Daytime cat eye: how to

A daytime cat eye can work on just about any eye shape, even if you’ve got ‘downturned’ eyes. Total Beauty spoke to Jake Bailey, the man behind Katy Perry’s fabulous looks, and got his insider tips.

In a nutshell, cat eye make-up is the ideal look for just about everyone (no wonder I’m so addicted). Not only can this liner look improve or enhance your natural eye shape, it can also distract from puffiness. Leave the bottom lashline completely clean, and the cat eye will get all the attention, says MAC Cosmetics senior artist John Stapleton.

You’re not going to be very successful if you try to scrawl across your lids with a dried up eyeliner pencil – you need something that will easily glide over your lashline. That’s why the most obvious cat eyeliner is a liquid formula, but it’s also the trickiest kind of liner to use.

You want to follow the natural curve of your eyes, so the best way to determine the right cat eye shape is to start drawing. But, ‘if you have downturned eyes you’ll have to fake it a little,’ Bailey explains. Instead of following the curve of the top lid, imagine how the bottom lid would extend upwards and draw that line.

Start lining

Stapleton suggests starting with the brush resting on your lashes in the inner corner of the eye. Gently drag it across, letting the line become slightly thicker as you go, until you get to the end of your lashes. Then stop.

‘Then, start the tail in the opposite direction, with the tip of the brush facing your temple, and draw until you connect the two lines,’ he says. Either leave the cat eye thin and pointy or thicken it up by adding more layers of liner to the shape.

Make it even

If you work with your eyes open looking straight into the mirror, you’ll easily be able to make the cat eye 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 make-up remover to get rid of any stray marks or feathering.

From day to night

Now that you understand the basics of a daytime cat eye, it would be remiss for us not to tell you how to transform it into a sexy, night make-up look – especially since it’s so 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.

This article originally appeared on Total Beauty
Image: PRPhotos.com