Eye liner

"Eyeliner" redirects here. For other uses, see Eyeliner (disambiguation).

Dark teal eye liner along the rim of the eye

Eye liner is a cosmetic used to define the eyes. It is applied around the contours of the eye to create a variety of aesthetic illusions. Although primarily aimed at females, it has broadened its appeal to the male market, known commonly by the portmanteau guyliner.

History

A girl wearing eyeliner.

Eyeliner was first used in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia as a dark black line around the eyes. As early as 10,000 BC, Egyptians wore various cosmetics not only for aesthetics but to protect the skin from the desert sun. Research has also speculated that eyeliner was worn to protect the wearer from the evil eye. The characteristic of having heavily lined eyes has been frequently depicted in Egyptian art. They produced eyeliner with a variety of materials including lead, copper ore and antimony (see Kohl (cosmetics).

In the 1920s, Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered, introducing the use of eyeliner to the Western world. The 1920s were an era commonly associated with many changes in women's fashion, and women felt more free to apply makeup more liberally.

In the 1960s, liquid eyeliner was used to create thick black and white lines around the eyes in the makeup fashion associated with designers like Mary Quant.

Eyeliner, also called Khij in India is easily available in the market. Drugstores, department stores, and designer brands all carry eyeliners.

Modern usage

In the late 20th and early 21st century, heavy eyeliner use has been associated with Gothic fashion and Punk fashion. Eyeliner of varying degrees of thickness, particularly "guyliner" on males, has also become associated with the emo subculture and various alternative lifestyles.

It can also be used for showing depression in photographs, such as the famous "Bleeding Mascara".

Eyeliner is commonly used as a daily make up routine to define the eye or create the look of a wider or smaller eye. Eyeliner can be used as a tool to create various looks as well as highlighting different features of the eyes. Whether it be with a winged eyeliner or tightlined at the waterline, eyeliner can be placed in various parts of the eye to create different looks.^{[citation needed]}

An eye with brown eyeliner under the bottom lashes.

Formulae

Depending on its texture, eyeliner can be softly smudged or clearly defined. There are four main formulas available on the market: each produces a different effect.

• Liquid eyeliner is an opaque liquid that usually comes in a small bottle and is applied with a tiny brush or felt applicator. It creates a sharp, precise line. Because liquid eyeliner looks a lot heavier, it is often only applied to the upper lashline.
• Powder-based eye pencil is eyeliner in a wood pencil. It is generally available in dark matte shades.
• Wax-based eye pencils are softer pencils and contain waxes that ease application. They come in a wide variety of intense colours as well as paler shades such as white or beige. Wax-based eyeliners can also come in a cone or a compact with brush applicator.
• Kohl eyeliner is a soft powder available in dark matte shades. It is most often used in black to outline the eyes. It comes in pencil, pressed powder, or loose powder form. This type of eyeliner is more likely to smudge.
• Less commonly found is gel eye liner, which is a softer gel liner that can be easily applied with an eyeliner brush. It can be precisely applied and is much softer than Kohl.