Though Instagram’s sleek cat eyes and exquisite smoked out looks may make eyeliner seem like a brand-new phenomenon, you may be surprised to learn that eyeliner has been around for thousands (upon thousands) of years.
Yep, you read that right—thousands.
In this blog, we’ll look at just how old eyeliner really is. We also cover a few ways to advance your eyeliner skills and include an invitation to our upcoming Eyeliner 101 Workshop on March 28th!
The History of Eyeliner
While eyeliner didn’t become mainstream in the West until around the 1920s, archeologists have traced the origin of eyeliner back nearly 10,000 years to the ancient Mesopotamians and Egyptians. Originally, eyeliner was used to protect people from “the evil eye” (the belief in evil people and evil intentions) as well as the harsh desert sun. In this way, it was worn by both men and women.
The first eyeliner is thought to have been made of kohl. It was popular in Ancient Egypt but as Egypt slipped into the hands of the Romans, eyeliner decreased in popularity. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, eyeliner was not very popular in Europe. Even up into the Victorian Era in England, it continued to be considered “forbidden” by the upper and middle classes. At that time, it was worn primarily by “women of the night” and thus shunned by the rest of society.
It wasn’t until the 1920s in America and Europe that actresses such as Greta Garbo wore the style and made it a fan favorite. Throughout the 20th century, eyeliner continued to make a deep impact on the fashion and beauty industry.
A few decades later, in the 1960s, intense black winged liner lined the powdery white and light blue eye shadow looks that filled magazines and became the staple makeup look for women. Lasting into the 70s and 80s, heavy liner paired with bold colors and graphic designs became a very popular trend—one that is still loved to this day.
Goth and Emo cultures heavily embraced eyeliner into the 90s and early aughts. Today, one has only to click “explore” on Instagram to be flooded with eyeliner-heavy makeup tutorials, demos, tips, and tricks.
Eyeliner Tips
- Invest in quality products and tools
There are so many types of eyeliner on the market that it can be difficult to choose what’s right for you. While many options may seem best, do take the time to find quality products and tools that will make the application easier and more efficient. Quality makes the most difference when it comes to application and longevity.
Moreover, don’t forget that caring for your products and tools is just as important as purchasing them. For example, always be sure to tightly close your eyeliner product to ensure it does not dry out. Another care tip is to wash your brushes properly to ensure a clean application every time.
And finally, never keep an eyeliner past its best-by date. To know how long a product will last, look at the little picture of a beauty container on the product box. This usually has a number like 6 or 12 in it, indicating that the product will be good for 6 or 12 months after opening.
- Practice, practice, practice (on yourself!)
Beautiful eyeliner looks don’t happen overnight. Most expert eyeliner artists have perfected their technique by practicing. Fortunately, if you’ve got two eyes, some eyeliner, and a mirror, you can practice too! Just go easy on your peepers — they can only take so many passes of eye makeup remover!
- Join our Eyeliner 101 Workshop!
On March 28th, from 6pm to 8pm, the New York Institute of Beauty will offer an Eyeliner 101 Workshop for all and anyone who wants to learn about eyeliner and go home with the proper knowledge and tools to improve their eyeliner technique!
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to identify eye shapes, how to find the best liner styles for every shape, what the best eyeliner products are, and how to use them. The course will include both classroom instruction-style learning and hands-on practice.
Register here! We hope to see you there!
