The Viral TikTok Eyeliner Hack That Makeup Artists Say Is A Waste Of Time

Eyeliner, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways. Few makeup tools are as transformative — a swipe of liner across your upper lid or a chic kitten or cat’s eye are all that’s needed to give your look an instant upgrade, even if you’re wearing jeans and a tee that day. But eyeliner application is nowhere near as intuitive as, say, lipstick. And a few good hacks are always welcome to give your technique a boost. 

With that said, it’s all too easy to rely on viral hacks (cough, TikTok) that look all kinds of interesting, but maybe aren’t keepers you’ll want to keep returning to day after day. Some beauty experts say this viral TikTok eyeliner hack is a waste of time and would be better left to TikTok. Don’t worry: we found an eyeliner tip you WILL want to replay. 

In theory, the eyeliner tape hack seen all over TikTok is pretty genius. Grab tape, carefully apply it at an angle on from the outer corner of your eye up to your brow and across your eyelid, and apply eyeliner in between those lines to keep it sharp as a tack. But there’s a flaw in this video-worthy hack. 

“The tape can irritate the delicate eye area and you might even be allergic to the glue,” said Global Makeup Artist Natasha Moor. “You can pull out lashes with the tape and cause an infection. Plus, you’ll need to spend extra time cleaning up the eye area.”

Instead, if you’re a beginner, Moor recommends using a gel liner or pencil liner that is easy to smudge. Apply it close to your lash line and then use a sharp brush to extend it gently, rather than using a liquid liner, which takes practice and can be challenging to control until you learn to use it, she says.