If you’ve ever tried to nail winged eyeliner, chances are you’ve watched a cat eye tutorial or two. But what about puppy eyeliner?
If you have hooded, deep-set, or downturned eyes, this liquid eyeliner technique could be exactly what your makeup skillset has been missing.
The K-Beauty method caters better towards these eye shapes, as the wing of the liner won’t disappear into the crease. Here’s what you need to know…
What is puppy eyeliner?
The key feature of puppy eyeliner is the direction in which the outer wing is drawn; down not up. While a cat eye follows an upwards direction from the lower lash line, puppy eyeliner goes from the upper eyelid towards it.
It works well for hooded and similar eye shapes because the line remains visible once the eyes are open, whereas a cat eyeliner can often become lost or smudged.
Puppy eyeliner (left) vs cat eyeliner (right) via @killsoker
How to nail the look
Keep your eyes are relaxed
Look forward and refrain from raising your eyebrows or pulling down your eyelid. You want to be able to see where your crease naturally lies.
Draw your line underneath your crease
Start with a small line, drawn in a slightly downwards direction (but not dramatically so). This will form the top of your liner and any further lining should not go above it.
Join it up
With your first line as the guide, you can now join it up from the lower lash line, and make the wing as small or big as you wish.
Watch a tutorial here
TikToker @killsoker shared a helpful how-to for puppy eyeliner, which has over 800k views and counting.
@killsokerr Reply to @g3org1a.s i love big droopy puppy dog eyes! lemme know if u have Qs! #puppydogeyes #puppydogeyeliner #puppyeyeliner #hoodedeyes ♬ Frog – Wurli
Need a new eyeliner? Here are 3 we love
- Natio Precision Liquid Eyeliner, $16.95 at Myer
2. Rimmel London Wonder’Ink Eyeliner, $13.99 at Chemist Warehouse
3. L’Oréal Paris Flash Cat Eye by Superliner, $16.69 (down from $27.95) at Chemist Warehouse
Main image credit: @hayleybuix
Have you heard of puppy eyeliner? Is this a technique you would try?
I’ve seen it before but I didn’t know what it was called. I don’t like it. I’d rather a cat eye.
I have hooded eyelids and I got my top liner tattooed on a couple of years ago, best thing ever!
I think I should have a go at this puppy eyeliner because the cat eyeliner doesn’t work for me as I have hooded deep set-ish eyes.
It looks very nice indeed
It looks nice on her as she has lovely eyes but I don’t fancy on me.
It looks nice on that tik toker, from wearing eyeliner daily to not at all unless I have a event to go to I’ll skip this one.
Yes I agree -not for me either
I wouldn’t try it because I don’t wear eyeliner but I can see the difference it makes to hooded eyes.
I have been doing this technique for 15 years. I thought it has been around for that long?!?! We never put a name on it. But my makeup trainer used to always say “don’t do a winged liner, do a horizontal extension”.
I have hooded eyes but not sure I want to emphasis them with this shape
I like the look but prefer to keep my eye makeup very light.
I no longer use Black Cat Eye or Puppy Eyeliners now days I use Brown Eyeliner Pencil, these days it looks much better and not so harsh looking as the Black Eyeliner.
I can barely master a winged eye!
Luckily, not needed for me
Hmm I feel like it makes you look more droopy? I have hooded eyes and instead of a cat eye, I just sort of stop the liner at my eyes.
Thanks but I won’t be trying this unless I’m going to fancy dress party
I think it just makes this girls eyes look droopy. I am not a fan of this. I have hooded eyelids but I just dont bother with eyeliner.
I’d love to be able to do winged eyeliner
I have hooded lids, but this liner would not look good on my aging eyes
My eyes aren’t hooded, so I rock cat eyeliner. I don’t go out without my wings!
I have seen the droppy eyeliner style.. but I really didnt like it .. not for me.
Don’t have hooded eyes but good for those who do!
So cute. I guess I know now why it is called puppy el.
I have no hooded lids, but lots of lid space and round eyes. So I think this would work too as liner follows well roundness of my eye shape. Will test it.
I should try this. Thanks for sharing.
I will have to try this, although it might just make my eyes look droopy. I have very hooded eyes that have drooped slightly with age.
The Puppy eyeliner would drag my eyes down. I want them to look awake. Give me Cat eyes any day.
I’ve never been able to master liquid eyeliner. Good on those who can do it!
I like the liquid eye liners
Have never worn eyeliner.
Puppy liner is cute but for me, it drags my eyes down a bit. Cat eye suits my eye shape better
Ummm… I couldn’t really see a difference…
Im sure if I tried this it would be a massive failure
Might give this a try
I have watched many videos on eyeliner techniques for hooded eyes but I’ve never seen this technique before.
Not for me thanks
Very interesting!
This only works on very specific kinds of hooded lids. It makes my eyes look too downturned. I’ve found you can do cat eye but it’s very difficult to get the right spot!
I vow I’ll read your comments more often. If you have any free time, join me in playing five nights at freddy’s because I’ve never done so.
I’ve watched a lot of videos on hooded eye techniques, but I’ve never seen this one before. spider solitaire 2 suit
I like it
Hmm… not sure about this one. :S
This tiktoker might love droopy puppy dog eyes, but I don’t. They drag my face down.