gothic eye makeup guidelines | gothic eye makeup application with black eye liner

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Gothic Eye Makeup Guidelines

Gothic Eye Makeup Application with Black Eye Liner

In addition to a pale complexion, gothic makeup is known for its theatrical gothic eyemakeup designs. Some artistry is required to achieve the mysterious effect with a combination of gothic eyemakeup with its eye liner, blending of eye shadows and mascara or false eye lashes. One of the most striking feature of gothic eyemakeup is that both men and women wear the ubiquitous black eye liner. This is one aspect of this makeup application that not only takes practice, but an extremely steady hand.

gothic eye makeup

Follow these guidelines for gothic eyemakeup so your liner will emit a thin, controlled line when drawn along a clean patch of skin. Hold the lining device as you do a pen or pencil. To help with the process, tighten your focus and look only at what you're lining. Start off with a thin line as you can add to the thickness with a second coating. By working with two or more layers of eyeliner, you can clean up the lines and fill in any gaps for a clean and professional edge.

1. If you're using a cake, moisten the eyeliner brush with clean water then draw across the liner cake. Draw a line to test the thickness and density.
2. If you're using a liquid: barely moisten the brush, then dip just its tip into the liner. Test the line and adjust fluid amount accordingly.
3. If you're using a felt tip: test liner flow by drawing very lightly on your hand. If tip is dry, give the liner a few sharp shakes to force more fluid to the tip. If the tip is too wet, draw it against your hand (or a lint-free cloth or cosmetic paper) to remove excess.
4. If you're using a pencil: Sharpen the tip enough to produce a line to your liking. If too sharp, you can blunt the tip by drawing on a tissue.

After you are satisfied with the eyeliner, you can add a layer of eyeshadow powder with a thin brush to enhance the effect and to help the eyeliner stay put. Again, adding powder over a cream or wax liner is like a gouache painting for it’s durability and opacity.

For more information about gothic eyemakeup and goth, read “Step-by-Step Essential Guide to that Elusive Gothic Look & Style”.