This post is about turning any of your eyeshadows into eyeliners, kind of like the water activated type but better.
There are three basic products that can do this: water, eyeliner sealant, and non-oily eye make up remover. Yes, the third is correct but it has to be a non-oily one. And, the end result can vary due to the type of eyeshadow used, is it a cake eyeliner, a regular eyeshadow, or a loose one?
Joe Blasco Cake Eyeliner is usually more pigmented than the regular eyeshadow and may contain ingredients which can easily be made into a creamy paste with just water. The formula should allow for a smooth and opaque application without any skipping.
On a ceramic tile, I show the difference in consistency when mixed with water, Kryolan Cel Sealer (eyeliner sealant), and Rimmel Gentle Eye Make Up Remover. Since it is a cake eyeliner, it easily turns into a creamy paste with just water. The eyeliner sealant tends to turn the color darker and more opaque. The third is with the Rimmel which is similar in texture to the water but is actually more creamier.
The swatches show how they look on the skin. With the water, there is a softness to the color and if you aren't going to be stuck in the rain or crying, this is enough to last through the basic day. The Kryolan Cel Sealer darkens the color, making it very opaque. It also dries to a dull finish and can tighten the eyelash area since it contains acrylates. If you have sensitive eyes and hate the tightening effect, skip this one. Otherwise, this is pretty much waterproof and sweatproof. The third is Rimmel which turns it into a creamy paste, kind of like a cream shadow.
The bottom three swatches show them after they have been rubbed or in effect, smudged. The water one smudges easily, making the color less saturated. If you want to sheer out the color, this is the way to do it. The Kryolan is budgeproof but you can also see how it emphasizes the skin texture. If you have a wrinkly eye area, it will be emphasized. The third is the Rimmel which can be smudged for a smoky effect without compromising the saturation of color.
Regular eyeshadow has less ingredients to bind with when it is turned into a liquid solution so it may not turn into the best eyeliner with just water. Here, I show the different solutions with Mattese Elite eyeshadow in Who's Violet.
Water doesn't really mix well and leaves it thin and runny. The Kryolan mixes easily with it. The Rimmel turns it into a creamy liquid.
On the skin, the water mixture bleeds on the skin. On the eye it would probably smear or fade easily. The Kryolan again darkens it and kind of mattes it out, dulling the shimmer slightly. Rimmel applies smoothly and opaque.
Blended, the water one fades and dulls, so does the eyeliner sealant which again emphasizes the skin. Rimmel can be buffed with no problem and slightly smudges when the effect is needed, easy to blend.
Loose eyeshadows are another category that can be turned into eyeliners although some may be a hassle to work with since they don't mix quite right. In this demo I used Fyrinnae Arcane Magic eyeshadow in Velvet Vampire.
Water makes it into a sheer mixture which allows for foiling of the shadow and can be hard to use as eyeliner since it is so sheer. Kryolan sealant binds the shadow mixture. Rimmel turns it into what looks similar to the water mixture but is more workable.
On the skin the result is sheer with the water. With Kryolan the opacity is apparent and the slight dullness in color. Rimmel it is actually more opaque than the eyeliner sealant and more vibrant.
Blended, the water one begins to fade and cause fallout. The Kryolan stays put but again emphasizes the skin texture. Rimmel can be smudged or blended and also stays on the skin. (When I first bought Fyrinnae stuff, this is what I used for lasting power and foiling.)
Water is easily accessible but the texture of the product may not be the easiest to work with and the staying power is average. The eyeliner sealant allows the liner to last all day and night but leaves out the option of smudging when it comes to a smoky eye look. Now, I know some of you were skeptical with the non-oily makeup remover method. I use this one the most since I find it turns any type of eyeshadow into a workable texture and the staying power is fabulous. There is no dry feeling or tightening of the eye area. I can also blend the color easily when needed and not worry about fading. At the end of the day, I just remove with the same remover. Whatever you choose, remember, your eyes aren't lined by themselves, the effect that you desire and the consistency of the product takes some experimenting. So, please practice!
