Master the Cat Eye in 3 Easy Steps

Sure, it's a makeup trend that never goes out of style, but it's also intimidating to try. Good news is, the cat eye is actually easier than you think, as long as you know the right technique and a couple of pro tricks. By Marissa Oliva, REBDOOK.

"A little flick--extending your liner up and out slightly--makes your lashes look fuller and your eyes look larger and more lifted and youthful," says makeup artist Sonia Kashuk. And it doesn't have to be an extreme, over-the top fashionista look. "You can make the line intense or soft. A thinner cat eye gives a little definition and a pretty shape to the eye--and women of any age can pull it off."

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1. Curl your lashes. Not only does this open up your eyes, making them appear larger, it actually gives you a good guide for lining them. "When the outer lashes are curled upward, especially the outer corners, you can see where the line should naturally lift at the end to create that cat-eye effect," says Kashuk. Try Sephora Collection Eyelash Curler ($17).

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2. Use a light-colored eye pencil, like a pale taupe, to draw in your line first. Try Sephora Collection Nano Eyeliner in Pearl Beige ($5). "This establishes your guideline," says Kashuk. "Then you just trace over that pencil sketch with your dark liner-it's so much less stressful!" Work the pencil right at the base of the lashes, and use short strokes-as opposed to one continuous, heavy line-to go from the inner to outer corner of each lid.

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3. Liquid formulas can be tricky, especially for beginners. Kashuk prefers gel liners, like MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack ($16), which have stronger staying power and are easier to apply if you have the right brush. "Use a bent eyeliner brush, because the angle makes it so much easier to see where you're going" (she uses Sonia Kashuk Bent Eye Liner Brush #107 [$5.99]). Start from the inner corner of your top lid and, using short, light strokes, apply on top of the lighter pencil line you just made. Gently pull the lid taut at the outer corner to make it more likely you'll draw a straight, clean line.

Just before you reach the outside, extend the line slightly as you angle it up just a little bit, aiming toward the tips of the outermost lashes. "If your line turns out wobbly or messy, just clean it up with a Q-tip and some makeup remover and re-trace that part," says Kashuk. For a more dramatic, night-out effect, build the line up a little thicker. Finish with a coat or two of mascara, like CoverGirl LashBlast Clump Crusher Mascara ($6.89) on the upper lashes. And remember, practice makes purr-fect!


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