What does white eyeliner on the waterline do?
Shading in your waterline with white eye makeup instantly makes your eyes look wider, brighter, and more awake by seemingly extending the whites and covering up any redness. Think of this white eyeliner trick as your best friend after a long night out or grueling week at work.
Professionally, white eyeliner is a makeup artist trick for brightening up the face and making your eyes look bigger and more awake—particularly when used on the bottom waterline. When using a dark color on the bottom lash line, it can make eyes look smaller and drawn-down, but white has the reverse effect.
You don't want to pull too hard–just enough so you can clearly see your lower waterline, or the pink area in between your eyeball and lower eyelid. Then, drag the white eyeliner across your lower waterline in one swift swoop. For an extra-bright eye look, apply the pencil to your upper waterline, too.
Adding eyeliner to your waterline is an easy way to change up your eye makeup. It can add darkness to a smoky eye, brighten up tired/red eyes, make smaller eyes look bigger, and big eyes look smaller.
Lining the waterline is probably the most under-appreciated makeup trick ever. It's an easy way to brighten up the eyes or get a super-precise look—but that's only if you're strategic with the colors. "I love a dramatic eye, but very often black liner in the waterline can make your eyes look smaller," says Stiles.
Apply White or Flesh-toned Eyeliner on Your Waterline.
It closes up your eye to a great extent and makes it appear smaller. However, if you use black eyeliner under the lower lash line and use a white or flesh-toned eyeliner on the waterline, it will open up the eye and create the illusion of bigger eyes.
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Dr. Carver-Schemper does not recommend doing it at all — and no type of eyeliner is "safe" to put in your waterline either. "It doesn't matter what kind of eyeliner it is, all of them can obstruct the oils glands and cause irreversible gland damage," she said.
The Trend. Waterliner is exactly what it sounds like: applying pencil eyeliner or powder eyeshadow to your lower lashline waterlines, AKA inside your actual eye and not just under it.
On what shade to choose to brighten the waterline, Aharon notes that “it really depends on your skin tone, the natural color of your waterline, and the effect you're attempting.” For every day, she's partial to an off-white or nude shade that's a bit more versatile and subtle than a stark white.
Is it okay to put eyeliner on your waterline everyday?
Simply put, regular usage of eyeliner, or any usage of eyeliner, on our waterline can contribute to the glands becoming blocked, which can result in Meibomian Gland Dysfunction. Other factors to developing the syndrome can include age, and wearing contact lenses.
“The best liner for the waterline is a pencil liner that has a creamy payoff yet is long-lasting,” says Jaikaran. A creamy-textured pencil (like Maybelline's TattooStudio pencil, below) won't tug or skip across your waterline, meaning there will be less chance for irritation.

Neon green, pink, purple, various shades of blue, and a metallic effect such as gold or copper are all popular choices. Even starting with a more subtle pastel is a perfect way to ease into the trend. For the boldest look, you may want to combine shades for a multi-colored eyeliner look.
Many mature women find that while they may have loved a bold black liner in the past, it doesn't suit them the same as it once did, and prefer to opt for softer shades like brown or charcoal. (You can find these shades from Inglot AMC Eyeliner Gel and Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eye Pencil.)
Believe it or not, white eyeliner can significantly enhance your eyes, regardless of their hue or shape. Southern Living explains that, while black liner can actually make your features look harsher, white eyeliner can make your eyes look more lively and can even make you seem younger.
Tip #1: Use A Brown Or Colored Eyeliner
Black might be your go-to color when it comes to eyeliner, but using a brown or colored eyeliner can also help make your eyes appear bigger and brighter. For enlarging the appearance of your eyes, choose a colored liner that mimics the natural color of your eyes.
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Overall, Urban Decay's 24/7 Waterline Eye Pencil takes the cake as the very best. It glides on creamy and smooth, and its demi-matte, waterproof pigment won't budge once it sets. Plus, it's formulated specifically for the waterline.
