Allison Emery shares her secret to applying perfect eyeliner, plus picks the ideal product to pull it off.

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it dozens of times: “My eyeliner smudges all over my face and by the end of the day I look like a raccoon.” These women have confessed to me that they would love to be able to use an eye pencil but are intimidated by the application or worried that they won’t be able to make a straight line. Fear the eye pencil no longer! I’m going to let you in on a secret to applying an eye pencil:

STOP—trying to draw the perfect line.
START—applying the pencil in the centre of the upper lash line. Starting the line at the centre of the lash line as opposed to the outer or inner corner allows you complete control over how thick you want your line to be, and it’s much easier to ensure symmetry.

How To Apply Eyeliner Perfectly

On The Upper Lid
1. Start creating a line by pushing the pencil in tiny spurts, almost as though you’re drawing tiny dots toward the outer corner of the eye.
2. Try to keep the line nice and close to the lashes, no gaps.
3. Make the dots even tinier on the inner corner or even avoid it all together if you want a softer look, or if you have almond-shaped eyes. Ideally, the line should be thinner in the inner corner of the eye and gradually taper out toward the outer corner.

On The Bottom Lid
1. Apply the pencil to the bottom lash line from the outer corner to about a quarter of the way inward and stop.
2. Don’t apply the pencil all the way across the bottom lash line; it’s not flattering unless you are doing a really smoky look. Don’t worry if your line looks bumpy or imperfect because you’re going to smudge it.
3. Use a small smudging brush or the edge of a make-up sponge and gently smudge the line making upward and outward strokes.  The more you smudge, the softer yet smokier it becomes.

Follow with your favourite mascara and voila! Sexy defined eyes, classy enough for the office and hot enough for the dance floor.

Allison Emery’s Absolute Favourite Eyeliner

Lise Watier Waterproof Eyeliner, $17

My gold medal goes to this Canadian champion. This eye pencil is soft, easy to use, has a great colour range, and the clincher: it will NOT smudge, no matter what. I’m not kidding. You have about one minute to smudge or blend the application before it sets and then it will stay put for hours. In fact, it won’t come off until you’re ready to take it off.

Lise Watier Waterproof Eyeliner is available at Sears and at many London Drugs and Shoppers Drug Mart locations

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