by Kate Hudson

Created on: July 30, 2006   Last Updated: April 17, 2007

Where you draw your eyeliner is a matter of personal preference. There is no right or wrong answer. It largely depends on the look you want to achieve and what suits you better.

The first thing you should consider before deciding where to draw is how sensitive your eyes are. Some people find drawing eyeliner inside the lashes uncomfortable or irritating. The last thing you want is sore eyes. If you experience any discomfort you should stick to using eyeliner outside the lashes.

Assuming you are comfortable using eyeliner both inside and outside the lashes, you should experiment with the look that suits you best. Many people suit either inside or outside better. If you are one of the lucky people who suit either, then where you choose to draw will depend upon the style you are going for.

Drawing eyeliner inside the lashes has a dramatic impact on the way you look. It will draw attention right to your eye and make it stand out. It can however make your eyes appear smaller.

For a less dramatic effect, try a brown pencil instead of black. To minimize the effect of making your eyes look smaller, draw your line from the outer corner of the eye to the centre instead of right across.

For a different look, try a pale eyeliner inside the lashes, this can make your eyes look bigger. You could try white, pale blue or even silver. Avoid pink or lilac as these colours can make you look like you've been crying.

Drawing the line outside your lashes has a completely different effect on your appearance. It can make your eyes appear larger. You can maximise this effect by combining it with the pale colour inside the lashes as described above. Again, for a more subtle effect draw your line only from the outer corner to the centre of your eye.

Dark colours are most suited for use outside the lashes. They are best combined with a similar coloured eyeshadow. Black and brown are best for most people. A bright blue with matching eyeshadow can look very striking but not many people can pull this off. Silver or gold could also work for a fun, party look.

The downside to using eyeliner outside the lashes is that it could draw attention to dark circles or bags under the eyes. In my experience it is also more likely to smudge than if used inside the lashes. Skillfully applied liquid eyeliner is less likely to smudge but is much harder to use.

Any colour of eyeliner can look good above the upper lashes. If the lower line is outside your lashes it is best to coordinate, but if the lower line is inside

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