Don't struggle with eyeliner; here are 6+ tips from the pros

Eyeliner has been around for centuries and is used to make eyes more dramatic. When done right, it can attract attention to your beautiful eyes, but it can also look tragically bad when applied incorrectly. We've all made liner mistakes, but keeping a few basic tips in mind will result in a quality result every time.

Not every product works for every person, so having a collection of liners in your toolkit will give you more flexibility. Besides varying the colors, try out pencils, liquids and gel liners to see what effects they offer. After all, making up your face is fun, so get creative.

Applying liquid eyeliner takes practice, and it can be difficult to get it just right, especially next to the lash line. To avoid "gapping," hold the skin taut while you apply the product. Your eyelid won't move, and you'll be able to see exactly what you're doing.

For a subtle inner corner highlight, simply draw on some white kohl around your tear duct and blend. Wide-open, brightened eyes without a speck of shimmer in sight!

Who says your eyeliner has to be monotone? You don't have to choose between pink and blue shades with this style offering the best of both worlds. Use a small brush to create the pink wing, and then bring the color to the midpoint of your lash line. Fill in the inner portion with the blue hue.

You've got a beautiful liner in your makeup bag, but it's simply too wet and intense for using anywhere other than your upper lid. Limit its use to that area.

If lining your eyes makes you nervous but you still want to create some subtle drama, then tightlining is the way to go. Choose a waterproof product and gently hold your eye open while you apply the color to the upper waterline. The effect will be subtle yet classic. Watch the video tutorial of this here.

Some eye shadow lacks the intensity on the lid when applied because it has to cover your natural skin color. To get the most out of your colors, apply them over a white base for a more intense look.

You may be tempted to "outline" your eye all the way around with a single color. That works in coloring books, but it doesn't translate to your face. Limit liner to to your top lid to avoid an overdone look, especially when choosing brights or metallics. Watch the video tutorial here.

Getting a smooth, gap-free line doesn't mean pulling your eyelid taut. In fact, when you let go and your eye returns to its natural shape, you may end up with a bumpy or wavy line instead. Warning: This also leads to wrinkles down the road.

Liquid liner is unforgiving, especially black. Lower your risk of creating an uneven cat eye by using a brown pencil liner to map out the shape you want. It's easier to fill in and simpler to remove if you make a mistake.

For an out-there party look, combine two colors for a huge impact. First, draw a graphic wing in a bronze glitter shade. Outline it using a matte yellow liner.

Remember when you used to outline images before filling them in when coloring? That approach worked then, but it doesn't work with eyeliner. To visually elongate the eye, create an upward flick at the outer corner, and smudge a small amount of eye shadow or pencil eyeliner under the lower lashes. The eye will look more open and balanced.

No one wants to waste product, but when it comes to eyeliner, the sharper the pencil the better the result. Think of it this way: The money you save by not sharpening it before each use is money you lose in terms of the time required to clean up a fuzzy line.