It may just be the trickiest tool in your makeup bag: the eyeliner. The problem? We still can’t stop buying it! There are just too many variations and shades for us to go sans liner. But the question always arises: do I need eyeliner, and how do I apply it? It appears to be a cakewalk, right? Glide liner on upper and lower lashes, bam, done. Well, not quite.

Photo: Courtesy of CoverGirl. CoverGirl Line Exact liquid liner in smoke, Target, $6.

Teen girls have this obsession with makeup. Once you discover it, all you want to do is stock up on any and every product you can get your hand on. We totally understand this need to experiment (hello, harsh ’80s makeup!) we want to save you the embarrassment you may suffer years down the road because of your ventures. 

Lining eyes with harsh black liner is the first mistake girls make.

Photo: Retna

(Please, just no. We like you, Taylor, but the eyeliner… not so much.)

Let us be clear: we have nothing against black eyeliner; it’s a great tool! But girls have this tendency to cake it on, creating that undesirable raccoon look. Before you line, think about these things:

Photo: Retna

What is your eye size? All eye sizes can use eyeliner in one way or another but some people are blessed with gorgeous big eyes. In that case, line the top lid only to avoid a bright-eyed look. If you think you positively can’t go without any liner, line the bottom lid but stop right before your iris starts. (If you’re having trouble figuring out the size and shape of your eye, check out some celeb examples to compare!) How are your eyes set? Some of us have deep set eyes which can make you look sleepy. Swipe on liner, but just to the outside of your iris, right before you reach the inner corner. Never ever line your eyes all the way to the corner, it just looks unnatural.

Christian Dior fall 2011 haute couture, Imaxtree

What color are your eyes? Black liner can look too brash when worked against brown eyes (not always, but sometimes!), and if you’re not going out for the night, try a dark brown liner instead. Don’t be afraid to step outside black. Even make an attempt at purple like Christian Dior did! What look are you going for? If you’re just heading out for school, keep things simple with a pencil liner. Evening looks can call for liquid liner and cream eyeliner can be used sparingly for daytime or be heavily applied for night. Now, to apply liner is a tad difficult. We want people to see past our eyeliner into our eyes. The product is meant to define eyes, not defy them. So starting with your top lid, place your ring finger right below your brow and tug upwards, just enough to create a usable space for liner. With your writing hand, line lashes from the inside out. Instead of swiping one time across, wiggle the pencil back and forth to make your liner stick.

Photo: Thinkstock

(Do as this makeup artist did, and put eyeshadow on before liner.) As for your bottom lashes, the wiggling technique still applies. Start from the outside and work your way in this time. You want your liner to be darker on the corners than in the beginning, an ombre effect.

Photo: Thinkstock

(Pro tip: Tired eyes? Trace parts of your lids with a white pencil to seem more awake.) Now that you’re equipped with the best eyeliner advice, commence the beautification process!