Eyeliner and mascara are both great for enhancing the shape of your eyes - a little bit of product can do wonders!

But have you ever hesitated to decide which product to choose? 

If you had to choose just one and are a makeup minimalist or just have an extremely hectic schedule and are looking for options in the early a.m., here are some ways to apply each along with tips and tricks to help you narrow down your choices!

Mascara is a must for just opening up the eyes and gives your eyes an instant lift - think of mascara like a push up bra for your eyes!  It can even be worn alone. Plus, when you’re in a pinch, it can double up as an eyeliner - just smudge a bit on your lower lashline with a smudger brush or even a q-tip! You can also use it on brows to fill in any sparse areas and tame them down. Eyeliner is very hard to pull off alone - unless you’re genetically blessed with thick, dark lashes! Mascara can give a very wide awake and youthful look - never skip it when wearing eye makeup. Some drugstore faves are L’Oreal Voluminous and Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies Mascara.

Eyeliner on the upper lashline is to give the effect of a thicker and darker lashline. So again, if you’re blessed with dark, thick lashes, you may even want to skip this step. Eyeliner also closes off the eyes, so if you have small or deep set eyes, be careful on how you apply your liner.

Liquid, gel, cream or felt tip pen liner can be applied to the upper lashline to change or emphasize the natural shape of your eyes. Once you’re familiar with your eye shape, it’s time to master the technique. For example, here’s how to apply eyeliner for hooded eyes.

Kajal or pencil liner can be worn on the upper and lower waterline as well as the bottom lashline to give the effect of thicker and fuller lashes when it is in a darker shade. If you have naturally big, prominent or round eyes and don’t have a lot of lashes, this is a must. It will emphasize your eyes and give a smokey yet defined effect. If you have smaller eyes, you want to apply less eyeliner or apply it strategically.

Now, comes the fun part, color! You can see how playing with just 2 colors, black and white, you can create a retro glam feline look that’s classic yet timeless. Nude or beige liner is great for daytime and to open up the eyes and give the illusion of brighter and larger eyes. If you have larger eyes, you may want to try darker shades. Or if you’re feeling whimsical, you can try colored liner, glitter or even metallic liner to really take your eyeliner game to next level!

If you can’t find a good mascara, there’s always the option of false lashes to glam up your look and take it to another level. Finally, don’t skip the eyebrows as they really frame the eyes and complete the entire look.

Which do you prefer, eyeliner, mascara or both and how do you enhance the shape of your eyes?

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