To wear eyeliner or not....

I was recently told by a MA that I shouldn't wear black eyeliner. She said like little black dresses, black eyeliner makes the eyes look smaller. Since I already have smallish eyes, I don't want them to make them look any smaller, but I feel naked without my eyeliner. I've tried wearing just eyeshadow and mascara - it looks fine when I take the time to do multiple eyeshadow colors, but when I do one color wash, I don't feel like I look put together and feel as if I look sleepy. I don't have full eyelashes either, so I feel like the black eyeliner compensates for that. I'm probably way off base with that. Maybe a gray eyeliner would be better for me? Or a brown? But with Brown eyeliner, does it look silly to wear the brown liner with black clothes?

Please help me girls! Thanks!

She is right... black lining your eyes especially top and bottom make them appear smaller... you could just line the top and do it very thinly or line with a white or silver, top and bottom will open up your eyes and make your eyes look larger.

It's true. I have the small Asian eyes. Most of the time, I just line the top and not the bottom. Sometimes, depending on the look, I'll use peach eyeliner for the bottom to open my eyes.

It does make them look smaller, but I do it anyway. One thing that helps is to not line around the tear duct. I really don't care if they look smaller anyway. They still look good, so who cares?

Thanks for the suggestions ladies. In my original post, I should have mentioned that I only wear my black eyeliner on the top, not on the bottom too.

So as long as I thinly line my top with black, I should be ok?

And peach eyeliner? I've never tried that...it sounds really pretty though

I think you can really minimize the effect if you only line the outer 3/4 of your eyelid on top, and the outer 1/2 in the bottom.

Definitely keep it thin, you can extend it towards the outer corner, extending your eyeliner on the outer corner make your eyes look bigger.

What i personally do is line my eyes with black like i said, then apply a white, shimpagne or silverish eyeshadow in the inner corners, it helps make your eyes look bigger too. This and that should do the trick i think.

The more thick you line it, the smaller your eye could look. Top and thin is quite fine!

I also like lining my eyes black all around. I'm always opting for smaller eyes since people make fun of having huge eyes.

I have small eyes and I generally only line the top but sometimes I line the bottom as well. Black all around can make your eyes look a little smaller, but I don't think it's all that unflattering. Sometimes it helps to use a gray or brown color on the bottom. It will still be nice and dark but the minimizing effect won't be as profound as if it was black all around.

I line my top line really thin. That's why I can't use gel liners cause the brush makes them too thick. I have sharpen my pencil or cream liner to do this. Then I use my peach eyeliner to do my waterline sometimes. It does the trick. My glasses make my eyes look bigger anyway.

I think if you like it, then who cares what anyone else says?

I line the top only because it does make your eyes smaller if you line all the way around. It depends on the size of your eyes anyways. Being Asian, I don't have much to begin with.

i usually just line the top to counter act that (i also do wear brown rather than black but that is more due to personal prefrence)

also brown eyeliner will not clash with black clothes, most brown liners are so dark that from the normal talking distance they look black anyway

I feel sooo naked without eyeliner on both top and bottom of my eyes. Whenever I don't wear it, I feel grungy or feel like I look super sleepy. I feel like the eyeliner actully opens my eyes more, cause without it they seem so small! So I guess I'm just weird and my eyes are opposite everyone elses!

I never line at the bottom and only because I always rend up with raccoon eyes. lol My circles are dark enough that I dont need to add more to it.

It's just a matter of preference, I prefer a smaller looking eye, but others prefer bigger baby doll eyes. If you have tiny deep set eyes than I don't think lining them all the way around is a good idea, that makes your eyes look beady and squinty. To makes your lashes look thicker, just thinly line your top lid, it will make your lashes look more lush while keeping your eyes open.

She was right, lining does close in the eye. What I do is line my upper waterline and the outer corner flick, and put on mascara.

I do line all the way round sometimes tho.

I use my eyeliner to make my eyes look smaller because they are toooooo big...

But If I have small eyes I would use anyway...

Did you try a beige one? Or a light brown?

Originally Posted by hwangsara /img/forum/go_quote.gif I line my top line really thin. That's why I can't use gel liners cause the brush makes them too thick. I have sharpen my pencil or cream liner to do this. Then I use my peach eyeliner to do my waterline sometimes. It does the trick. My glasses make my eyes look bigger anyway. Try paint brushes. I use those cheap-o Simply Simmons or the small Lowel Cornell ones. I prefer angled brushes with gel/cream liners.

A MUA told me this too--that she actually liked my eyes better with OUT the eye liner. Black is usually pretty harsh for me as I'm pretty fair, but I found a gel liner in a grey color like you mentioned, and I love that. I also use navy if I want to go in my waterline or on the bottom lashes...still gives you that darker neutral look without being straight up black.

There is a part of me though that agrees with the girls who say if YOU like it, do it. If you like the way you look you are going to have more confidence and people DO notice that, even if subconciously, and you'll just 'look' better. So if you love the look, rock it!

Originally Posted by Ayaros /img/forum/go_quote.gif I use my eyeliner to make my eyes look smaller because they are toooooo big...But If I have small eyes I would use anyway...

Did you try a beige one? Or a light brown?

Originally Posted by flipshawtii /img/forum/go_quote.gif Try paint brushes. I use those cheap-o Simply Simmons or the small Lowel Cornell ones. I prefer angled brushes with gel/cream liners. I brought expensive and cheap brushes and can't line my eyes with a brush. My hand just goes backwards when I use a brush. I stick to the creamstick pencil liners. It's easy for me to control.