Types of eyeliner, explained

Eyes · visual index · formulas + styles

'Eyeliner' is a whole category — a pencil and a liquid pen do completely different things, and a tightline and a graphic wing aren't the same skill. Knowing the formulas and the styles by name is what lets you read any tutorial and pick the right one for the look. Here's the visual map of both.

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The formulas

What you hold decides the finish and the difficulty.

Pencil / kohl: The most forgiving — smudge-able, soft, great for the waterline and a smoky line. Set it with shadow to last.
Gel (pot + brush): The pro sweet spot: brush control with liquid payoff. Best for a precise but rich line.
Liquid brush: The sharpest, most graphic finish — and the least forgiving. For crisp wings and graphic looks.
Felt-tip pen: The easiest liquid to control — a marker-like tip for a clean line and beginner-friendly wings.

Flat-lay of eyeliner formulas: a kohl pencil, a gel pot with brush, a liquid brush liner and a felt-tip pen

The styles worth naming

Learn these and you can follow any eye tutorial.

A tightlined upper waterline for subtle definition

Which style, when

Everyday definition: Tightline the upper waterline, or a thin line along the lashes — invisible-but-there.
Lifted / dressy: A classic or cat-eye wing lifts the eye; go thicker for evening.
Soft / smoky: A smudged pencil line, blended with a brush — pairs with smoky eyes.
Statement: Graphic or floating liner — drawn-on shapes for a fashion-forward look.

Pro tips for choosing (and using) liner

How to get more out of whatever formula you hold.

Set a pencil so it lasts: Press a matching powder shadow over a pencil line — it stops the smudge-and-transfer that pencils are prone to.
Tightline for invisible definition: Darkening the upper waterline makes lashes look fuller and denser with no visible line — the everyday cheat.
Warm the gel, prime the lid: Gel liners glide better slightly warm; a primed lid keeps any formula from creasing or transferring.
Match the tool to the goal: Felt-tip for an easy sharp line, gel for control-plus-payoff, pencil for soft/smoky, liquid brush for graphic precision.

Eyeliner myths, busted

The rumours that limit your liner.

"Liner on the lower lash line makes eyes bigger.": A full dark lower line often closes eyes in. A nude/white waterline opens them; smudge only the outer third for definition.
"You must line all the way to the inner corner.": Starting the line at the outer half (thin, building outward) is more flattering on most eyes and looks less harsh.
"Black is the most flattering for everyone.": Brown, plum or navy can flatter softer colouring more, and a colored liner can make your iris pop where black just reads heavy.

Black isn't the only liner

True black is the default, but brown, plum, navy or a colored liner can flatter more depending on your contrast level and eye colour — a colored line can make your iris pop where black just reads heavy.

siOsi reads your colouring from one selfie, free, and names your season — so you know whether your signature liner should be black, soft brown, or a colour that lifts your eyes.

Free color analysis Skin type quiz

Watch it done

A few of our favourite video walk-throughs for this look, from makeup artists on YouTube.

9 different eyeliner styles

Smitha Deepak

The only eyeliner tutorial you need

KALI LEDGER

Trying different styles of eyeliner

Leah Halton

Answered

What are the different types of eyeliner?

By formula: pencil/kohl (soft, forgiving, great for the waterline), gel (brush control with rich payoff), liquid brush (sharpest, most graphic), and felt-tip pen (easiest liquid to control). By style: classic wing, cat-eye, tightline, smoked/smudged, graphic/floating liner, and lower-lash definition.

Which type of eyeliner is best for beginners?

A pencil (most forgiving and smudge-able) or a felt-tip liquid pen (easy to control like a marker). Gel with an angled brush gives great control once you have the basics. Liquid brush liners give the sharpest lines but are the least forgiving.

What is tightlining?

Tightlining is applying eyeliner to the upper waterline (the rim right at the base of the upper lashes) rather than on top of the lid. It defines the lashes and makes them look fuller and darker without a visible line — ideal for subtle, everyday definition and for hooded eyes.

What eyeliner colour should I wear?

Black is boldest, but brown, plum or navy can flatter more depending on your colouring — a colored liner can also make your eye colour pop. Softer or lighter colouring often looks more natural in brown; high-contrast colouring carries true black well. siOsi can identify your season from a selfie to guide the choice.

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