Feeling overwhelmed at the makeup section of the store? You’re not alone. If you’re new to makeup, the world of pencils, palettes, gels, and brushes can feel like a lot.
It can be hard to know what type of makeup you need to achieve certain looks. Especially when you’re looking at professionally done images with, what looks like a pound of makeup on the face.
If lipsticks are relatively straightforward, then eye makeup is a whole other ballgame. There are eyeshadows, eye pencils, eyeliners, eye gels, liquid liners, brow gels, brow markers, and the list goes on and on…
But before you get completely overwhelmed, let us assure you: you don’t need all of that. A few key versatile makeup pieces can give you stunning eyes that look like they were done by the pros.
The products we’re talking about are eyeshadow and eyeliner. Those two things have been around for centuries, and can sometimes be used interchangeably. That being said, each has its own unique features and is often used together to create harmonious looks.
So, what is is the differences between eyeshadow vs eyeliner? The main difference is that eyeliner is typically used along the lash line to define the shape of the eyes, while eyeshadow is typically used to add color or depth to the eyelids.
Things are not always that simple, however. Some makeup artists use eyeliner on the upper lids to create unique shapes, and others might use eyeshadow to define the eye in place of eyeliner.
To clear up any confusion, we’ll dive into the features of both of these products so that you can understand how they can be used – together and on their own – and perfect your makeup routine.
Eyeshadow Vs Eyeliner
The key difference between eyeshadow and eyeliner is that eyeshadow is intended to be used on the lids, while eyeliner is intended to be used along the lash line.
Applicator Types
This difference becomes evident when you look at the applicators for each product.
Eyeliner often comes with a more precise applicator, something that can draw a thin and distinct line on your skin. Think pencil, liquid liner (with a thin pointy brush), or even an eyeliner marker.
Eyeshadow, on the other hand, is meant to cover more surface area. Eyeshadow is also less pigmented than eyeliner because it’s supposed to create a blended look.
Most eyeshadow comes in the form of pressed powder that can be picked up with a fluffy brush and blended over the eyelid. Some eyeshadows come in a cream or liquid form, but even then, they usually have a thick applicator that helps cover the eyelid with a few strokes.
Of course, as with all makeup, the rules can be broken. You could, for example, take your eyeliner pencil and color your entire eyelid with it to create an eyeshadow effect.
But the way these products are designed is with their traditional uses in mind: eyeliner for thin lines, and eyeshadow for larger surface areas.
Colors
These days, both eyeliners and eyeshadows come in a wide range of colors. But traditionally, eyeliners have had dark earthy tones (brown, black, navy, plum, burgundy), while eyeshadows have been made in all different colors of the rainbow.
This is because eyeliners are made to define the shape of the eye, so they have to be dark enough to be seen. They are also usually used to make your lashes appear thicker, so colors similar to the color of your lashes are traditionally used.
Of course, as trends change, so does makeup. In the 20th century, it became popular to use eyeliner to add a pop of color over the lashline, introducing more eyeliner colors into the makeup game: bright blues, yellows, greens, and purples.
However, overall, eyeliners tend to be on the darker side in order to fulfill their purpose of defining the shape of the eyes.
Eyeshadows, on the other hand, can be any color. You can match your eyeshadow to your outfit, be it pink, blue, or yellow. You can add glittery eyeshadow for a little sparkle. You can wear eyeshadow that is matte or pearlescent. Or you can go for more subdued, smokey colors to add a little bit of drama to the eyes.
Think of eyeliner as a way to define the eyes, and eyeshadow as a way to decorate them.
Texture
Another key difference between the two products is texture. Eyeliners, whether they are in pencil or liquid form, tend to have more pigments and a more oil-based texture that stays put all day.
This allows the eyeliner to define the eye shape close to the lash line without getting smudged. It’s important because your lashline is the area closest to your eye, and often experiences moisture throughout the day.
