Why coloured eyeliner is the new must-have for every makeup lover
Types of coloured eyeliners
Pencil eyeliner
Pencil eyeliner is a great starting point, even for beginners, gliding onto your lash line for easy tightlining and blending. NYX Professional Makeup Epic Wear Liner Sticks make an impact with long-lasting, fade-proof colour in a range of matte and metallic finishes.
Liquid eyeliner
When you need precision, liquid eyeliner gives you the sharp lines you’re after to rock a perfect cat eye. Try Epic Wear Liquid Liner in shades of lilac or sapphire, designed with a flexible brush-tip applicator to bring out your inner artist.
Crayon eyeliner
For show-stopping colour that glides on naturally without pulling or tugging, try crayon formulas. They’re perfect for achieving perfectly on-trend smudged looks. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil does double duty as a coloured eyeliner and shadow.
Eyeliner stick
Like crayon formulas, eyeliner sticks make it easy to smudge and blend. The double-ended NYX Epic Smoke Liner gives you a liner and paddle brush in one, so you can build and diffuse colour to smoky perfection.
Eyeshadow as eyeliner
For a soft eyeliner effect, turn to your go-to eyeshadow palettes. Apply with an angled brush across your lash line for a swipe of vibrant colour that’s suitable for day or night.
Popular eyeliner colours and their effects
From smoky whites to sparkly emeralds, the right coloured eyeliner can really make your eyes pop!
Blue eyeliner
a Navy, turquoise, or cobalt – there’s no question that blue eyeliner makes a statement. Use colour theory to your advantage by pairing brown eyes with opposing blue eyeliner.
Green eyeliner
Green eyeliner is universally flattering, whether you go for a rich emerald or subtle shades of olive and sage. For a natural, earthy look, pair botanical greens with hazel or green eyes to make them sparkle.
Purple eyeliner
Another all-rounder is purple eyeliner, which creates natural contrast with every eye colour. Light lavender adds a mysterious hint of colour, while rich shades of violet and dark aubergine create decadent drama.
White eyeliner
Like highlighter , white eyeliner gives an illuminating effect, opening the eyes for a fresh, youthful look. Apart from brightening, white eyeliner plays well with other colours as part of graphic eyeliner trends.
Metallic eyeliner
For a glam, evening look, metallic shades of gold, silver, copper, and bronze are your best friend. Shimmery shades pick up the light to draw attention to your peepers to ultra-flattering effect.
How to choose the right coloured eyeliner for your skin tone and eye colour
While black eyeliner is a tried-and-true classic, colourful eyeliners can enhance your natural eye hue like nothing else. Brown eyes look great with complementary shades of green, purple, and blue, while blue eyes really pop with contrasting brown, bronze, and copper. Green and chameleon-like hazel play well with purple eyeliner shades and glittery metallics.
You should also take your skin tone into account when choosing the best coloured eyeliner.
- For fair skin, try silver metallics and shades of blue.
- For medium skin, look out for universal shades of green and purple.
- For dark skin, gold eyeliner and rich shades of plum will be a natural pairing.
Techniques for applying coloured eyeliner
Not sure where to begin? Here are a few application techniques to start your colourful eyeliner journey!
Basic application
A little goes a long way with coloured eyeliner. Start with a classic black eyeliner, then layer in a pop of colour at the outer corners of your eye. Alternatively, use a coloured pencil liner to trace your upper and lower lash line, then smudge and buff away.
Winged eyeliner
For a classic cat eye, use liquid coloured eyeliner with a fine tip. Trace the liner along your lash line as usual, then extend it on the top towards the far edge of your brow.
Double-liner technique
Teaming your coloured liner with basic black gives you a striking contrast. Start by drawing a wing on your lash line with the black eyeliner, before drawing on a second coloured wing directly over the first.
Graphic eyeliner
Bring out your inner artist with the floating crease. In addition to lining around your eye, follow up by lining the upper crease or drawing on a second wing and highlighting the negative space between.
Waterline application
Don’t forget to apply colour to your inner waterline! This method works equally well as part of a more dramatic look as well as a subtle hint of colour.
Celebrity and influencer inspiration
Who’s not wearing coloured eyeliner these days? Although the look’s been popular since the days of Cleopatra, more recently you’ll see it sported on celebs like Rihanna, Gigi Hadid, and Zendaya, who’s partial to a pop of blue eyeliner. And with this season being all about burgundy, there’s no better time to try out the trend.
Make coloured eyeliner your next beauty essential
Whether you’re creating a subtle, office-ready look or getting all glammed up for nights out, coloured eyeliner is a versatile, exciting option. Get playful with contrasting tones, matte finishes and splashes of shimmer with our show-stopping, vibrant coloured eyeliners.
