by Carlee Tibbs

Created on: October 13, 2010   Last Updated: October 14, 2010

Eyeliner is one of those wonderful pieces of make-up that can completely change your look and enhance the shape and colour of your eyes. It is the staple item in many females' beauty routine. There are a few different types of eyeliner for you to choose from and finding the right one for you can be a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack but if you persevere, you will be greatly rewarded. The first step in finding out which eyeliner is right for you is to first find out what type of eyeliners are available.

KOHL EYELINER:
This is the easiest type of eyeliner to use and goes on smoothly. Although kohl eyeliner is typically used to line just the lower lids, if you find a Kohl & Contour eyeliner, it can be used to line both eyelids.

To apply kohl to your lower lids, gently pull the lower lid down to expose the waterline and gently run the kohl along it. You might need to do two coats to get a more pigmented effect.

When using a Kohl & Contour eyeliner to line the upper eyelid, the easiest way to do it is to open your mouth slightly to relax your face and gently pull the side of your eye out. Then gently run the eyeliner as close to your lash line as you can, to avoid a white line between the lash line and your eyeliner.

PENCIL EYELINER:
These come in two types; the normal pencil that will need to be sharpened regularly or the new mechanical pencils. These are slightly trickier to apply compared to the kohl eyeliner but generally leave a more pigmented colour. They're not as smooth to apply as kohl eyeliners and can pull at the skin around your eyes. To help with this, you should warm the pencil up before applying.

To apply the pencil eyeliner to your eyelids, you should use the same method you would use for a kohl eyeliner; by gently pulling the eyelid taught and running the pencil along the lash lines.

GEL EYELINER:
The next "step up" in terms of difficulty in application is the gel eyeliner. These should only ever be applied to the top lids as they can cause irritation if they're applied too closely to the eye, which they would be if they were to be applied to the lower lid.

These eyeliners come in small pots and you apply them using a stiff angled eyeliner brush.

To apply these eyeliners, dip the brush into the pot and gently wipe the excess along the edge of the pot. Pulling the eyelid gently taught, smooth the brush along your lash line, keeping as close to the eyelashes as you can. 

CREAM EYELINER:
Cream eyeliners are very similar to

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