Apparently, This Is the Best-Kept Secret to Unlocking Your Eyeliner's Potential

Is there a wrong way to use eyeliner? No, but there are endless ways to get the most out of your chosen product. Application processes may vary depending on the desired finished look, but it all begin with using an eyeliner brush. As a makeup-obsessed beauty editor who refuses to leave the house without a wing (even if it's barely visible to the human eye), I've spent more hours than I'd like to admit sifting through my makeup bag to find the right eyeliner brush for the look I'm hoping to create.

If you often find yourself in a similar position, this article may help you weed out the winners from the underperformers. To get a better idea of what to search for, I tapped celebrity makeup artist Carmindy—creator of the quick and easy 5 Minute Face and founder of Carmindy Beauty—for her tips and tricks on how to find your perfect eyeliner-brush match and reap all it has to offer.

Smoky eyeliner on content creator Tara Sears by makeup artist Judi Gabbay Braha.

(Image credit: @glossipgirl)

Shopping for Your Eyeliner Brush

A quick search online for the best eyeliner brushes reveals products of all shapes and sizes for specific uses, but unless you're a veteran beauty pro like Carmindy, knowing which ones will best serve your eyeliner goals can pose a challenge. "There are many types of liner brushes, and each creates a very different effect," she begins. "Some are for smudging. Others for sharp wings. Some apply powder or pot cream liner, and some are used for liquid liner or painting on little designs." She recommends practicing smart shopping by considering what you'd like for your eyeliner looks.

While shopping for eyeliner brushes to help create stunning makeup looks for her celebrity clientele, she keeps an eye out for eyeliner brushes that are either angled for applying precise wings or soft pointed brushes that can help her smudge pencils and powders. "It takes some practice, but after a while, [it] will be second nature," says Carmindy. She recommends pinpointing which eyeliner looks you want to achieve and then identifying the best products for the job. No matter how you go about applying your eyeliner, she warns agains hurrying through the application.

Perfecting Your Eyeliner Look

According to Carmindy, successfully creating a flawless eyeliner look is all about being smart about the products you use. "For a sharp wing, I like to use a flat angle brush and dip it into a pot cream [or] a wet powder. [I'll] even drag it over a pencil or liquid tip, then apply it along the upper lashes and flick it out at the ends," she tells me. Knowing when to pick up an angled brush and a flat brush could mean the difference between a flawless-looking wing and the dreaded raccoon eyes.

To achieve a smoky look, she suggests opting for a pointed shadow brush and the blending and buffing out the shadow to perfection. According to Carmindy, there's a way to fix any beauty blunder. "You can always use a concealer brush with a little concealer on it to clean up any mishaps or mistakes and make it perfect," she says. "Making mistakes is part of the learning process with any eyeliner brush, so don't let the fear of it stop you from experimenting with your look."

Carmindy's eyeliner brush of choice? Her brand's Dual Ended Eyeshadow Brush. "It's the perfect pointed soft blending eyeliner brush for smudging or softening liners. It's for a more natural effect. The other side has a perfect shadow blender," she explains. You may also find the right eyeliner brush in the most unexpected of places. In fact, her favorite angled brush is the Series 3050 Angular Shader from Princeton Artist Brush Co., which can also be used as a detail brush in watercolor, acrylic and gouache painting.

Below, I've pulled together an edit of the brushes designed specifically for use with eyeliners of all formulas from a number of my favorite brands.

The Best Eyeliner Brushes, Listed

Carmindy's Top Pick: Carmindy Beauty Dual Ended Eyeshadow Brush

Best Beginner-Friendly Option: Bobbi Brown Ultra Precise Eye Liner Brush

Best for Precise Angles: Shiseido Katana Fude Eye Lining Brush

Best for Tightlining: Anastasia Beverly Hills #3 Tapered Brush

Best for Waterline: Shiseido Yane Hake Precision Eye Brush

Best for All Eyeliner Formulas: MAC 212 Flat Definer Brush

Best for Multipurpose Use: Nars #26 Push Eyeliner Brush

Model Ingrid Medeiros wears a bronzed makeup like with winged eyeliner by makeup artist Judi Gabbay Braha.

(Image credit: @glossipgirl)

Best for Sharp Wings: Sigma Beauty E06 Winged Liner Brush

Best for Smoky Eyes: Laura Mercier Smoky Eye Liner Brush

Best for Blending: Hourglass No. 10 Angled Liner Brush

Best for Smudging: Charlotte Tilbury Eye Smudger Brush

Best Drugstore Option: E.l.f. Cosmetics Small Angled Brush

Best Luxury Option: Dior Backstage Eyeliner Brush No. 24

Best for Hooded Eyes: Laura Mercier Angled Eye Liner Brush

Best for On-the-Go Eye Looks: Half Magic Precision Eyeliner Brush

Maya Thomas
Assistant Beauty Editor
Maya Thomas is Who What Wear's assistant beauty editor based just outside of Seattle, Washington. Her strong love for all things beauty and fashion stems from a strong childhood interest in the fine arts. During a gap year spent in Paris studying the history of French fashion, she shifted her focus to English literature and journalism as a student at Loyola Marymount University with the goal of one day pursuing a career in fashion. After graduating in May 2021, Maya began freelancing for Parade.com as a contributing commerce writer while also building a following on her lifestyle blog, Itsmayalala.com. When she's not writing, Maya spends her free time catching up on reading, perusing art galleries, and enjoying a night out at the ballet every now and then.