Lining the lower lash line is not a new makeup move. In fact, I’ve noticed many women lining both their upper and lower lash lines, even among the older ladies. Some even have them tattooed on – OUCH! I was reading some tips on how to make small eyes look larger, and it was recommended that you line your eyes all around. Apparently it gives the illusion of size.
Nowadays, many women line their lower lash line with a softer colour, or with a softer or smudgier line as opposed to the harsh black lines you would have seen amongst the older ladies. Here is a picture to illustrate what I mean. This picture was taken from Kanebo T’estimo’s site. The Japanese tend to use lighter and more shimmery shades to line their lower lash line. In their instructions on the back of their eyeshadow palette packaging, they too show you how you can do it yourself.
The eye colour on the lower lid is what I mean. In the picture on the left, which is for an evening look, the shadow is dark and on the one on the right, its a light shimmery shade for day.
I tried it. I’ve tried many things at least once. And honestly, I don’t like it. Contrary to making my eyes look bigger, I found that it made my eyes look smaller than they already are. I don’t quite understand why. I’ve tried it with light shimmery shades and I’ve tried it with a smokey eye. Both times, I end up cleaning off and starting over again. It also makes my eyes look puffy, which is an effect I don’t get if I don’t touch my lower lashes.
The other thing I don’t like about it is that it makes me look older. Somehow, outlining my eyes makes them stand out in a way I find intimidating, even just looking at myself in the mirror! Imagine how others who look at me must feel. So now, after doing my eyeshadow, I only line my upper lash line with a fairly thick line. My line disappears when I open my eyes so I need a fairly thick line for it to show. Doing this, enlarges my eye and gives it definition. Then, I apply my mascara and I’m good to go.
I won’t say that lining the lower lash line is bad. I know someone who does it, and she looks amazing. On her, her eyes actually look bigger and more defined. On me, I just look beady eyed and mean. Not a look that would go down well in the service industry eh?
If you’d like to try lining your lower lash line to see if it works for you, here’s a drawing I found online.
I don’t think its for everyone and I’m a prime example. However, here’s a tip from Rick DiCecca, premier makeup artist with Estee Lauder.
Apply eyeliner in a dark shade to the base of your lashes across the top lid, then smudge it to make smoky. Next-apply a coordinating eyeshadow over the liner, then apply mascara. Leave the lower lash line clean (no liner or mascara) to help draw attention up and away from imperfection under the eyes!
YES! Someone agrees that lining the lower lash does make you look older! 🙂 I know I feel I look older, so I won’t be lining my lower lashes.
How about you? Do you line your lower lash line and does it work for you?
I tried a couple of times, I did not like it as I looked scary and my eyes looked too outstanding to be good
yeap, i lined my lower lash line and look much better. at least it’s properly defined to look good..however you cannot line it with too dark a colour. otherwise you’ll end up looking like Frankenstein!
I line my upper and lower lash line. Both with black waterproof liner by Estee. But sometimes, I line the bottom with light brown for less intensity. It gives me a sharper look. Heh.
PB says: If only I could look sharp instead of like a blur panda lol. Glad it works for you
how about lining half of the lower lash lines from the outer corner of the eyes to the middle(beneath your pupil) a lot of makeup artist recommend that instead lining all over lash line…it gives more definitive and eyes much more bigger and pretty…try it
hello I am a professional makeup artist and educator in the field.
When you think of natural makeup the idea of the lashline accent (or liner) represents the illusion of a drop shadow effect naturally created by the volume and length of the lashes. So the shadow of the lower lashes will cast a softer shadow than the top lashes that’s thicker and longer. In other words enhancing your peepers can be natural looking(top liner darker than the bottom) or exaggerated (top and bottom sharing similar intensity). Older and more mature people though, should avoid darker lower lashlines as it may appear very dated or even witchy.
I know my eyes always look puffy when I line the bottom; glad to see I’m not alone!
if you think that you’re the only one whose eyes become smaller when the lower lashline is drawn, don’t worry, you’re not. apparently, drawing on the lower lash line DOES make your eyes look smaller… but that happens to some people. when i draw my lower lashline, i experience the same things as you did. but there are people who look gorgeous with their eyes drawn all round. So… not our fate to rock it out hehe. ^^
I have the same problem…altough my eyes are almond-shaped, and contouring the whole eye would have been no problem for this shape…when I do it, they look smaller, I look much tired and my look is really strange, zomby-like and also very common…whyle looking beautiful when I do only the upper lash line 🙂
I line my top lash line with a dark eggplant or navy liner. Then I line my lower lash line with a lighter bronze liner, then use a smudger brush to smudge it out & soften it. I load up the mascara on my top lashes but skip mascara on the bottom. I think it looks good ? Looks wierd to me to put nothing on my lower lash line because my lashes are blonde ?