There is no other way to learn how to do the cat eye than with practice. The best time to practice is at night before you take off makeup. This enables you to mess up, making each eye totally uneven, without the pressure of going out for the world see your failure. You’ll have the space to experiment with various thicknesses, lengths, and angles to find the styles that are flattering on you.

Stuff you need:

Eyeliner

Long Thin Item

Mirror

Perseverance

Step 1: Imagine the Line

Use a long thin item to practice the drawing motion. Place it at the outer end of your eye and then connect one end to the tail of your eyebrow and then the other end to outer edge of your nose. Repeat on the other side.

This is the template for the most basic line. With experimentation, repetition, and practice, you’ll be able to visualize various thicknesses, lengths, and angles. For these instructions, we will use a basic angle. A different angle could better flatter your face: straighter lines toward your ears will elongate your eye shape while a more upward motion toward your temple can make the eyes look bigger.

Note: Although some like to complete one cate eye and then mimic it on the other side in these instructions we will be alternating between the eyes for further precision.

Step 2: Starting Point and First Line

Point the eyeliner toward the outside corner of your eye.

With short strokes, gently draw a line as you imagined it, applying in the way that’s most comfortable to you. Some prefer making one swooping motion while others softly increase the length of the line. Repeat on other side.

Caution: Although some like the look, starting underneath the corner of your eye could mean smudging if you cry.

Step 3: Making the Triangle

To complete the winged part of the cat eye, place your brush near the end of your eye and swipe out toward the end of the line previously created to make a triangle. Fill it in. Repeat on other side.

Step 4: Completing the Look

Point your brush at the outside corner of the eye and draw along the lash line toward the middle of your lash line. Working from the outside in gives you more control of how dramatic you want it to be. Repeat on other side.

Note: The farther toward the beginning of your lash line you draw the the cat eye, the more noticeable or dramatic it will be. This is also when you thicken or lengthen the look altogether.