If there's a look I love more than any other right now, it's a cleverly constructed and somewhat understated cat flick. There's something incredibly glamorous, retro and stylish about winged eyeliner that makes the wearer look uber chic with very little need to do anything else. A flick of black on the edge of the lash line can be worn with understated makeup or a powerful red lip, a simple pony or an extravagant offering of curls - it's universal and universally appealing. Although it's seen on every celebrity, blogger and it-girl going, the cat flick can be hard to create if you're not quite sure what you're doing… Here are five easy steps to have it perfected in no time at all.
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Get Your Tools Right
The majority of the battle, when it comes to a fab liner look, is in the product your using. Make sure you've shopped around and found a really great eyeliner that has a thin tip for precision, powerful pigment for pop and long-lasting staying power. Some of my favourites include Eyeko and Revlon, but you can see a full list of some popular products and how they perform in my blog post here.
Start In The Middle
It may seem an odd place to start, but drawing a line from the middle of your lid to the outer corner is a lot easier than drawing a line all the way along. If you draw on the colour stage by stage it's a lot less daunting and a lot more effective; complete the base line by drawing from the inner corner to the middle and blending the join.
Triangle It
The key to any retro liner look is the little winged section at the edge of your eye. You could opt for a subtle small one, a statement huge one or a slightly quirky double one, but they all start with a little triangle. Find a good angle from which to start, drawing upwards and away from the eye, and create a little 'V' shape or triangle that looks slightly wonky. This is the base of your look.
Fill It In
Colour in the 'V' shape, paying extra attention to where it hits the base of the line you've already created. Once these two elements join up you may want to go back over your mini triangle and create a slightly different angle or larger size - take everything in small, easy steps rather than trying to do too much at once as it'll make the world of difference.
Perfect and Balance
Now you've got your overall look you may want to go back over the shape you've created and blend your two sections together, using a thicker base line that grows as it reaches the edge of your eye. Make sure you balance both eyes as much as possible and ensure they look even, which is why it's also a great idea to do everything in small stages!
The key to creating a fab cat flick is time and practice - don't try to create the perfect look ten minutes before hitting the town, but put some time aside on a boring sunday afternoon to have a go first. Once you've become confident with the basics you can start creating more statement looks, integrating your flicks into smokey eyes or pairing them with a powerful red lip.
Are you a fan of retro winged liner? Will you be trying some of my tips?![]()
Get Your Tools Right
The majority of the battle, when it comes to a fab liner look, is in the product your using. Make sure you've shopped around and found a really great eyeliner that has a thin tip for precision, powerful pigment for pop and long-lasting staying power. Some of my favourites include Eyeko and Revlon, but you can see a full list of some popular products and how they perform in my blog post here.
Start In The Middle
It may seem an odd place to start, but drawing a line from the middle of your lid to the outer corner is a lot easier than drawing a line all the way along. If you draw on the colour stage by stage it's a lot less daunting and a lot more effective; complete the base line by drawing from the inner corner to the middle and blending the join.
Triangle It
The key to any retro liner look is the little winged section at the edge of your eye. You could opt for a subtle small one, a statement huge one or a slightly quirky double one, but they all start with a little triangle. Find a good angle from which to start, drawing upwards and away from the eye, and create a little 'V' shape or triangle that looks slightly wonky. This is the base of your look.
Fill It In
Colour in the 'V' shape, paying extra attention to where it hits the base of the line you've already created. Once these two elements join up you may want to go back over your mini triangle and create a slightly different angle or larger size - take everything in small, easy steps rather than trying to do too much at once as it'll make the world of difference.
Perfect and Balance
Now you've got your overall look you may want to go back over the shape you've created and blend your two sections together, using a thicker base line that grows as it reaches the edge of your eye. Make sure you balance both eyes as much as possible and ensure they look even, which is why it's also a great idea to do everything in small stages!
The key to creating a fab cat flick is time and practice - don't try to create the perfect look ten minutes before hitting the town, but put some time aside on a boring sunday afternoon to have a go first. Once you've become confident with the basics you can start creating more statement looks, integrating your flicks into smokey eyes or pairing them with a powerful red lip.
Are you a fan of retro winged liner? Will you be trying some of my tips?