One of the easiest ways to make your eyes pop is the classic medium of eyeliner. Whether you’re a fan of a sharp cat-eye or prefer a more natural wing, it’s time to expand to new eyeliner horizons. We would like to encourage you to experiment with colours, shapes, and styles to find the best way to elevate your makeup looks.
The earliest examples of eyeliner come from the ancient Egyptians, with Cleopatra – a patron of the original black cat-eye – using kohl, a product originally made with lead, charcoal and plant oils. Kohl was a widely used product across Asia and Africa, with records of both men and women sporting a black waterline in ancient China and Japan. It was believed to signify health, status and ward off evil spirits. Kohl can be used today to create incredible smoky waterline looks, but is thankfully now made from organic carbon and charcoal only.
“The millennial cat-eye craze was accelerated by lockdown, where many fell victim to the dangers of too much free time”
With graphic liner, one of the most iconic eras is the 1960s, where a liquid liner cut crease and an aggressively pronounced bottom lash line was popularised by models such as Twiggy and Brigitte Bardot. This look was versatile and had the effect of opening up the eye to create a doe-eyed, innocent look, often accompanied by a white waterline. Eyeliner continued to evolve throughout the twentieth century, with the 90s welcoming a smoky black eyeliner look with inner corner and under-brow highlight.
One of the most recognisable eyeliner looks of this century was brought to fame by Amy Winehouse, with an unpolished but bold black wing, accompanying her other iconic fashion choices, such as beehives, tattoos and cigarettes. In recent fashion, eyeliner has been a staple of many iconic looks, including the 2016 cut crease eyeshadow phenomenon, which was commonly accompanied by a classic wing and false lashes. This look owes its popularity to the Kardashians and the rise of makeup content creators such as James Charles, Jeffree Star and Nikkie de Jager. Stars like Taylor Swift and Zoe Sugg sported the millennial cat-eye and bold lip to every red carpet, with its signature aggressive flick. The eyeliner craze was accelerated by the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, where many fell victim to the dangers of too much free time and too few reasons to conform to social expectations.
The virality of Chappell Roan and Charli XCX provides more inspiration for fun and experimental eyeliner looks – Charli’s party-girl aesthetic largely lends itself to wrap around sunglasses. However, when the shades come off, she sports an accentuated and dramatic cat-eye, extending into her hairline. Chappell is pushing the boundaries of experimental eyeliner, with her drag-inspired looks that range from butterfly wings to abstract and geometric designs. She is also unafraid to go beyond her eyelids, with glued or bleached brows becoming part of the canvas.
Graphic liner and experimental looks have been popular in the drag community for decades, coming into the mainstream through RuPaul’s Drag Race. Queens with unconventional looks have inspired new fashion trends, while others have echoed trends in history. For example, Suzie Toot draws on 1920s fashions, with a white waterline and Betty Boop lips, while Trixie Mattel has created her own signature eye look that challenges conventional beauty standards by rejecting them completely.
“Try out some looks before you shower, so if it all goes wrong you can wash it straight off”
Now that you are inspired by the multitude of unconventional, experimental and iconic eyeliners past, we encourage you to try something new this Lent. With graphic liner, the easiest way to achieve a colourful and clean line is to grab an angled brush, dip it in water and then in your most colourful eyeshadow, and go to town on your eyelids, temples and forehead. Start perhaps with a cat-eye, but with a coloured liner rather than the classic black. You can then extend this into an angular inner corner, or spice up the wing itself with different colours, patterns and shapes.
If you are feeling particularly adventurous, here are our top tips for experimenting with your eyeliner:
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Don’t try the most difficult look first! Start small and build up – your confidence and skills will improve with time and practice, so don’t be disheartened if the first look is shaky.
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Use references – don’t underestimate the power of a Tiktok tutorial! Create a Pinterest board with your favourite looks and try some out before you shower, so if it all goes wrong you can wash it straight off.
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Make sure you’re aware of your specific eye shape and the best looks for it. This can involve a bit of trial and error, as different eyes will call for different colours and shapes. Sometimes it is best to refer to a colour wheel and find complementary colours to your eyes.
After this extensive deep dive into eyeliner and the endless possibilities that it offers, there are no longer any excuses for a generic black cat-eye. Cambridge has an abundance of themed bop nights, providing the perfect opportunity for experimental looks under the guise of a costume and the safety of the low lighting in your college bar. The sky, or your hairline, is the limit!
Fashion Shoot Coordinator: Holly Hardman
Photographer: Niamh Cafferty
Makeup artist: Sofie Dolan
Models: Apple Sershi, Tally Arundell
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