As beauty editors, we have a wealth of industry knowledge, and we'll be sharing it all in Beauty School, a series that provides step-by-step tutorials, beauty and wellness tricks, unfiltered product recs, and more to help you look and feel your best. You can expect tons of valuable tips, occasional oversharing, and absolutely no gatekeeping—ever. Beauty school is approachable, informative, and welcoming to all, so let’s go.
The eyes are the window to the soul, which makes them one of our most interesting features. I already know you have gorgeous eyes, dear reader, and if you want to play them up, I need to put you on to a seriously underrated makeup product that will make your eyes look bright, open, and mesmerizing AF. For the first edition of Beauty School, I'm going to teach you how to use this product like a pro. Feel free to blame me when someone says they literally get lost in your eyes, because it's going to happen, like, a lot.
The magical item in question is white eyeliner—yes, white. Lady Gaga famously lines her waterline with a matte white hue to make her eyes pop onstage and on the red carpet. And I'm with her—it's truly the key to getting those Bambi eyes quickly and effortlessly. Siren eyes and fox eyes are cool and all, but IMO, a doe-eyed look is more wearable every day and doesn't require that level of precision. (And honestly, who has the time or patience for winged liner every morning?)
Time for my favorite part! The liner that I reach for is the Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner ($34) in Linen. I've tried a bunch of eyeliners, and this is easily the best one in all categories. The soft, creamy pencil has vivid color payoff, a super-smooth application, and all-day longevity. Plus, it's made with clean ingredients such as vitamin B5, vitamin E, and silica pearl, so it won't irritate sensitive eyes.
Now, how do we use this product? Here's the full breakdown:
First, apply it on the waterline, concentrating the pigment on the outer waterline and gradually fading it inwards. This tip is key to making the liner look natural and not too harsh, which is where a lot of people go wrong with white liner. You can build it up if you're doing a full-glam look or keep it super natural, which you'll see below.
Next, apply the product on the inner corners of your eyes in a sort of sideways V shape, and then blend it out with the liner's sponge tip.
And for a quick one-minute fix for brighter eyes, apply it very lightly on the outer waterline and inner corner. Boom—doll eyes in two seconds.
Bonus Points
And because I love you so much and just have to share, here are a few more of my tricks for pretty eyes no matter your eye color or shape.
Curl your lashes: Curling your lashes makes such a big difference! You can just curl them and go, or apply a lengthening mascara for an extra-fluttery effect. I've tried countless mascaras, and my personal favorites are Refy's Lash Sculpt ($26) and Essence Lash Princess ($5).
Contour your lids: You only need three colors to add serious depth to your eyes. Apply a light shade to the center of your lid, inner corner, and brow bone; a medium shade in the crease and lower lashline; and the darkest shade in the outer crease. Then blend it all out, and you're good to go!
Complementary colors: This one is pretty self-explanatory, but wear the eye shadow colors that best complement your eyes. If you have blue eyes like I do, glistening gold and green shades will make them stand out. Beautiful brown eyes look divine with bronzy espresso and periwinkle hues. And if you have gorgeous hazel eyes, go for amethyst and mauve tones.
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