Eyeliner Trick From Lauren Conrad At The MTV VMAs

The One Eyeliner Trick You Can’t Live Without

Posted by: Nina Carbone Filed in: style
5:20PM, Monday September 14th 2009

It was eyeliner hysteria last night on the MTV VMAs red carpet—I want to say 98 percent of the starlets that showed up (Cassie, Nicky Hilton, Pink, J.Lo, etc.), had some version of a heavily lined and super defined eye. Tres chic, sure—but only one pretty lady got the look really right: Lauren Conrad. Check her out above—could her eyes be anymore gorgeous, huge and perfect? There’s one big reason why her version of lined eyes really stood out from the pack, and it’s something you don’t need to hire a makeup artist to pull off yourself. Get the trick we all could use—and check out the one VMA attendee that should have heeded our advice…after the jump!

Lauren is the perfect lining example: When you are going super heavy and super dark with the liner, you can’t line the entire eye or you’ll make your giant eyes look positively teeny. Check out how LC went heavy, but she didn’t line the inner corners (both on the top and bottom rims). When lining your eyes, keep the majority of liner color on the outer half to three-quarters of your eye. So, stop lining (or go really, really, thin) when you hit just a bit past the center of your rim. Or better yet, as you draw the line from outer to inner corners (either top or bottom) get lighter as you work in, so the line peters out slowly and it isn’t a jarring thick line and stop.

Now, take a look a Leighton Meester—sure, it’s one dramatic look, but it feels messy, totally overpowering and her eyes look like itty bits of nothing. Let this be a lesson to us all—leave the inner corners of your eyes liner free!

comments

pinkjellyfish
wrote on September 14 2009 @ 04:46 pm: [report]

That’s good advice for some people, but gals with big eyes like Leighton can pull off that dramatic look. Her eyes still look big, even with all that liner! It’s just too much eyeshadow.

dlc910
wrote on September 14 2009 @ 04:49 pm: [report]

Hmm-I thought Lauren looked terrible, but mainly I just don’t think nude lips work on her. I’ll admit I wasn’t crazy about Leighton’s makeup either.

stephoney22
wrote on September 14 2009 @ 05:18 pm: [report]

I must disagree. Lauren made the mistake of using really black liner when her hair is brown/blonde, and her lips are actually too nude. And Leighton looks slightly like she just got off her street-corner shift, but her eyes still look big and she looks pretty. I can’t comment on any one else because as a general life habit, I don’t watch MTV.

nonenone
wrote on September 14 2009 @ 05:57 pm: [report]

I think you’re completely wrong… Lauren’s eyes ARE SMALL and look small… while Leighton’s are average and look HUGE

i also agree with stephoney22 about lauren

amandabear
wrote on September 14 2009 @ 06:17 pm: [report]

I agree with pinkjellyfish, Leighton’s problem is more the shadow than the liner. Not loving the nude lip on Lauren at all.

abbylyn
wrote on September 14 2009 @ 07:35 pm: [report]

I actually think Leighton looks MUCH better than Lauren. Lauren’s face is completely monochromatic, and it just looks like someone drew two black circles in for eyes. Leighton’s features are all well defined, her eyes really pop, and she looks young and pretty.

effing hickster
wrote on September 14 2009 @ 09:45 pm: [report]

Maybe Lauren could try the Japanese Ganguro style of makeup?

catscratchfever
wrote on September 14 2009 @ 11:16 pm: [report]

@ effing hickster - omg I can’t wait for purity lipstick to hit the red carpet

spoiledone980
wrote on September 14 2009 @ 11:43 pm: [report]

lauren’s make up could hve been a lot better. it was way to heavy and it made how look way older than she is.

effing hickster
wrote on September 15 2009 @ 12:14 am: [report]

Leighton’s makeup is better, but not great.
Try this trick: put your fingers or thumbs over the purple part of the eyeshadow on the photo. See how they pop now? It’s that heavy purple that isn’t blended well that makes it look bad. You don’t want the corners of your lids to compete with the iris.
All she needs to do is lessen the eyeshadow on her lower eyelids, and trade out the purple for something lighter, like maybe a metallic green to bring the mahogany out in her eyes. Then for sure blend it better than it is now.

For Lauren, I think Nina’s correct about the application of the liner, but I agree with stephoney22 about the color scheme being totally wrong. With the color of her hair and that orange tan, black liner and nude lips/eyeshadow was the wrong choice. It makes her look extremely plastic. I would have gone with some nice earth tones to complement the color of her hair and make those green/hazel eyes pop with the contrast.

Anyway, what do I know? I’m just a guy. But I’m a portrait artist in my spare time, and I pay attention to those things.

Does anyone have any feedback for me? Am I way off base?

Jillakiss
wrote on September 15 2009 @ 08:12 am: [report]

In some photos (not this one), the area around LC’s eyes looked very washed out—too much mattifying powder. I only know this b/c it’s a mistake I’ve made myself. I like both LC and Leighton’s makeup in these photos, but I saw VMA pics of either of them looking less-than-stellar.

Katrina
wrote on September 15 2009 @ 08:42 am: [report]

I think Leighton’s problem is the glittery eyeshadow surrounding her eyes; if she toned that down it would make a big improvement.

ootie
wrote on September 15 2009 @ 09:29 am: [report]

I think Lauren looks pretty bad. Her whole face is the same cakey color with really beady, overlined eyes. I think Leighton’s eyes look better, but still overdone.

Oh Kathryn!
wrote on September 15 2009 @ 12:53 pm: [report]

Actually, Leighton’s eyes still look Bratz-Doll-huge.

SEMI-girl
wrote on September 15 2009 @ 03:02 pm: [report]

At first I was like, doesn’t everybody know this? Then I remembered that not everyone was a goth in high school in 1995. For the record, I go both ways depending on the look I’m trying to achieve, but it is a great tip.