Struggling to achieve the perfect flick on your winged eyeliner? We've all been there: Shaky hands that yield to unintentionally lopsided cat eyes. Learning how to do winged liner can be a journey for any eye makeup lover. To help the Milk Fam ride the learning curve, we asked Milk Makeup Director of Artistry Sara Wren and Ari Adams, Milk’s Education Executive, to show us how to do winged eyeliner on any eye shape. Every person’s technique will be a little different based on their eye shape and makeup preferences, but with these tips, you can figure out exactly what works best for you—even if you’re a beginner.
Unlike a basic straight-across liner, a wing can take on a lot of different silhouettes, from the classic cat-eye to bat-wing eyeliner for hooded lids—which is why it’s so much harder to perfect. But with extra work comes extra rewards: Winged liner is a great way to dramatically shape your makeup look with just one product, and once you have your technique down pat, it’s easy to modify. Below, read our guide to getting it right every time.
What's the difference between cat-eye and winged eyeliner?
Let’s get this out of the way first: There's no official distinction between cat-eye and winged liner, but some makeup artists differentiate the styles based on overall eyeliner placement. Winged liner tends to feature liner only on the upper lashline and lid, while a cat-eye includes filling in the waterline and lower lashline as well. Both terms are correct and can be used to describe either look.
How to do winged eyeliner
First, choose your eyeliner. If you’re a newbie, start with a smooth, pigmented gel liner. “Infinity Eyeliner is a perfect option because it has ceramides and avocado oil to glide smoothly on the upper lash line,” says Ari, who adds that it's also ophthalmologist-tested and safe for contact lens wearers.
Next, follow these steps, says Ari:
1. Draw your eyeliner along your upper lashline, starting at the inner corner of your eye.2. Once you get to the outer corner, use the angled smudger on the end of the 3. Infinity Eyeliner as a guide to trace your wing.
3. Draw the wing out beyond the eyes, pulling it out towards your temple.
4. Apply your favorite liquid liner over the gel eyeliner (which provides longevity and serves as a base) and extend it out to achieve a fine point.
Helpful tips on applying winged eyeliner
Once you’ve put in the work drawing on your perfect winged eyeliner, don’t let your results fade throughout the day. To keep it from smudging, Adams recommends prepping your lashline with a thin layer of Hydro Grip Eye Primer. This vegan product uses blue agave extract to lock in eyeshadow, eyeliner, and concealer for up to 8 hours, keeping each product bright and vibrant until you remove it—ideally with our Hydro Ungrip Cleansing Balm or Hydro Ungrip Cleansing Water.
Our Infinity liner’s long-wearing capabilities makes it a good choice for oily lids, too. Still, you can pat your eye area gently with blotting paper or loose powder before applying Hydro Grip for even better wear. No matter what effect you're going for, you want your eyeliner to stay where it's placed. Intentionally undone, soft, smoky looks should be gloriously smudgy, while precise lines should stay precise.
Next, if you've tried every trick under the sun and still can't figure out how to do a wing with eyeliner, try filling in your upper lashline with eyeliner first. (A sparse or naked lashline can make your eyeliner look like it’s floating above your eyes, because your liner and lashes aren’t connected without it.) Unlike tightlining, lashline liner is applied between the roots of your eyelashes, as opposed to your upper waterline. Choose an eyeliner shade that matches your mascara for the most seamless effect.
To fill your lashline, apply our Infinity Long Wear Eyeliner from below rather than above. “Really get a good angle as you are applying. If you can get a nice relaxed lid, it is much easier to get the wing shape you are trying to achieve,” says Kelly Kossakoski, Milk Makeup Director of Global Education. “For me, it helps to tilt my head back while looking slightly downward into the mirror.”
Use small, wiggling motions to fill the gaps in between your lashes, then create the shape of your winged eyeliner. This step serves double duty to make your eyeliner look skillfully applied while also creating the impression of dense, full eyelashes.
