Winged eyeliner is a makeup look that takes a lot of work to appear effortless. Though you may know some people who can do their eyeliner freehand, those people are few and far between. It’s much more likely that you struggle with some portion of your eyeliner. After all, there are plenty of places to go wrong. You have to make sure the lines are straight, even your liner out on both sides, ensure that you’re lengthening it the right amount, and fill it in properly. There’s a silver lining, however; because eyeliner can be so difficult, there are plenty of tips and tricks to help you achieve that perfect line.

1. Sketch with Pencil Liner

When artists do their work, they put down a sketch before they bring in the permanent materials. You should do the same thing with your makeup art. Lightly create the line you’re looking for using pencil liner, and then trace over it with your liquid or gel liner. If you like the way pencil liner looks, make your first passes very light, and then strengthen them once you’ve sketched out the right shape.

2. Erase Mistakes with Petroleum Jelly

Sometimes, it’s easier to make mistakes and then fix them. This works great for gel liner. Put your liner all along the area you’re trying to line; you don’t have to be too careful with your first pass. Then, dip a cotton swab in petroleum jelly and run it over the excess. You’ll essentially be whittling down the line into whatever you’re looking for.

3. Block Off Your Liner with a Business Card or Tape

This is a popular hack that’s been passed down over the years. Essentially, you block off any areas that you don’t want to use liner on. For a business card, hold the card tight to your eye, with the edge grazing the edge of your lower lash. Brush the liner against the edge of the business card to get the perfect wing. Tape works the same way, but you should stick it to your hand a few times to make sure that it won’t harm the delicate skin around your eyes.

4. Cheat with Tightliner

Tightliner is the perfect option for people who don’t want a super bold look, but still want to accentuate their lash line. Essentially, tightliner involves pulling up your upper lashes a bit and then enthusiastically using an eyeliner pencil along the waterline to block in the spaces between your lashes. It can be hard to get the hang of, but once you do, it’s super quick and simple.

5. Use a Spoon

This is another life hack-style tip that plenty of people use. With this trick, you use both the handle and the rounded part of the spoon. Align the handle with your lower lash and draw a line out. Then, fit the curve of the spoon to hit both your lash and the edge of that line, and draw another line. You’ll have a perfect wing shape that you can fill in.

6. Create a Sharp Line with Nude Eyeliner

Getting the sharpest possible line can be difficult, and even more so if you’re using pencil eyeliner. To solve that problem, buy an eyeliner pencil in the same color as your skin tone. Do your liner using one of these tricks, and then take your nude liner and draw a tiny bit against the point of the line to make it as sharp as a dagger.

7. Draw Toward Your Eye

If you find that you’re having a hard time drawing a line outward, try doing the opposite. Start from where you want the wing to end, and then draw toward your eye. Some people find that this allows them to draw the line more accurately, and it can provide a more stable and less wobbly line to build your eyeliner on.

The perfect winged eyeliner won’t come overnight, but with these tricks, you’ll find that you can start accomplishing a look you love with a few practice rounds. If you’re trying to get the right look for a special occasion, however, sometimes your skills won’t cut it. Stop by an Ogle School salon today and get your makeup done professionally. No matter what look you need, from the sharpest eyeliner to the brightest lipstick, Ogle School cosmetologists can achieve it.