Eyeshadow has a drier and lighter texture, even if you’re using cream or liquid eyeshadow. There is less of a need for eyeshadow to be water-resistant because it’s applied further away from the lash line.
Eyeshadow is easier to blend and spread over the eyelid due to its lighter texture. This is important because eyeshadow is meant to be less defined and more blended than eyeliner.
How To Use Eyeshadow Vs Eyeliner
If you’re a beginner, it’s best to use eyeshadow and eyeliner as they were intended: eyeliner on the lash line, and eyeshadow over the lid. You can use them together or separately.
Using them together will give you a more put-together look, but is not necessary during daytime activities like running errands or going to school.
That being said, there are no rules in makeup. You can decide how much makeup to wear to each occasion in your life, on your terms.
Here is a simple way to apply eyeliner and eyeshadow together:
- Pick an eyeliner pencil that matches the color of your eyelashes best (brown or black is a classic choice).
- Gently pull down on your lower eyelid and draw the eyeliner on the water line, right above where the lashes grow. Do the same for the upper eyelid and draw the eyeliner on the upper waterline.
- Pick a neutral tone of powder eyeshadow (mauve or brown works well for beginners) and use a soft brush to pick up some eyeshadow. Knock the brush over a hard surface to get rid of excess powder.
- Gently brush the eyeshadow on your upper eyelid, starting from the outer corner. Buff the eyeshadow in small circular motions to create a soft, blended look.
- You can buff the eyeshadow up under the brow bone.
- For a pop of brightness, use a lighter shade of eyeshadow (beige or champagne) and carefully buff it on the top eyelid starting from the inner corner and working towards the middle of the eyelid. Blend the two colors together so that there isn’t a stark line separating them.
- Finish off with a bit of mascara on your lashes if you want to add a little more definition.
The above technique will give you a soft smokey eye look that is considered a classic. Depending on the depth of colors you choose for your eyeliner and eyeshadow, it can be as dramatic or as neutral as you want it to be.
Once you’re comfortable with this technique, you can begin to experiment with other colors. For example, you can use brighter eyeshadow colors to match your outfit.
Try to follow the same blueprint of putting the darker eyeshadow color on the outer corner of your eye and the lighter eyeshadow color on the inner corner of your eye. You can add additional tones into the mix, but be careful not to overdo it.
With time you can also begin to experiment with eyeliner. You can try other colors. If you have blue eyes, using blue eyeliner can really make your eyes pop.
Or you can start putting your eyeliner above your upper lashline to make your lashes appear thicker or add a “cat eye” shape to your eye.
You can try wearing liquid eyeliner once you’re more comfortable with the application process. Liquid eyeliner should always go outside of your lashline (it will sting if you put it on your waterline). The liquid liner creates a more dramatic and more defined line and looks especially stunning with the cat eye shape.
Here’s a classic cat eye tutorial with eyeshadow and eyeliner from Giorgina Juanita from YouTube on YouTube.
Which One Should You Wear?
It’s entirely up to you to decide which of these products you should wear. There is nothing wrong with wearing them together or wearing them on their own.
Many people prefer to wear just eyeliner during their day-to-day life to add a little bit of definition to their eyes. Others might use a little bit of eyeshadow with no liner if they like the look of it better. Most people also have both and wear them together for special occasions or days when they want to feel a little extra!
If you want to learn how to use these products, we recommend getting both and trying different techniques.When you’re first starting out, you should get a pencil eyeliner and powder eyeshadow as those are the easiest to learn.
When starting out, go for colors that look the most natural, e.g. brown or black eyeliner and brown or beige eyeshadow. Those colors are classics and they never go out of style. Plus, they look natural even if your technique is still shaky.
With time, you’ll begin to feel more comfortable with these products and you might start experimenting with more colors and shapes. Watch some Youtube tutorials to get new ideas! And don’t be afraid to think outside the box and use these products outside of their traditional purposes to create unique looks.
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