How to do winged eyeliner for round eyesHaving lots of open lid space is characteristic of a round eye shape. If that’s what you’re working with, take advantage of it. All that real estate allows you to "play with thicker liner shapes and pops of color," Sara says, in addition to traditional black and brown liner. In other words, feel free to get creative when you’re doing winged eyeliner for round eyes. Our Infinity Eyeliner is a super pigmented pencil that’s available in three different shades. It comes with a built-in smudger tip and detachable sharpener, so you can use it for both graphic liner looks and smoky pops of color. |
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How to do winged eyeliner for hooded eyes and monolidsHow to do winged eyeliner for hooded eyes is similar to the technique for monolids—and for both, Sara references makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes's technique of drawing on the wing with both eyes open. Looking straight into the mirror, outline the desired shape of your wing "over the fold" of your eyelid, then close each eye to fill in the shape; this technique is known as “bat-wing eyeliner,” since that’s what it resembles when your eyes are closed. (Nervous? Don’t be: Sara promises that the resulting eyeliner look "connects perfectly" when you open your eyes.) Another trick for how to do a wing with eyeliner on these eye shapes is to draw it on thicker and straighter than you think you'll need. Aim for long triangles rather than delicate curves. By filling in the fold of your lid and applying your wing above it, your liner will cut a seamless shape from any angle. The fold in hooded and monolid eyes can cause oil to accumulate and makeup to move around more than in other eye shapes. |
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How to do winged eyeliner on upturned eyes"I love to tightline upturned eyes to create more shape and depth without making them look smaller," says Sara. Tightline at the lashes and upper waterline first, then add a flick on the upper lashline starting "from three quarters across the eye and out." |
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How to do winged eyeliner on asymmetrical eyes"Everyone's eye shape is different," Sara says. If your eyes are asymmetric, your liner placement is key to making each side look even. "Create balance by starting with one eye and matching the effect it gives on the second eye," she recommends. Rather than making the sides identical, she encourages starting with your more hooded or hidden eyelid, then working on "matching the effect it gives on the second eye rather than trying to match the exact shape." Remember: sisters, not twins. |
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How to do winged eyeliner on downturned eyesTry this tip from Sara if you have downturned eyes: Instead of following your upper lashline, think of “a line that continues up from the bottom lashline,” she says. “Following this imaginary line will help create a wing that lifts the eye up." |
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How to do winged eyeliner on almond eyesAccording to Sara, almond eyes have a "natural cat-eye effect. So, be careful to follow your natural shape" when applying your eyeliner. A flick that's too high will look disconnected, and a flick that's too low will pull your eyes downward at the corners. Feeling like you can't quite get your winged liner to look even on almond eyes? Try connecting your eyeliner wing to both your upper and lower lashlines to achieve balance. |
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Finding your signature winged eyeliner look
Sara's signature look involves a wing in both the inner and outer corners of the eye, which she calls the "quickest and easiest way to put together a chic 'going out' look." To get this super elongated vibe, Sara smudges her Infinity Eyeliner for a lived-in, imperfect finish. Finding the technique for your eyeliner wing can take a bit of practice. Try lots of different shapes and angles to find your signature look, which you can change up whenever you're in the mood for something fresh.
Meet the Experts
Sara Wren (she/her) is the Director of Artistry at Milk Makeup. In her role, she does all the makeup artistry and direction for our Milk Makeup global campaigns, educates the staff and field team on application methods, stars in the brand’s social media videos, and travels to different markets spreading Milk Makeup’s good vibes. When she’s not on set, Sara loves experimenting with DIY hair colors, eating tacos, watching basketball, and scouring for vintage cosmetics to add to her impressive collection.
Ari Adams (he/him) is the Global Education and Events Manager for Milk Makeup. Boasting over 10 years of experience as a makeup artist, Ari got his start watching drag performers do their makeup backstage. It sparked a passion for beauty that fuels his work at Milk. Ari channels his expertise to train Milk Makeup field team members on how to apply, hack, and talk about our products in Sephora stores and beyond.
Kelly Kossakoski (she/her) is the Director of Global Education at Milk Makeup. In her role at Milk, she works with our retail partners and field teams to develop and deliver our educational content—from offline training programs to online videos and platforms—all over the world.
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