Eye liner technique question

[Kay]

Hey ladies,

Alright, so I have a make-up related question. I recently attended a high profile Gala of skating, and while back stage I noticed that most of the female skaters not only had amazing make-up, but that there seemed to be an interesting eye liner technique.

Okay, the eye liner seemed to go like right up to the very edge of their eye on their bottom lid - above the lash line, on that kinda of little ledge of skin right below your eye. Does that make sense? Okay, I have tried to replicate this with both pencil and liquid eye liner, but anything makeup on that skin seems to look way less dark, almost like a "watered down colour" I'm guessing due to the texture/slight moistness of the skin there.Also, it seems kind of wobbly (likely due to my inexperience with this technique) and it was tricky to blend it in.

What is the technique for achieving this look??? Any suggestions?? I have also seen this trend recently around the town, so hopefully I have described it so you know what I mean...

Thank you in advance for any and all tips!!

[vesperholly]

It's called the water line, and here's a video explaining how to do it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJRSDS6g1lY

YouTube has lots of makeup tutorials.

[Debbie S]

I've read this is dangerous. It can damage your eyes b/c the liner just gets absorbed into the eye as you blink. If you wear contacts, I would think it would be especially damaging and costly, too. Plus, doing this supposedly makes your eyes look smaller, which I assume is the opposite of what you are looking for.

[Stormy]

I've also read lining the waterline is dangerous, and there are some eye products that especially aren't meant for waterline useage. Especially since your lining technique is wobbly, and if you wear contacts, I'd completely avoid it. You don't want to poke yourself in the eye with a pencil or brush, or risk conjunictivitis, or get liner in your contacts.

[katz in boots]

Didn't the ancient Egyptians used Kohl on the inner of their lashes?
Kohl on what you're calling the waterline was a big thing many years ago, there used to be soft kohl pencils available to use.

I did find that it made my eyes look smaller, however when using a blue/black pencil it enhanced the whiteness of the eye and that made your eyes show up better on stage. Another very old stage technique was a dot of red lipstick on the inner corner of the eye which made your eyes appear to sparkle under stagelights. I don't think anyone does that in skating though.

[Rusty Blades]

Geez, I have been doing that for decades .... never realized there was a name for it. ;)

[Isk8NYC]

Geez, I have been doing that for decades .... never realized there was a name for it. ;)
Me too. It brings out the shape of my eyes and provides a clean line. When I apply eyeliner to the lids below, it always looks messy, as if I had smudged my mascara.

I've never used that type of applicator or pot-of-eyeliner shown in the video. Wouldn't dipping into the pot each time contaminate the eyeliner?

I use a eyeliner pencil that I wipe it off after each use. I replace it with my mascara on a regular basis.
I don't wear contacts, so that's not a problem. The eyeliner ends up in the tear corner of my eye or gets into the lash area. Some brands I toss after two uses because they're gritty or bother my eyes, but the Almay versions are always good.

I've never had (knock wood) conjunctivitis since I was a kid, thankfully. Isn't it a contagious disease? I guess if you share makeup, you run the risk of conjunctivitis. Or, maybe they're mistaking irritated eyes for the more serious conjunctivitis?

[vesperholly]

Dangerous? I don't know ... I've put liner on my waterline for some occasions, and I haven't had problems with my eyes. The worst might be possible bacterial contamination from makeup to eye and vice versa, so if you're concerned about that, maybe put some rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on the liner or liner brush after you use it to disinfect it? I try to keep the liner closer to my lashes, and I don't line into the tear duct. I have a lot more problems with mascara flaking off into my eye.

Since you say your hand is shaky, dry pencils might be easier to control than liquid liner. Pull your eyelid away from your eye while you're doing it, too. It might start out lighter from the moisture, but it will dry up a bit when your eyelid is away from your eyeball.

[manduh]

I've always done that and I wear contacts...it's never been a problem. Well..yet lol.

Dior waterproof crayon eyeliner works great. Just pull the rim down and let the eyeliner sit for about 30 seconds before you let go. If you live near any type of halal store or a place that sells hookahs, you can easily get kohl imported from Egypt or Iran. It's way better and cheaper than the Dior eyeliner.

[Skate@Delaware]

I only waterline when I do shows (either ice, competitions, or belly dance). For other times, I go under the lash line.

i use the Aqua eyeliner pencils, they are really great. They seem expensive at first but they last forever and wear great. I saw that Sephora had a mini-pencil kit with all 8 colors for about $20 at one time.

I wear plum or chocolate, since that looks best with my coloring (fair with brunette hair, brown eyes).

[doubletoe]

Waterlining. . . Isn't that used as a form of torture? Or are we not classifying that as torture? :lol:

[Stormy]

Waterlining. . . Isn't that used as a form of torture? Or are we not classifying that as torture? :lol:

LOL! Most makeup is torture for me, so unless I'm competing or testing, I just skip it!

[RachelSk8er]

LOL! Most makeup is torture for me, so unless I'm competing or testing, I just skip it!

OMG you should let me do yours for ANs!! I have some awesome purple eyeshadows from my law school formal.

[Skate@Delaware]

Ha! I almost ALWAYS wear makeup, either the whole sha-bang or just some mineral foundation (yes, even to the gym). I have rosacea and when it flares it's UGLY (gives me the coloring of a drunken gnome)!!!!

and it always flares when I skate...:lol: