Eye liner facts for kids
Eyeliner is a type of makeup used to make your eyes stand out. People put it around the edges of their eyes. It helps create different cool looks and styles.
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A Look Back: Eyeliner Through Time
Eyeliner has a very long history! It was first used in places like ancient India, ancient Egypt, and Mesopotamia. People there drew a dark black line around their eyes. As far back as 10,000 BC, Egyptians and Mesopotamians wore eyeliner. It wasn't just for looking good. It also helped protect their skin from the strong desert sun. Some people even thought it could protect them from bad luck or the "evil eye."
Ancient Egyptian art often shows people with heavily lined eyes. They made eyeliner from different materials. These included copper ore and antimony. Their special black eyeliner, called kohl, had a mineral called galena. They got this from places like the Land of Punt and Western Asia.
In the 1960s, liquid eyeliner became popular. People used it to draw thick black and white lines around their eyes. This was a big part of fashion trends by designers like Mary Quant. The 1960s and 1970s brought new ways to use eyeliner, eyeshadow, and mascara. Later, in the 1980s and 90s, Goth fashion and Punk fashion styles used eyeliner. They created a dark and dramatic look.
Eyeliner Today: Modern Styles
In the late 1900s and early 2000s, wearing a lot of eyeliner became popular. It was often linked to Goth fashion and Punk fashion. Eyeliner of different thicknesses also became a part of the emo subculture. The word 'guyliner' was even used for men wearing eyeliner. This term became popular in the early 2000s. Bands like Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco helped make it famous.
Many people use eyeliner every day. It helps define the eye or make eyes look bigger or smaller. You can use it to create many different looks. Eyeliner can be drawn above your top lashes or below your bottom lashes. You can even put it on the inner rim of your eyelids, called the waterline. Eyeliner comes in many colors. You can find common shades like black, brown, and gray. But there are also bright colors, pastels, shiny silvers and golds, white, and even glittery colors!
Winged Eyeliner: A Classic Look
Winged eyeliner shapes the top eyelid. It then extends into a point or 'wing.' This wing usually goes about halfway towards the end of your eyebrow.
Cat Eye: Bold and Beautiful
A cat eye looks a lot like winged liner. But it has a thicker wing. This style uses both the bottom and top lash lines to create a bolder look.
Tight Lining: Making Lashes Look Longer
Tight lining is a special way to use eyeliner. You apply it very close to the waterline. This is the inner rim of your upper and lower eyelids, right under your lashes. Because it's so close to your eye, waterproof eyeliner works best. Tight lining makes your eyelashes look like they start further back. This makes them appear longer and fuller. People often use gel eyeliner with a small, angled brush for this. Waterproof eyeliner pencils also work well.
Permanent Eyeliner: A Long-Lasting Choice
Permanent eyeliner is a type of permanent makeup. It uses a tattooing method. Tiny amounts of ink are put along the eyelids. This creates the look of eyeliner that lasts a long time.
How to Apply Eyeliner
There are many tips for applying eyeliner. Some experts suggest drawing the line in short, small strokes. This can help you get a smooth and even line.
Different Kinds of Eyeliner
Eyeliner can be soft and smudged or sharp and clear. This depends on its texture. There are six main types of eyeliner you can find:
- Liquid eyeliner is a dark liquid. It usually comes in a small bottle. You apply it with a tiny, pointed brush. It makes a very clean and sharp line. This type is great for creating sharp, winged eyeliner looks. Since it gives a strong look, it's often used only on the upper lash line.
- Powder-based eye pencil is eyeliner in a wooden pencil. It usually comes in dark, matte colors.
- Wax-based eye pencils are softer pencils. They have waxes that make them easy to apply. They come in many bright colors. You can also find lighter shades like white or beige. Wax-based eyeliners can also come in a cone shape or a small pot with a brush. These are often easy to find and affordable.
- Kohl eyeliner is a soft powder. It comes in dark, matte shades. It's often used in black to outline the eyes. You can find it as a pencil, pressed powder, or loose powder. This type of eyeliner is easy to smudge for a smoky look.
- Gel eyeliner is a soft gel. You can easily apply it with an eyeliner brush. It allows for precise lines. It is also much softer than kohl.
- Cake eyeliner is a dry eyeliner formula. You need to wet it with water or a setting spray. Then you use a brush to apply it. Cake eyeliners come in many colors and finishes. They are often used for creative, graphic eyeliner designs.
- Shimmer eyeliner has a sparkly finish. It comes in different bright colors. You can apply it on both the upper and lower eyelids. It is offered with both shimmer and glitter effects.
- Felt tip eyeliner is a type of liquid eyeliner. It comes in a marker pen shape. It usually has a brush tip. The size of the tip can change depending on the brand. It is very precise because you don't need to sharpen it. The brush tip can get very close to your eyelashes. Some felt-tip eyeliners even have glue in the ink. This can be used to help put on false eyelashes.
What's Inside Eyeliner: Chemical Makeup
Traditional wax-based eyeliners are made from about 20 different ingredients. About half of their weight is made up of waxes. These include things like Japan wax or other soft materials. These waxes help the eyeliner glide smoothly onto your skin. A common ingredient in many eyeliners is Stearyl heptanoate. The colors come from pigments. Black eyeliners often use black iron oxides. They might also have small amounts of titanium dioxide and Prussian blue.
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