Let's give tightline eyeliner its flowers. It's a makeup artists' secret weapon to adding intensity to lashes, and it doesn't get nearly enough love. Mascara and falsies—they do their thing, too. But trust me when I say a little tightlining will even bump up the look of your faux mink set.
It’s a small detail that makes a big impact, like cuffing your jeans or tucking just the front part of your T-shirt into a pair of pants. Just a little zuzuh in the right place is enough to transform a look. And once you do it, you may never put your eyeliner on the same way again. Here's everything you need to know about the tightlining technique, with a few pro tips from Milk Makeup's Director of Artistry, Sara Wren.
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What Is Tightlining?
You may typically place your liner on the upper and lower lash lines. You might even hit your lower waterline with some pigment for good measure. But you can also apply liner to the area just underneath your upper lashes—that’s what tightlining is.
I get it: For some folks, it can be scary to apply eyeliner so close to your eyeball, but I promise it’s not nearly as uncomfortable as it sounds. It’s a sensation not unlike lining your waterline, which, by the way, is not to be confused with tightlining.
“Tightlining is the application of eyeliner under your upper lashes, or the tightline, of your eye,” explains Sara. “It is a subtle way to define your eye shape and make lashes appear even thicker by creating a dark lash root.” The technique is even sometimes referred to as “invisible liner” because it’s in the area of your eyes that’s less visible.
Though applying a dark liner to your waterline can make your eyes appear more intense, it can actually also make them look smaller. Filling in your tightline helps widen your eyes, making them look more lifted and open.
Which Eyeliners Are Best for Tightlining?
Since the application is so close to your eyeball, it’s best to use a waterproof formula to avoid the color transferring to your waterline or your skin. Our best waterproof eyeliner is the Milk Makeup Infinity Long Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil. It is gentle enough to apply to this sensitive area of your eye and it won’t budge for up to 12 hours.
“It’s super soft and has great ingredients like avocado oil to help it glide on, plus it never tugs or drags,” Sara says. The creamy formula is also formulated with ceramides and aloe vera to help it soothe skin and glide smoothly as you apply. Bonus: It’s ophthalmologist-tested and safe for contact lens wearers so you don’t have to worry about irritation.
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How Do I Tightline My Eyes?
Make sure the tip of the pencil is sharpened so it goes on crisp and defined. Our Infinity Liner has a built-in sharpener so you don’t need to stash one in your makeup bag.
Since your tightline is in a tricky location, keep your hand steady as you apply to avoid poking your eyeball. “You can lean your elbow on a table to stabilize your arm,” Sara says. Then, gently lift your top lid up with your other hand so you can see the area under your upper lashes. Look down rather than right at the pencil, then run the liner across your tightline once or twice for major payoff. It might feel weird at first—almost like a tickle—but you’ll get used to the feeling in no time. Just go slowly to avoid making a mistake.
Once you’ve swept your liner across your tightline, you’re done! Just add some mascara (try our volumizing KUSH Mascara for extra intensity or our RISE Mascara for a more natural-looking finish) and check out how much fuller your lashes look and how wide open your eyes appear.
Which Colors Can You Use to Tightline?
There are no rules when it comes to choosing which color liner to use—it really depends on the look you want. “I go for black liner most of the time so it blends in with my mascara,” says Sara. “If you want a more subtle look, grab a brown.” The Infinity liner comes in three colors: Outer Space, a black hue, Time, a navy blue shade, and Limitless, which is a rich brown.
I like to wear brown liner when I’m going for a more natural look, and I use black to enhance my eye shape and lashes when I want something bolder. If I’m looking to make a statement, I’ll pair a blue liner with blue mascara, which always gets a ton of compliments.
Now that you know how to do it, go forth, tightline, and make everyone jealous of your full-looking lashes.
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