards, making sure you use your lower lash line as a guide.
Step 3: Continue Getting More Product & Applying: To make your eyeliner look more pronounced and noticeable, you'll have to get more product and keep reapplying over your work to darken the lash line.
Step 4: Use Your Finger Nail to Clean Up the Edge (Optional): If you chose to go for a winged liner look, use your finger nail to clean up the edge of the wing to make it look more clean & precise.
It may take a couple times to perfect this eyeshadow/ eyeliner hack, but trust me, it's a game-changer, especially if you're struggling using regular eyeliner.
If you're still stuck on how to apply eyeliner (whether it be with using eyeshadow or using an eyeliner pencil), here's a great eyeshadow eyeliner tutorial.
Eyeshadow Eyeliner Tutorial
how to: WINGED LINER- pencil, eyeshadow, & liquid methods for the perfect wing
Should You Apply Eyeshadow or Eyeliner First?
You should apply eyeshadow first, followed by eyeliner, then mascara.
This is because if you apply eyeliner first, you risk smudging the eyeliner when you go to apply your eyeshadow.
So, to keep your eyeliner looking clean & precise, always apply your eyeshadow first, then eyeliner.
Final Thoughts: Eyeliner vs Eyeshadow
Now you know everything you need to know about the difference between eyeliner vs eyeshadow.
While both are very different eye makeup products, both work great together to make your eyes pop.
Neither eyeliner or eyeshadow is better or worse than the other because each do entirely different things to enhance your eyes.
Eyeliner works to define and sharpen the eyes, while eyeshadow works to add a pop of color and dimension to your eyes.
All in all, both eyeliner and eyeshadow are each great eye makeup products that you should consider incorporating into your makeup routine (if you aren't already!).
FAQs
Can I wear eyeliner and eyeshadow at the same time?
Yes, you can wear eyeliner and eyeshadow at the same time. You can also wear either just eyeliner by itself or just eyeshadow by itself.
If you decide to wear both eyeliner and eyeshadow at the same time, be sure to apply your eyeshadow first, then your eyeliner.
Do you apply eyeliner or mascara first?
You should always apply your eyeliner first, then your mascara. This will ensure your mascara doesn't smudge and flake when you are trying to apply your eyeliner.
Is eyeliner or eyeshadow better?
Eyeliner and eyeshadow are two entirely different products. Therefore, you cannot really compare eyeliner vs eyeshadow as better or worse than the other.
That being said, eyeshadow is arguably more versatile in that you can use eyeshadow regularly or you can use eyeshadow as eyeliner.
Should beginners use liquid or pencil eyeliner?
Beginners should definitely use pencil eyeliner to start. Pencil eyeliner is easier to handle and is lighter so if you make a mistake, it's easier to fix than with liquid eyeliner.
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