If you work with your eyes open looking straight into the mirror, you'll easily be able to make the cat eye makeup even on both sides from the get-go, says Stapleton. Remember, it's always easier to add more liner than take it off. If you make a mistake, use a Q-tip dipped in makeup remover to get rid of any stray marks or feathering.
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Exaggerate Cat Eye Makeup with Lashes
Now that your liner is set, you can take your cat eye makeup to glamorous new levels by turning your attention to your lashes. While a few coats of black mascara will do the trick, Bailey suggests using a full strip of false lashes to enhance the cat eye wing even more. Apply them along your lashline from the inside out, but separate them from your real lashes at the outer corners. "This turns the eyes up even more," he says. And the trick is surprisingly subtle. The space (of about a millimeter) will be invisible because it's filled with liner, and when you apply mascara the lashes will all blend together.
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Keep Makeup Subtle When Wearing Cat Eye Makeup
The old rule of thumb that you should play up one feature is especially true when it comes to cat eye makeup. The eyes are the focus, and everything else should be natural. Use your favorite blush and lip gloss but apply lightly, and if you feel naked without color on your lids, Stapleton suggests a nude shadow like M.A.C. Cosmetics Eye Shadow in Blanc Type, $15. Bailey suggests leaving your lower lashline completely bare.
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Take Your Cat Eye Makeup From Day to Night
Part of the appeal of cat eye makeup is that works just as well for day as it does for night. Another bonus? Transforming your daytime cat eye into a sexy, nighttime makeup look is super simple. "When you go out, just extend the line and maker it thicker," says Bailey. "It goes from day to night just by pumping it up." We also like to add liner underneath -- especially in the waterline -- and layer some black, shimmery shadow on top of everything for even more impact.
Cat eye makeup is arguably one of the hardest beauty looks to create -- for eyeliner novices and pros alike. That's because a flawless cat eye requires razor-sharp precision to pull off symmetrical feline flicks.
Few makeup looks are as classic and sultry as the cat eye. So, while we sometimes feel like throwing our eyeliner at the mirror in frustration, we persevere. Cat eye makeup elongates the eyes, helps us look more awake, and even draws attention away from tired, puffy eyes -- all of which makes mastering the tricky art of cat eye makeup a worthwhile endeavor.
To that end, we've enlisted the help of celebrity makeup artist Jake Bailey -- the man behind cat eye makeup queen Katy Perry's perfectly lined lids -- and M.A.C. Cosmetics Senior Artist John Stapleton to share their top tips for upping your cat eye game.
