In my twenties, my makeup bag was brimming with bold lipsticks, colorful mascaras, and glittery eyeshadows. These days, I've embraced my less is more era, slathering on tinted moisturizer, sweeping on black mascara, and filling in my brows before running out the door with my two kiddos in tow. If I have more than five minutes to spend on my face, liquid eyeliner is the first product I grab. It's my secret weapon for extending my natural lash line, but it takes precision and patience to get just right. I've finally found the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner ($24) which gives me a flawless and subtle cat eye every time on the first try, which means I can reach for it even on rushed mornings.
While liquid eyeliner is usually associated with dramatic, '60s era cat eyes, the ultra-thin marker-like tip on this product makes it easy to draw a superthin line. I love how it subtly enhances my eyes without making me feel like I have a ton of eye makeup on for school drop off. As someone who prefers a natural look, I was worried that the Intense Black color might be a little too intense, but I think it's the perfect pop. Applicator
As an absent-minded eye rubber, I've given up on pencil eyeliners, which end up everywhere and never have a thin enough tip. With this eyeliner, the line I draw looks exactly the same from the minute I apply it until I wash my face at night. I can snuggle with my toddler, get a workout in, and live my life without looking like the lead in a horror film at the end of the day.
Before you apply the liner, give it a good shake with the lid on to make sure the tip is nice and juicy. Gently stretch the upper corner of your eye to get a smooth surface so that your line doesn't bleed. Apply the liner as close to the lashes as possible. To avoid gaps between the lashes and liner, it helps to apply the liner into the lashes, using small feathery strokes.
Skincare This liquid eyeliner is especially great for wing and cat-eye novices because of how easy it is to apply. The thin tip also makes it a good option for anyone who prefers a natural look, though you can also get a bolder look by angling the tip and going back over your line to add thickness and shape. While it will stay put through the day without smudging, I was also able to get it off with a cleansing balm at night instead of having to use waterproof eye-makeup remover. If you're experimenting with a bolder line or just getting used to liquid eyeliner, you'll want to have some makeup remover and a Q-tip on hand when applying.