This article has been updated since its initial publish date to include more expert insight.
Eyeliner is one of the most fun makeup tools to experiment with— from drawing sharp, defining cat-eyes to brightening waterline looks. It can also make you look younger, if applied correctly and not too heavily, and you aren’t limited to just the color black!
We spoke with makeup artists about three other main illuminating eyeliner colors for your top lid (and some bonus ones for your waterline). We learned how these hues have the power to not only open up your eyes and make them look larger, but how they can also have younger-looking and face-lifting effects, too.
Pro Tip #1: Find A Matching Shade For Your Top Lid (Blue, Gray or Brown)
Yes, kohl-rimmed eyeliner can do the trick for any eye color, but there are specific eyeliner colors for your blue, green, hazel or brown peepers that are better aligned with them. These other choices can really make them pop more than a simple black liner!
Professional makeup artist Mandie Brice explains that to find a great eyeliner color for your eyes, use a color wheel and find the coinciding shade across from your eye color.
“A color that is near the opposite end of the color wheel as either the main color of someone's eyes or the flecks of color within, can really brighten the eye,” says Brice. She notes that a “copper or orange-ish brown on blue eyes,” and “purple on eyes with flecks of yellow or gold” can make a person's “eye color pop, and brighten up their face.”
Makeup artist Lindsay Kastuk adds that you can use “any color” on the upper lid that is not black if your goal is to look younger, and that it’s important to opt for something “less harsh” than black. She notes to find a product that is “still in the natural color palette,” such as “a gray, brown or navy blue.”
#2: For Your Waterline, Try White, Nude or Gold Liner
If you’re going for a less experimental look and simply want to enlarge your eyes, Brittany Lo, professional makeup artist and founder of Beia Beauty, recommends a timeless staple for your waterline— white eyeliner.
“I love using a white liner on the bottom waterline to help brighten up the eyes while looking younger and bigger,” says Lo. “I love smudging an eyeshadow underneath the bottom waterline for a softer look or using a dark liner on the top and keeping the bottom clean and bright.”
Katsuk recommends nude and gold for your waterline as well as white. “For something in the water line, [choose] eyeliner in a nude or even a gold tone,” says Katsuk. “This would be really pretty to open the eye up and add a bit of brightness.”
Quick Technique Tips
Overall, with so many eyeliner colors to choose from and experiment with, there are many ways that you can craft anti-aging makeup looks and have fun in the process.
Brice notes in conclusion that “more so than color, how the eyeliner is applied makes a big difference” in helping someone look younger. Often, she says, “people will apply it in a very heavy fashion all the way around the eye, which can make the person look tired, and the eyes look heavy.”
Brice recommends a “light touch,” and applying product to the outer two-thirds of the eye on top. She says you can choose to skip eyeliner “altogether on the bottom” or apply it “very lightly” on the outer two-thirds and “blend or smudge it into the lash line” for some slight definition.
You can also use non-black eyeliner in a non-traditional way to make your lashes look thicker, according to celebrity makeup artist and founder of Mally Beauty, Mally Roncal.
“Bury your eyeliner in the same shade as your brows, think browns, taupes, etc so it matches your lash coloring,” says Roncal. “Apply a thin liner directly on your lash line.” This, she says, gives you “fuller looking lashes without mascara,” and ultimately uses less products for a lighter look.
The softer and subtler the look on aging eyes, the better!
