If you were stranded on a desert island and could bring only one article of makeup, what would it be? (And don’t say bronzer—if you’re stranded on an island, you’re already tan.)

If you're still thinking, you need to read this! The correct answer is eyeliner. It is the single most important makeup tool you will ever use. It will change the way you look at makeup and it will change the way you look period!

Some women cringe when they hear the word eyeliner because they picture pulling on their eyelids and trying to draw a straight line with a sharp, pointy pencil. And then to make matters worse, it has to be done twice! And both eyes need to match! Some of us can’t even draw a straight line on paper—so how can we do it on our eyes? The good news is: you've just joined eyeliner 101!

The First Step Is Preparation
When getting ready to put on eyeliner, make sure you have a magnifying mirror, concealer, pressed powder, Qtips and eye makeup remover pads.
First put concealer on your eyelids to neutralize redness, veins, or uneven color. Always pat some powder on top of the concealer. This is important because concealer alone can make the lid slippery and creamy causing the liner to fade, smudge or crease.

The skin on your eyelids is the oiliest part of the face and by the end of the day, there is guaranteed to be a good deal of moisture on them if not powdered properly.

If you are using shadow, always place the eyeshadow on before the eyeliner, because if eyeliner is put on first, the eye shadow will fade the line and the powder will flake onto the eyeliner.

It is also important to know about the four different kinds of eyeliner—their consistencies, colors, and application techniques.

Pencil
Eyeliner pencils are the easiest to put on. Pencils are also the cheapest form of makeup, yet do the most for your look. When using a pencil, make sure its sharpened but do not apply it at its sharpest point. A very sharp point will pull the eyelid skin and cause the line to skid, making tiny ridges in the line. It’s best to use a pencil that is a little dull. You can start off with a drugstore brand. Try Wet N Wild or Prestige eye pencils at around $1.20 a pencil or Sephora’s mini pencils for $5 each in every color under the sun!

Powder And Liquid
These are great for their dual-purpose use. Powder eye shadows double as eyeliners when wet and create a soft, sultry smoky look. Liquid liners give a crisp, sharp and dramatic line. For powder liner, take a short angled liner brush and dip it in a drop of water [not too much or you will wash out the color], then dip the same brush into your black, navy, brown, or cranberry eye shadow. Dark eye shadows mixed with a dot of water form a thick liner without being too dramatic and are easier to apply, since the brush gives more control. Make your line again, staying close to the lash line and working outward holding the brush as you would your pencil. For liquid liners, start off by practicing with navy, since black is very dark and can look a bit paint-like if not applied correctly.

Use the applicator that comes with it and gently apply with the side of the brush, not the tip. Allow the applicator brush to lay sideways against the lash line to create a smooth line. Be careful to start thin as once the color is applied it is pretty much set.

For powder, try any dark eye shadow you have at home, and for liquids, try MAC Liquidlast liquid eyeliner.

Gel Liners
Gel liners combine the best qualities of pencils, shadows and liquid liners. They last the longest, give a precise sharp line, look natural and glide on the smoothest. These are used with a short angled brush dipped straight into the gel liner pot. Note that when finished using your gel liner, you must close the cap tightly to prevent it from drying up and getting hard. Try MAC Fluidline or Bobbi Brown gel liners.

The Eyeliner Technique
While looking into the mirror on the magnifying side, take your pencil/brush and hold it as you would a pen. Next, in small connect-the-dot motions, begin to make a line staying close to the lash line and working outward. Instead of trying to make a straight line, use small dotted lines to connect to each other to form one line. When you get more comfortable, you can try to draw a straight line in one fluid motion. Keep the liner at the base of the lashes, so if there is a mistake, its practically hidden. You can always make it thicker as you get more comfortable.
If you would like a bit of drama, you can wing the liner at the end, by pointing the line upward a drop. Think of it as a tiny checkmark. This will give the eyes a lift and make them appear more dramatic.

For the bottom lid, you can either go inside the bottom lid or just stay at the base of the bottom lashes. Note that placing liner inside the bottom lid will close the eye slightly, but it can look pretty if done subtly. If you do place a line at the bottom, try to meet the top and bottom lines at the outer corner.

And last, if your line is crooked and you don't feel like starting over, take a Qtip or a small eye shadow brush (or the tip of your pinky) and just smudge the line across your eye to create a smoky effect without rubbing it off. If you create this look, keep the lips to a minimum using a nude or light pink gloss.

Tips:
• If you wear contacts, avoid putting eyeliner on the inside of the bottom lid. The liner will interfere with the moisture in that area and cause specks to get on the contacts and irritate the eye. If you do place any liner on the inside of the bottom lid, only use pencil
• I don't recommend waterproof eyeliner; it is difficult to take off and rubbing the eyes can cause irritation and eyelash hairs to fall out
• If eyes are set far apart, start liner at the innermost corner. This will give the effect of eyes appearing closer together
• If eyes are set close together, start the line where the lashes begin, not at the inner corner. This will give an illusion of eyes being farther apart
• If you have dark circles, droopy eyes or bags under your eyes, skip the eyeliner on the bottom altogether
• If your eyes are round, and you want to make them appear almond shaped, start off with a thin line and make the line thicker, as you go toward the outer corner, with a small winged effect at the end
• If your eyes are small and you want them to appear bigger, concentrate on making the eyeliner thicker at the center of the eye and thinnest at the inner and outer corners. Also, skip bottom liner on the inside, as this will close the eyes even more
• White eyeliner pencil is great for waking up the eyes. Try it at the inner corners
• Don't be afraid of color! Eyeliners now come in every color and shade you can imagine. Put the black back and try a silver metallic for evening or a cranberry for day—and everything else for in between!

Experiment and have fun. You will have the line of your life! Always think of your eyes as a picture and your eyeliner as a picture frame. It should compliment but never overpower.

So the next time you find yourself stranded on a desert island, grab the eyeliner of your choice, sit by the campfire and practice that line.

Written by: Jennifer Grossman