One makeup look we just can’t get enough of is a classic vampy eye. You know the style – sultry, sexy eye makeup with black eyeliner that extends just past the end of your eye, making a curved tip. This is known as wing tip eyeliner (or winged eyeliner), and it’s a seriously badass look.

So what is the purpose of winged eyeliner? Well, this style is popular because it creates the illusion of larger eyes and can create symmetry, drawing attention to your gorgeous peepers. However, as anyone who’s ever attempted it knows, getting it right can be hella tricky. Soooo… How do you do wing tip eyeliner without ending up looking like a raccoon?

We’ve all been there – but hope is not lost! Here’s our guide to mastering winged eyeliner, even if you’ve never tried it before.

How to do winged eyeliner

Ok, so how the hell do I get started? First, you’ll want a clean, makeup-free face, giving you a fresh canvas to practice on. When learning the basics, all you really need is your fave eyeliner, but once you’ve mastered the technique, you can combine it with mascara and eyeshadow to make your eyes pop.

Here’s our step-by-step guide to winged eyeliner for beginners.

1. Use liner to make a line above your top lashes

Using your eyeliner (either pencil or liquid, though liquid works a little better), start by making a line across your top lashes, just as you would when applying regular eyeliner. Go slow and get as close as you can to your lash line, without poking yourself in the eye (it’s tough, we know).

Extend the line just past your lashes, depending on how dramatic you want your winged tip to be.

2. Make another line on the outer curve of your eye

Next, use your eyeliner to make another line, curving outwards from the curve of your eye. Essentially, you want to make two lines extending outward, from the top and bottom of the corner of your eye – it should look like the outline of a triangle.

Image by Matt Moloney on Unsplash: Once you get the hang of wing tip eyeliner, you can create so many sexy looks.

3. Fill in the gaps between both lines

Using your eyeliner, fill in the gaps between both lines (the triangle shape). You should now start to see the wing tip look when you look in the mirror, creating a gorgeous curve upwards from the edge of each eye.

Be easy on yourself here – no one is going to nail it on their first attempt!

4. Smooth out any uneven bits

Using your eyeliner, fill in any uneven bits and make sure your lines are smooth and consistent. If any eyeliner has gotten into the wrong place, a bit of makeup remover on a Q-tip can help you clean up your look without having to start over.

5. Finish with mascara

Many babes love to finish off the winged tip look with a heavy coat of mascara, as it really gives you a sexy, dark and mysterious look, ideal for a night out.

However, you do you! There’s no right or wrong way to finish off your look, so experiment and find out what you like. You can even play around with colored eyeliners, if you want to create a wing tip look in a hue other than black.

Our top tips for perfect winged liner

Learn from our mistakes! Here are a few top tips for nailing the look…

Take your time, girl

Seriously, makeup is all about patience. If you try to rush through the application, you’re likely to make mistakes and end up feeling frustrated.

We know patience is a virtue, but really try to take your time and go slow when doing your eyeliner – you’ll get better results, we promise!

Rome wasn’t built in a day – and neither are your liner skills

Practice makes perfect. We know you just want to look fab and head out the door, but makeup application takes time to get right. After a few attempts, you’ll notice your winged tip is looking more dramatic and less like a messy blob of makeup, so keep practicing until you’re loving your vibe.

Two words: Tape. Hack.

Okay, here’s an amazing way to cheat your way to better winged eyes: using tape (or a paper card) angled beside your eye when creating your winged tip. This can help you be more precise in your application, ensuring the eyeliner goes where you want it to.

Hold the card at the desired angle with one hand while you apply the eyeliner with the other. If you do use tape, be super careful to avoid damaging your skin with adhesive.

Image by Andreas Fenix on Pexels: Once you learn how to do winged eyeliner, you’ll get much faster at it, we promise!

Keep makeup remover nearby

A quality makeup remover is your friend when practicing with eyeliner. It will easily smudge and leave dark marks on your face if you only cleanse with water, so makeup remover or wipes make it easy to rub the slate clean and start over.

What is the best eyeliner to use for winged eyes?

Ready to get started? It’s time to pick your weapon. And by that we mean your eyeliner. There are a gazillion choices out there, but here’s where to start!

Many babes new to eyeliner find it easiest to start with a pencil or liquid eyeliner pen, since they’re designed to roll on smoothly without smudging. Check out products like Eyeko Black Magic Liquid Eyeliner, EM Cosmetics’ All Day Wear Felt Tip Illustrative Eyeliner, or the Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen from Clinique.

For eyeliner pencils, check out the Flypencil Longwear Pencil Eyeliner by Fenty Beauty (one of our fave Black-owned beauty companies), or Burt's Bees Defining Retractable Eyeliner. Of course, we always try to shop for eco-friendly makeup brands, as it feels good to know your purchases are helping the planet.

With these tips, we bet you’ll be smashing the wing tip eyeliner look in no time at all! We love the creativity and artistry that makeup can bring into our lives, so we can’t wait to see your beautiful smoldering eyes – have fun and embrace the awesome wing tip eyeliner trend!

Feature image by Artem Labunsky on Unsplash