I’ve been obsessed with the winged eyeliner look since I was 16. It was the summer I saw Zooey Deschanel in 500 Days of Summer and fell in love – with her. As my ultimate girl crush, I modelled myself on her cute-yet-cruel character in the film, wearing everything from peter pan collars to skater dresses, dyeing my hair dark, and doing my makeup as best I could to match hers.
While my style has evolved since then, my love of cat eye makeup hasn’t waned. It’s a classic look that’s stood the test of time. From Cleopatra to 40’s pin-up girls, Brigitte Bardot to Twiggy, it’s been a hallmark of a strong, sexy woman.
My Favourite Cat-Eye Cosmetics
Over the years, my technique and my products to create cat eyes have changed. Since moving to natural cosmetics, I’ve found my eyes are less sore when I wash my makeup off too. Here’s how I do my eyes, and the products I swear by:
1. Eyebrows
To start the look, I like to tame my eyebrows. I have naturally bushy brows, but over-plucking in school has definitely made them a work in progress. First, I’ll brush them with a brow brush, just to get them tidy and clean. Next, it’s onto gel – Dr Hauschka’s Brow Gel is a clear, soft-holding mascara that works really well.
Finally, I fill in my brows by dipping my pinky finger in the dark brown shadow from my Ere Perez Palette*, and softly dabbing it on the fullest parts of my brow. The effect is really subtle, so if you want something more intense, use a brush instead.
2. Eyelids
Next up, the eyelids. These need a bit of prep work to keep my makeup in place all day. I like REN Skincare’s Primer* – full review here – and topping it with some taupe eyeshadow.
The combination is a little pricey, so if you want something simpler, try a dab of BYBI Beauty’s Babe Balm* for a dewy look.
3. Eyeliner
Eyeliner is the key component of this look, so it’s a good idea to work out what you’re best at applying. Personally, liquid eye liner is the easiest for me, and PHB Beauty’s Black Liner* has to be the best natural liner by far.
When I apply my liner, I start at the inner corner of my eye, running a tiny line across my lid as close to the eyelashes as possible. I then go over this, and thicken the line as it gets closer to my outer corner. I used to make the rookie mistake of painting on a thin flick, but instead I now make a blunt edge on the outer corner of my eye, and fill accordingly. This video demonstrates it perfectly.
4. Eyelashes
Finally, it’s onto lashes. I like big, bold lashes to go accompany my cat eyes, and the best natural mascara for that has to be Dr Hauschka’s Volumising Mascara. This stuff packs a punch!
I start my curling my eyelashes with a regular curler* – make sure your liner is dry first – and then quickly brushing through the mascara wand. For nights out, I’ll go over this a few times to really increase the volume and effect. I also like to dab a little on my bottom lashes for an added pop.
Bonus: Eye Makeup Remover
As someone who’s been wearing this look for a good few years now, I can’t express how important a good eye makeup remover is. When I’m done for the day, I start by applying some Dr Hauschka Eye Makeup Remover to a reusable cotton round*, and swipe my makeup off. I try to use gentle, fluid motions across my eyelids, and then wash my whole face with Trilogy Cleansing Cream* and hot water.
