My skin doesn't look as "fresh" when I wear eyeliner...

[JSH812]

Try only using eyeliner on half of your eyelids - like from the middle of your pupil out -- that's what I do, and I find it makes me look WAY more awake than I usually am, and it's not harsh at all. I use a color called black/brown so it's dark, but not harsh dark.

Did that make sense? It's sort of hard to say, but it really works!

 

[Nat]

Black eyeliner makes me look harsh. I've been using dark brown eyeliner for years now and it really suits my face/eyes so much better.

 

[exotikittenx]

I've switched to a shimmery soft brown for that same reason, and I also have a copper shade that looks nice. I get mine at MAC, they are these twist up eyeshadow/liners twist up liners in one! They have nice soft shades that don't look harsh at all.

 

[miss gucci]

yeah i agree ...
i think u should try brown eyeliner too...

 

[NicolesCloset]

I find that I look so bad with liner too, I have been told , I look like I am sick, or like someone has punched me in the eye

 

[HauteMama]

Whenever I use eyeliner on the bottom, I find my skin looks pasty and I look terrible overall. I've taken to using a lighter shade only along my upper lash line. Then I curl my lashes and use mascara. The tiniest bit of color migration/transfer from the top mascara is just enough to accent my lower lashes without washing out my face.

The older I get, the more I find that less IS more!

 

[michie]

could it possibly be the way you put your eyeliner or the type of eyeliner you are using?

I agree. Eyeliner does wonders, IMO. It completes a look, defines the eye and opens it up. It's more important to me than mascara. I will not do my eyes without lining them (unless I'm wearing black on my lids). But, I'm no longer a pencil fan. I live and die for MUFE's Cake Eyeliner in Black. I just got Laura Mercier's in Blue and I can't wait to try it on tomorrow.

 

[missmustard]

I think you could try more neutral colours like brown or olive instead of black (if that's what you're wearing)? And as someone else said, smudge it instead of drawing a perfect line. It looks more natural that way.

 

[Sophie-Rose]

^^^^ I agree!

 

[Star15Rin]

You're probably wearing the wrong color for your skin. Instead of black, try a softer brown or maybe even an eggplant.

 

[Schmodi]

Totally agree but I found a way to not give it that dirty look.

I only put liner from the center out toward the corner. If you line into the corner by the nose it makes the eye appear really small and it's easy to see the line. I sometimes smudge the liner and then put shadow over it.

 

[Neptune]

You could always try a soft brown liner, or use a eye shadow as your line, so it comes out softer.

 

[j'aime_vuitton]

how about smudging a light brown eye shadow on your lash line?

 

[jellybebe]

I tried the no eyeliner thing for a while, and sometimes I just line my eyes with eyeshadow (I wet an eyeliner brush and apply it so it's more concentrated). But I still love my eyeliner and mascara, though I hardly wear black eyeliner anymore. I prefer dark brown.

 

[Pursegrrl]

...as others have posted, maybe the eyeliner you were using is clashing with your skin tone, smudging or applied too harshly?

And depending on the size and shape of your eyes, some can carry off a line all the way around, and some do better just partially lined.

I have large, hazel eyes and pretty large eyelids too but my eyes are closely set together, so it looks totally wrong when I line all the way around. Instead, I just line from the middle of the lid out to the outer corners and smudge the area where the line starts so it's not harsh.