7 Ways to Apply Eyeliner

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Wake Up For Makeup blogger Ivy Boyd created the perfect mix of precise and smudgy with Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner -- a drugstore favorite. "Gel is a hybrid formula -- not pencil, but not liquid either. It can behave like both."

Create a precise line like Boyd did on top using an angled brush, or use a smudger brush to smoke out the line for bedroom eyes. "Gel liner sets very quickly, so work fast," warns Boyd.

Try this:
• Vincent Longo Crème Gel Eyeliner, $25
• Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, $28
• Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! Push-Up Liner, $24

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"Think of cream eyeliner no differently than cream eye shadow," says Boyd. She applies Lorac Pro Cream Eyeliner all over the eyelid for a one-product smoky eye or as an eye shadow base. "You can also use it to line the top lash line as well -- two for one!"

Try this
• Shiseido The Makeup Accentuating Cream Eyeliner, $26
• NYX Epic Black Mousse Liner, $10
• Urban Decay Super-Saturated Ultra Intense Waterproof Cream Eyeliner, $22

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With a tip similar to a marker, a felt-tip eyeliner like Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen is ideal for graphic shapes. Boyd chose this Revlon liner for its medium-size tip, perfect for creating an avant-garde, double-winged eye makeup look.

Try this:
• Marc Jacobs Beauty Magic Marc'er Precision Pen Waterproof Eyeliner, $30
• Givenchy Liner Couture Precision Felt-Tip Eyeliner, $30
• L'Oreal Paris Infallible The Super Slim by Infallible Black, $8.95

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Kohl eyeliner (also known as kajal) has been around since Queen Hatshepsut first used charred frankincense to rim her eyes, and recently we've seen a slew of new formulas -- like the Maybelline Master Kajal Liner -- hitting stores. "After rimming the eye with your liner, make sure you use a brush to really smoke it out," says Boyd, who used the new Maybelline eyeliner to create this intense eye.

Try this:
• Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Trio, $11.99
• Burberry Effortless Kohl Eyeliner, $29
• Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Kôhl Liner, $20

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"Liquid liners with a teeny-tiny brush applicator create the cleanest cat eyes in my opinion," says Boyd. "They also dry to a leather-like finish, which can give it a chic, polished look." Boyd used L'Oreal Lineur Intense Liquid Eyeliner for the eyes seen here.

Try this:
• Kat Von D Lightning Liner, $20
• Dior Addict It-Line, $31
• Revlon Colorstay Skinny Liquid Liner, $5.99

Remember when eyeliner used to just be eyeliner? Me neither. Today the aisles of Sephora present you with every kind of formula you could possibly want -- exotic kajal eyeliners, liquid eyeliners in a rainbow of colors, retractable eyeliners, crazy hybrid formulas like Benefit They're Real! Push-Up Liner ... the works. You may find yourself wondering, "What's the difference?" So we had Wake Up For Makeup blogger Ivy Boyd show us (and tell us) which eyeliner formula is best for which eye makeup look. Here, seven different eye makeup looks perfect for whichever formula you gravitate toward (or for that new pen you can't wait to try).

The Best Eyeliner for Your Cat Eye, Rocker Smudge or Graphic Flick

Your comprehensive guide to the perfect eyeliner formula for every eye makeup look

Versatile Gel Eyeliner

Vixenish Cream Eyeliner

Graphic Felt-Tip Eyeliner

Exotic Kohl Eyeliner

Ultra-Precise Liquid Eyeliner

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