Eyeliner for Beginners: Pencil vs. Liquid vs. Gel and How to Apply It
Eyeliner for beginners: pencil vs liquid vs gel, a step-by-step for your first try and a simple wing, plus the eye-safety rules that matter, from FDA and AAO.
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In this guide
If you’re new to eyeliner, start with a pencil or a felt-tip liquid liner, draw a thin line along your upper lashes in small, light strokes, and keep it on the outside of your lash line. That’s it. The rest is practice, and a cotton swab for fixing mistakes.
Below: which type to pick (pencil, liquid or gel), a step-by-step for your first try, a simple wing, drugstore options from the brands’ own pages, and the eye-safety rules worth knowing before you put anything near your eyes.
Pencil vs. liquid vs. gel: which eyeliner should you start with?
| Type | What it is | Easy to use? | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pencil | A solid, creamy stick you draw with | Easiest | Soft, smudgy looks and your very first try |
| Gel (in a pot or a twist-up pencil) | A smooth cream that glides on and sets | Medium | Clean lines that last, once you’ve got the hang of it |
| Liquid (brush tip or felt tip) | A fluid ink that dries to a sharp line | Hardest, but a felt tip is easier than a brush | Crisp lines and sharp wings |
The short version: start with a pencil, then move to a felt-tip liquid liner or a twist-up gel liner when you want a sharper line. A brush-tip liquid liner is the last one to try, since you can’t wipe off a mistake until it’s dry.
Drugstore eyeliners, from the brands’ own pages
Prices and claims below are from wet n wild’s own website in October 2026. We haven’t compared how these wear on different people, so treat the descriptions as the brand’s claims.
Why we like it: a creme-based, semi-matte pencil that the brand says is smudge-proof, blends easily and lasts up to 12 hours. A pencil is the easiest type to control.
Why we like it: it’s a gel in a twist-up pencil, so there’s no sharpener. The brand says it’s waterproof, smudge-proof and cry-proof and lasts up to 16 hours, so you’ll need a remover that can handle it.
Why we like it: a marker-style liquid liner with a soft, finely pointed tip. The brand says it gives you control and dries fast, so it’s easier than a brush.
Why we like it: a classic brush-tip liquid liner with a flexible brush. The brand says it dries fast and gives precise application, which is for when you’re ready to try a wing.
How to apply eyeliner: step by step
- Wash your hands. The FDA says bacteria on your hands can cause eye infections, so clean hands are step one. Keep anything you use near your eyes clean, too.
- Sit down and get comfortable. Rest your elbow on a table, and put a mirror at about chin height so you look slightly down. Your hand will be steadier than if your arm is in the air.
- Look down a little and gently pull the corner of your eyelid. That gives you a flat surface along the upper lashes.
- Draw tiny dashes or dots right at the base of your upper lashes, starting in the middle of your eye. Short strokes are easier to control than one long line.
- Connect the dots into a thin line and work toward the outer corner. Go back to the inner corner and fill in.
- Keep it thin. You can make it thicker later. A thin line fits every eye shape.
- Clean up with a cotton swab dipped in makeup remover. This is the step that makes it look pro.
- Check that both eyes match, then finish with mascara. Try our best drugstore mascara picks.
How to do a simple wing
- Draw your thin line first.
- Look straight ahead. From the outer corner, picture a line going up toward the end of your eyebrow.
- Draw a short, thin line in that direction, about the length of a grain of rice. This is the tail.
- Connect the tail back to your upper lash line to make a small triangle. Fill it in.
- Do the other eye, then compare. Start with a small wing. You can always make it longer.
If your wings don’t match, don’t redraw the entire thing. Use a cotton swab with remover to carve the longer one down to size.
Common beginner mistakes (and quick fixes)
- The line is wobbly. You’re drawing too long a stroke. Go back to tiny dashes and connect them.
- It smudges onto your eyelid. Let liquid or gel liner dry for a few seconds before you open your eyes all the way, and keep eyelid moisturizer or heavy cream away from the lash line.
- It’s too thick or too dark. Dab it with a cotton swab dipped in remover, or smudge a pencil line with a clean fingertip for a softer look.
- It’s uneven. Open both eyes and look straight into the mirror, not down, to see how the lines really line up.
- It won’t come off. Waterproof formulas need a remover made for them. Hold a pad on your closed eye for a few seconds, then wipe gently instead of rubbing hard.
Eyeliner safety: the rules that matter
Your eyes are sensitive, and eyeliner sits right next to them. These rules come from the FDA’s eye cosmetic safety tips and the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s eye health tips:
- Keep liner outside the lash line. The ophthalmologists’ advice is to apply eyeliner outside the lash line and never close to your eye. That means skipping the inner rim of your eye, the waterline.
- Don’t share eye makeup, even with your best friend. Both the FDA and the AAO say so.
- Throw it out after three months. That’s the AAO’s guideline for eye makeup. They add that bacteria grow easily in creamy or liquid products.
- Never use a lip liner as an eyeliner. The FDA says it can carry bacteria from your mouth and may contain color additives that aren’t approved for the eye area.
- Avoid kohl, kajal and surma, unless you’ve checked. The FDA says kohl isn’t approved for cosmetic use in the U.S. and can contain heavy metals like lead. Some products use the word only for a color, so check the ingredient list.
- Don’t put on eyeliner in a moving car, not even as a passenger. One bump and the tip can scratch your eye, and even a small scratch can lead to a serious infection.
- Skip eye makeup if you have an eye infection or irritated skin around your eye, and the FDA says to throw away what you were using when the infection began.
- Take it off every night. The AAO says to remove your makeup thoroughly before going to bed.
- Avoid glitter liners and shadows near your eyes, the AAO says.
If an eye product irritates you, stop using it. If you have persistent pain or redness, the AAO says to see an ophthalmologist, so tell a parent right away.
Not allowed to wear makeup yet? Talk to your parents before you buy anything. Here’s how to convince your parents, and some starter looks in makeup for beginners and a natural makeup look.