The Benefits of Wearing Eyeliner Below the Eye. Lower lash line eyeliner can brighten the eyes, create a seductive, dramatic smoky appearance, or enhance definition. On the other hand, if it is done to excess, this style can create the impression that the eye is puffy and sagging.
Eye Makeup Tip #3: Line Your Waterline
Wearing eyeliner along your lower lashes is a surefire way to make your eyes look smaller, but if you want them to appear even smaller, there's a slight adjustment you can make.
Do you put eyeliner all around your eye?
DON'T line your whole eye.
Drawing your eyeliner from outside corner all of the way to the inside corner of your eye, on top and bottom, is just a whole lotta eyeliner. It's harsh and unflattering, and makes your eyes appear smaller. It also makes it look like you wear a studded black belt over your Billabong t-shirt.
Even so, white eyeliner will have fallen out of style by 2023. It's incredibly easy to make mistakes with white eyeliner because of the number of places you use it (via NewBeauty). These include on your upper lash line, under your lashes, under your eyebrows, and layered over regular black eyeliner.
Make Brown Eyes Look Bigger and Brighter with Nude Eyeliner
Adding a brightening nude eyeliner to your waterline helps the eyes to appear more open and awake by accentuating the whites of your eyes and bringing out the natural sparkle of brown eyes!
"Contour eyes with a medium to medium deep shadow to the crease and outer crease of eyes," suggests the pro. "Contouring gives eyes depth and definition, making them look bigger, bolder, and perfectly shaped. Use one color for the entire crease and then go darker with a shade on top to the outer corner."
Also known as the “four dots eye trick” or “four dots eye thing,” the trend involves applying four dots of white eyeliner on the inner and outer corners of your eyes, as well as above and below the center of your eye, to create a hypnotic love spell of the sorts.
Tightlining is so minimal yet so effective. It's the perfect look to experiment with color you wouldn't normally use on your eyes. No need to stick with black—experiment a little! Blue, purple, green, brown all look amazing used as a tightline eye color.
Consider brown liner or black to make your eyes pop more dramatically. Meanwhile, a midnight blue will give a similar popping factor but with a less dramatic flare. If you aren't ready for a full-on eyeliner look with any color, consider dotting the inner Vs.
What's the difference between tightlining and waterlining? Tightlining is applying eyeliner underneath the upper lash line, whereas waterlining involves applying eyeliner just above the lower lash line.
Lining your waterline with eyeliner helps to brighten up your eyes and make your overall makeup pop even more. Your upper and lower waterline naturally touch the liquid in your eye which can cause your eyeliner to smudge off throughout the day.
DON'T wear mascara on your lower lashes. Playing up your lower lashes can make your eyes look droopy and draw attention to dark circles. It makes the eyes look older and accentuates the under eye wrinkles.
Does eyeliner go on lash line or waterline?
Lining the rim of your eyes, also called tightlighting, requires placing eyeliner on your waterline, aka the inner rim of your top or bottom eyelid.
Lining the inside of your eyes
Known as tightlining, lining your waterline can take your eyes from natural to bombshell in no time. It's best to do with a waterproof pencil.
“The best liner for the waterline is a pencil liner that has a creamy payoff yet is long-lasting,” says Jaikaran. A creamy-textured pencil (like Maybelline's TattooStudio pencil, below) won't tug or skip across your waterline, meaning there will be less chance for irritation.
If your eyeliner won't adhere to your waterline, it's probably too hard or dry. It's best to use a gel eyeliner under your eyes or even in your waterline occasionally, because it's softer and spreads easily. Makeup artists always use more than one eyeliner product and method for a full eye look.
Make Brown Eyes Look Bigger and Brighter with Nude Eyeliner
Adding a brightening nude eyeliner to your waterline helps the eyes to appear more open and awake by accentuating the whites of your eyes and bringing out the natural sparkle of brown eyes!
But using black to line your waterline and the lash line can make you look older. How? Well, using dark colours on the lower lash line can make your eyes appear smaller, enhances crow's feet and make your entire face look tired and droopy.