By Josephine Agbonkhese

Have you ever tried creating a particular eye makeup look but ended up frustrated and disappointed? Maybe trying to get a defined winged eyeliner look with a kohl pencil or using a gel eyeliner on your waterline for a soft look?

Being aware of the look they want but not knowing, most of the time, how to achieve it, is a common problem faced by most beauty aficionados and that’s usually because the wrong product is often being used.

Eyeliners, which typically offer the ability to define, emphasize and play up the eyes, vary and serve different eye makeup purposes for both beginners and experts. Find here the four major types and how to use them correctly.

Pencil eyeliner

This is the most common type of eyeliner and comes in a thin pencil form. The material is silky; which lets you create cool but bold eye makeup looks.

Pencil eyeliners are the best for beginners since they are quite easy to use and blend. They can also be applied directly to your waterline. To be precise, they are reliable for creating a soft, diffused eyeliner look on your upper and lower eyelids. They are also great if you are looking to create an intense smoky eye and are not looking for sharp, hard lines.

Pencil eyeliners are largely sharpen-able and can come in dry or creamy variants.

Note that they aren’t smudge-proof and would need to be sharpened frequently.

Liquid eyeliner

Liquid eyeliner is a type of eyeliner that features a liquid formula, comes in a tube and with an applicator which you dip into the tube. It is perfect for creating everyday basic eyeliner looks, dotted eyeliner looks, different types of wings including tiny flicks, precise lines, and dramatic cat eyes. Typically the trickiest, liquid eyeliners heavily require a steady hand; making them more suitable for professionals and a no-no for beginners. They make your eyelashes look longer, do not smudge once dried, and are also long-lasting.

Gel eyeliner

Perfect for beginners and experts, this water-proof eyeliner which has a semi-solid consistency comes in either a pot or pencil form. They are long-lasting, smudge-proof formulas that can help to create many types of looks including smoky eyes, smudged wings and graphic shapes. They create thick pigmented looks and are therefore recommended for an intense eye makeup look.

In pencil form, they can be drawn straight onto your waterline, and in pot form, you will need to apply the product with an angled eyeliner brush. Their creamy texture gives you more control over the finish of your look.

Felt-tip eyeliner

If you love liquid or gel-like eyeliners but find it uncomfortable using a brush for application, then the felt-tip eyeliner is for you. This eyeliner features a built-in felt tip which remains exposed at the top, where it soaks up liquid eyeliner from the tube—just like a marker. It is perfect for the winged eyeliner look, cat eye look or the dramatic eye makeup, and offers you the creative control of a gel eyeliner without having to keep dipping into a pot. This is however slightly more suitable for beauty experts because it is prone to being messed up.