A few months ago I was getting ready for a dinner with friends, and I’d spent a good twenty minutes trying to nail a perfectly symmetrical cat eye. One wing came out sharp as a blade and the other looked like a wobbly check mark. I was ready to wipe it all off when I dragged my finger across the line in frustration. It looked so much better! Soft, a little smoky, and effortlessly pretty. That happy accident is how I fell in love with smudged eyeliner.
To wear smudged eyeliner for a softer effect, prime your lids, line your lashes with a pencil or gel liner, gently smudge it with a swab, brush, or sponge, set it with a matching eyeshadow, and tidy the edges with micellar water.
And the best part? You don’t need to give up your black liner or master a razor-sharp wing. Stick with me through these five easy steps, plus a bonus tip for a smudged winged look, and I promise you’ll finally get the soft, dreamy eyes you’ve been scrolling past on your feed.
Why Smudged Eyeliner Is the Softer Way to Wear Your Favorite Liner
Okay, girl, whenever people talk about eyeliner, it’s always about how precise the line is or how sharp the cat eye can get. But not every eyeliner look has to be so harsh! Smudging is the secret to a softer effect, and you don’t have to swap your black liner for brown to get it. All you need are the right makeup essentials, the proper technique, and a little patience. Ready to see what the hype is about? Here are my five steps for the perfect soft, smudged look.
STEP 1: PRIME YOUR LIDS FOR EYE MAKEUP
Just like with every other eye look, I always start with a base of eye primer. It gives your eyeliner a smooth canvas, and even though you’re going to smudge it out later, you still want it to glide on easily. No primer on hand? No stress! A tiny dab of foundation or concealer does a similar job.
STEP 2: APPLY EYELINER
Now for the fun part! You can press the liner right up against your lashes for something subtle, or line your lower lashes for a more sultry vibe. It’s totally up to you. Not sure which style to try? Head over to our article on The Best Makeup Techniques for Different Eyeliner Styles. Then grab one of my favorite eyeliners for smudging.
Here are the four I’d pick:
- L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner (available on Amazon): Want to smudge a shade other than classic black or brown? You can! This waterproof pencil also comes in purple and cobalt blue, if you’re feeling a little adventurous.
- L’Oréal Paris Le Liner Signature Easy Glide Mechanical Eyeliner, Waterproof (available on Amazon): Feeling bold? This one makes it so easy. It gives you fade-resistant, long-lasting, high-impact color, and it comes in six gorgeous shades for your smudged look.
- L’Oréal Paris Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner (available on Amazon): If you’re like me and smudge your liner pretty much every time, this is the most convenient pick. It has a pigmented liner, a smudger on the other end, and a built-in sharpener. It’s all in one!
- L’Oréal Paris Infallible Lacquer Liner 24H (available of Amazon): Pencils aren’t your only option, babe. If you love a gel formula, you can smudge that too. Just work fast before it dries down. It even comes with a handy brush that you can use to apply and smudge your liner.
STEP 3: SMUDGE YOUR EYELINER OUT
This is the moment you’ve been waiting for! You can use a cotton swab, pencil brush, fingertip, or a small sponge to smudge your liner. Just be gentle as you go.
Hot tip: Many pencil eyeliners have a little sponge on the flip side made just for smudging. Whichever tool you choose, work it over the edge of the line to soften it up.
STEP 4: ADD EYE SHADOW
You don’t have to layer eyeshadow over your liner, but I love doing it. It helps keep your liner in place and makes the smudged effect even better. Using the same tool you smudged with, pat a little L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Monos Eyeshadow, in a coordinating shade, right over your liner.
STEP 5: CLEAN UP THE EDGES
If your first try at smudging didn’t go so smoothly, don’t worry, I’ve been there! Dip a cotton swab in eye makeup remover and clean up anything you’re not happy with. My go-to is micellar water, like the L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser Waterproof – All Skin Types (available on Amazon). And remember, a smudged look is meant to be perfectly imperfect, so you shouldn’t need much touching up.
BONUS TIP: SMUDGED WINGED EYELINER
Want to take this trend up a notch? Try a smudged winged liner! It’s equal parts dramatic and chic, with a little attitude, and since the goal is smudgy, you don’t have to stress about being perfect.
Start by creating a cat eye the way you normally would. Then, with a small brush, layer eyeshadow over your liner. I love L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Monos Eyeshadow in Noir C’est Noir (available on Amazon) for this. Blend the line out until you get the smudged effect you’re after.
And that’s it! Now you know exactly how to create a smudged eyeliner look, with or without a wing. Finish with a light layer of mascara, like L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Washable Mascara (available on Amazon), and you’ve got a beautiful, soft eye look.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, my friend! Smudged eyeliner is proof that you don’t need a flawless, razor-sharp line to look put together. Prime your lids, line your lashes with your favorite liner, smudge it out gently, set it with a coordinating eyeshadow, and tidy up the edges with a little micellar water. Want to go bolder? Turn it into a smudged winged look and finish with a light layer of mascara for a soft, pretty eye look that takes the pressure off.
The best part is that this look is meant to be perfectly imperfect. Every little wobble just adds to the charm. So the next time your liner doesn’t go quite as planned, don’t reach for the makeup remover right away. Grab a cotton swab and see where it takes you. You might just surprise yourself, like I did!
Now it’s your turn. Pick one of the L’Oréal liners, give this a try tonight, and tell me how it goes. I’d love to hear about your first smudged look, so leave a comment below or share it with a friend who’s been stuck in the sharp-wing struggle. You’ve got this, gorgeous!
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