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Every so often the Vine is rocked by a new product, cosmetics line or makeup technique that drives our lemmings wild and has us running to the stores. Right now the current craze is "tightlining", a technique attributed to Laura Mercier and her cosmetics line.
Tightlining emphasizes your lashline, making it look like you have a very thick lash base. I have also heard this technique referred to as "invisible eyeliner". Your eyes gain emphasis without an obvious trace of makeup, which I find a plus for my small eyes as you get definition without needing a thicker line.
(Small, sad, no tightlined eye :( )
While you may decide to try other materials for tightlining, I would recommend the tools the Laura Mercier counters recommend: the #5 Flat Liner Brush, and a Laura Mercier cake liner.
The reason why I believe these two items are important are as follows: the liner brush is small and soft enough to get between your lashes and at the part where your lashes and 'membrane' meet (more on this later). Also, the cake liner becomes moist enough to "seep" into the lashes and really get the thicker base look going.
I have tried this with MAC fluidlines and a BE brush, but find the LM brush easier to work with. I haven't tried the LM brush with fluidlines, but believe a similar effect could be achieved.
Tightlining is something everyone can do, you just need to practice. I'll try my best to help you with the tips that I have learned. Here is what you will need:
Laura Mercier #5 Flat lining brush
Laura Mercier Cake Liner
Water (I use a small Evian spritzer)
Magnifying mirror (this helps alot!)
First lets look at where you will be placing your liner. Look into the magnifying mirror and place your finger right above your lashes and push back on your eye (similar to how you would do for putting on contacts. Your going to see the white of your eye, a pink line and then your lashes. The pink line is the 'membrane'- you're going to apply the liner right where the membrane and lashline meet, but pushing the brush into your lashes. I'm gonna call that motion "push and wiggle".
(Green arrow points to the magic line, right where your lashes sprout from)
Now that you know where to apply your liner, let's get to it!
Wet the bristles of your brush so they are sufficiently wet but not dripping. Get your cake liner and move the brush back and forth on the liner, wetting the product. The consistency is very important. If you see the shadow drying up quickly, you need more water on your bristles. The MA who told me how to tightline said the consistency of the liner should be almost like shoe polish. A tip to knowing when you have the right consistency is when you hear a squishy sound on the liner.
Ok, you're ready to go. Go to your magnifying mirror and pull back lightly on your eye to reveal that magic line (where the membrane and lashes meet, basically your lash base). Now your going to push the brush into that line and wiggle it with a bit more pressure, so the color goes into the lashes a bit.You will follow this procedure across the entire lashline.
Once you are done, check out the comparison between your newly "tightlined" eye, and your regular eye. You will notice a subtle, but gorgeous difference. If you want more definition you can re-tightline (again making sure your liner is the right consistency) to get a darker effect. I also find it very nice to use the same push and wiggle technique right where your lashes begin on the topside of your lid, making sure to keep the line thin. The line will look a bit thicker, but still not obvious.
Congratulations!
(The result)
(Comparison)
Hopefully this has helped you learn to tightline! Here are some extra tips:
-If you don't want to buy the Laura Mercier brush, try and find a thin (in width) brush that is flat across (wide) and at the top of the bristles. An angled eyeliner brush would not be ideal for tightlining. CVS Essence of Beauty makes great brushes, as does Sonia Kashuk (available in Target).
- Other brands such as MAC make cake liners, but see how a wet/dry eyeshadow from the drugstore works for you- the idea is the same.
Laura Mercier products can be purchased online at www.lauramercier.com. The brush retails for $25 USD and the cake liner retails for $20 USD.
(*Other makeup used on me: Almay Kinetin Concealer, Benefit LemonAid, Avon Brow Luxury Brow Pencil, Maybelline Brow Styling Gel)
L.Gutierrez 2005
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