Winged Liner

What it is

A winged liner extends the line along the lash line past the outer corner of the eye, angled slightly upward, to visually lift and elongate the eye shape. It's one of the most recognizable eyeliner techniques and also one of the most commonly asymmetric on a first attempt, since it depends on matching an angle across two eyes that aren't perfectly identical in shape.

How it works

The wing works as an extension of the eye's own natural lower lash line angle, rather than an arbitrary line drawn on top of it - following that existing angle rather than fighting it makes the wing look like a natural extension of the eye instead of a shape stuck onto it. Liquid or gel liner holds the crisp edge the wing depends on; softer pencil liner can be used but requires more careful, precise application since it doesn't hold a sharp line as easily.

How to do it

1. Line the lash line first, from the inner corner to the outer corner, before starting the wing itself.
2. Find the angle by visually extending a line from the lower lash line's angle past the outer corner - this becomes the wing's guide line.
3. Draw the wing's top edge along that guide, starting thin at the tip and thickening toward the lash line.
4. Connect the wing to the lash line, filling in the small triangle between the two so there's no gap.
5. Check both eyes from a distance, not just close to the mirror - symmetry is easier to judge from a few feet away than up close.

Adapting it

• For hooded eyes, draw the wing with your eyes open and looking straight ahead, so it stays visible when the hood drops. It can look like an odd, angular shape with your eyes closed (sometimes called a "bat wing"), but it reads as a clean wing when they're open.
• For a softer, everyday wing, draw a short flick with a pencil or gel liner and smudge it slightly with a small brush. Tightlining the upper lash line plus a small flick at the outer corner gives definition without a heavy line - see Eyeliner.
• For downturned eyes, start the wing slightly higher above the outer corner and angle it upward, and keep the outer part of the lower lash line free of liner so it doesn't pull the eye down.
• For mature eyes, a gel or soft pencil liner glides more evenly over crepey lid skin than liquid, which can skip. Keep the line thin and close to the lashes.

Common mistakes

• Making the wing too steep relative to the eye's natural angle, which can look disconnected from the rest of the liner.
• Drawing the wing before finishing the lash line, making it harder to judge proportion and connect the two smoothly.
• Chasing perfect symmetry stroke by stroke instead of stepping back periodically to compare both eyes as a whole.