Community Spotlight: Eyeliner Tips with Fiona
Posted on November 08 2020
Have you ever wondered what it takes to get that perfect cat eye? That sleek winged liner? Or what about a more subtle natural eyeliner look? With a seemingly endless variety of eyeliner products, it can be hard to settle on a makeup routine. I sat down with our eyeliner expert Fiona to talk about her Japanese beauty-inspired routine and find out the secrets to her eye-catching makeup look:
Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to chat with me! Before we begin, can you tell me a little bit about yourself and what you do here at CosmeHunt?
I studied Global Business and Marketing and am currently interning at Cosme Hunt in digital marketing and community management. I have also been coordinating on our brand ambassador program, our product photography, and photo editing for the website and our social media.
Wow, sounds like you’ve got quite a bit on your plate! In addition to being an expert in digital marketing, I know that you also joined CosmeHunt because of your passion for Japanese beauty products. Can you talk about how you discovered J-beauty?
My mom is Japanese and I grew up visiting Japan a lot, so I was exposed to J-beauty from a young age. I really started using Japanese beauty products in middle school when my mom taught me to moisturize and use sunscreen. I actually started out using the Sana Nameraka Isoflavone toner & milk, as well as the Biore UV sunscreen around this time. As I got to high school and grew more interested in makeup, I began trying different liquid eyeliners (such as DollyWink) and mascaras. I would buy 4 or 5 of each product when I went to Japan during my summer vacation to bring home to use for the rest of the year.
Sounds like you were well-versed with J-beauty from a very young age. Now that you’ve been a regular makeup user for many years, how would you describe your current makeup style?
My makeup style is generally pretty basic. I definitely have more of an everyday makeup routine and a glam makeup routine for when I go out or go to events or places where I will be taking a lot of pictures! I usually tend to stick to more neutral colors but love glitter for special occasions! My style is a blend of American and Japanese/Korean influence. I think in general my makeup is more of an “American” style because I was heavily influenced by YouTube growing up. With my more glam routines, I do use more opaque eyeshadows and contour, bronzer, and highlight. I have kind of found a more in-between daily routine since there were certain trends (like matte liquid lipstick and more defined eyebrows) that I tried, but didn’t particularly like or find flattering on myself.
You seem to have a lot of fun experimenting with different makeup styles and items with your glam routine. You mentioned that you also have a different daily routine as well. What does that usually consist of?
Day to day, I don’t wear that much makeup. I definitely focus on my skincare routine and taking good care of my skin. If I am going to be going out or video chatting, I do like to use a bit of light concealer under the eyes, because I just genetically have darker under-eyes and of course some sort of lip balm. If I’m feeling a bit more extra I will also primer or powder (to make my skin look less oily), brown pencil/brow gel, liquid eyeliner, and a little blush. I will also curl my lashes and add mascara, too!
Speaking of eyeliner, do you have any particular brand you would recommend?
My current favorite eyeliner is the K Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner in Black. It’s actually been my favorite for several years now. I am a big fan of liquid liner but don’t have a very steady hand. I personally find liner in a pot, or anything you have to dip into, to be difficult to use and messy. For this reason, any pen or brush type of liner is my go-to. I have tried Stila’s Stay All Day liner, but I don’t think you can get the precision with it’s felt-tip. KVD also has a brush tip liner, but I found that it dries out quicker. The K Palette liner just works better for me and is more affordable, so I just don’t even consider other liquid liners at this point! I have worn this eyeliner to multiple music festivals/concerts, going out, Disneyland, swimming at the beach, and it has always held up for me. I also have oily eyelids and this product still works really well for me! Typically if I do a full makeup look with eyeshadow I do prime my eyes, but I have worn it without primer and have not had any issues.
Wow, looks like you’ve found a real go-to eyeliner in your makeup bag! Since you wear eyeliner so often, do you have an eyeliner style that you gravitate towards?
I do love a cat eye! Depending on my mood, I may go for a smaller or longer wing. I think winged eyeliner compliments my eye shape nicely.
As we all know, eye makeup is more important than ever in the age of constant Zoom meetings. Do you have any eyeliner tips or tricks you want to share with our readers?
If you struggle with your eyeliner and you haven’t tried a pen or brush type, definitely try it out! It dries a lot quicker and doesn’t smudge as easily. It’s also really precise, so you can get a sharper wing easily! If your hands are less steady and it’s difficult to get your wings to match, I would definitely recommend doing your eyeliner before any face product (like concealer/foundation) so that you can fix any imperfections easier. If I do mess up, I like to use a cotton swab with a pointed edge (a q-tip with a point) to clean up the wing. Holding your hand against your face (pressing on your cheek) while you draw the wing can also help steady your hand, but you’ll want to do this before you apply foundation.
Such great advice from our eyeliner master Fiona. If you’re struggling with that perfect wing, try using some of these tips! If you want to try out Fiona’s favorite liquid liner, K Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner is available in Super Black and Brown Black on CosmeHunt.
Evelyn Yeung
Evelyn is a self-proclaimed crazy cat lady with an obsession for cosmetics, skincare, and visual culture. With a background in History and Museum Studies, you will most likely find her tucked away at the latest art exhibits or at home experimenting with new beauty products!
