How To Get The Perfect Cat Eye Makeup For A Night Out 2024

Last Updated on August 2, 2024 by Paola Castillo

There’s something undeniably timeless – and sexy – about the cat eye in your outer corner. It’s the liquid eyeliner look that makes you say, “Meoooow,” before stepping outside, and it’ll have all the fellas purring, honey.

If you’re thinking about repping a seductive liquid liner cat eye makeup for your upcoming night out with the girls, you need to make sure you do it right with the proper liquid eyeliner. Do it wrong, and you’ll look more like a little kid who got lost in their mom’s makeup bag with a horrible upper lash – the exact opposite of a feline flick or your ultimate goal: a sex kitten.

Want to nail the cat eye makeup look and leave everyone swooning? Keep reading to learn how to get the perfect cat eye makeup for a night out. (Don’t worry – it’s not complicated, and only a few products are necessary.)

How To Do Cat Eye Makeup the Right Way

Funky cat eyes are a definite no-no. Ditch the humdrum eyeliner makeup look debacle and leave your eyes looking on point by following these simple steps to create a stunning cat eye makeup aesthetic.

Find Your Eye Natural Shape

Babe, you must figure out your eye shape before you even think about reaching for your liquid eyeliner. Knowing your eye shape will help you ensure you’re doing the cat eye makeup correctly, as all eye shapes will need something a little different, like a winged liner or something else.

Round Eyes

For those with big, beautiful round eyes, creating a cat eye makeup look will be a cinch. Round eyes are described as those with visible irises when their eyes are wide open and resting naturally. Your ultimate tip for creating cat eye makeup is to start with a liquid eyeliner from the outer brow and go downwards. 

Monolids

Do your eyes lack an eye crease, or do you have a very minimal eye crease? Then you have eyes that are known as “monolids.” Monolids will need a very thin cat eye gel liner. You’ll start with your black eyeliner at the middle of your eyelid and maneuver outwards. You can add some extra length to your cat eye look.

Almond Eyes

Almond eyes are oval, not round. Because almond eyes tend to have extra lid space, it’s effortless to put together the cat eye makeup look in that upper lash. You’ll need to start from the inner corner of your eyelid and maneuver your eyeliner outward. Add a little more liquid eyeliner pen toward the lower eyelid for some added drama.

Hooded Eyes

If your creases disappear the second you open your eyes, you have hooded eyes. With this eye shape, professional makeup artists suggest that you’ll have to go thicker to see the cat eye style visibly. Start the wing where the hood of your eyelid begins and go outward. This will create a winged eyeliner.

Wide Set Eyes

If you have eyes that are wider than most, you need to be careful with the cat eye look. Too much wing and you’ll pronounce the wide stance of your eyes. That said, keep your wing on the shorter side. You can also bring the pencil eyeliner toward the middle of your eyelid rather than stopping at the outer corner.

Close Set Eyes

On the other hand, those with close-set eyes can use winged eyeliner to their advantage. If you have close-set eyes, bring your winged liner a little further out and at more of an angle. This will help to offset the close stature of your eyes beautifully.

Natural Eyeshadow

Now that you know your eye shape, it’s time to start working on the look.

It’s always recommended to start with an eyeshadow primer before applying any type of eye makeup, whether it’s a day or night eye makeup look. Primer creates a smooth base for your makeup to glide over, ensuring a picture-perfect finish. It will also allow your eye makeup to adhere better, so you won’t have to worry about it coming off while shaking your tush on the dance floor.

After applying primer, you have two options.

Natural eyeshadow is the preferred option for the cat eye look. That’s because it allows the cat eyeliner technique to be fully displayed. It also ensures you’re not drenched in makeup, allowing those beautiful eyes to shine.

However, you can use a darker shade if desired. Darker eye makeup paired with a cat eye creates a dark and mysterious look, although you won’t be able to see the definitive lines of the pencil eyeliner of the cat eye as well.

Get Comfortable With an Eyeliner Pencil

It’s time for the fun part – creating your cat eye makeup look!

To create alluring cat eye makeup, you will need a good liquid eyeliner pen or a gel eyeliner on your side. KVD Vegan Beauty Super Pomade Eyeliner is an ideal choice for cat eyes, as is the Pat McGrath Labs Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner. Choose either one of these for a stunning finish. 

Then, get to work.

1. Start by Tightlining Your Eyes

Tightlining adds a black liner to the top and the lower lid (the water line). This is a crucial piece of the cat eye puzzle. Without tightlining, you’ll be left with a “winged” eyeliner look rather than a true cat-eye style.

2. Follow Up With the Wing

Once you’ve applied the tightlining, you can create the famous wing with eyeliner.

It’s best to start with an outline rather than going full-force with your liquid eyeliner pen. That way, you can ensure you like the shape of your wing before proceeding forward. If you made a mistake and didn’t like the look, simply get rid of the line with some makeup remover and try again.

To outline, create a dot where you will start your cateye and where it will end. Remember to adjust according to your eye shape. Ideally, you’ll make a line that starts from the outer corner of your eye toward the end of your eyebrow. It should be slanted at a 45-degree angle (for most eye shapes). 

Connect the wing to the eyeliner on your upper and lower lid to complete your favorite makeup style.

Tip: Some people can find it challenging to freehand the wing. If it’s something you struggle with, you have two options. You can use your makeup-angled brush or a piece of tape to guide your eyeliner. 

Tip 2: Avoid stretching out your eyelid! Although you might think this makes it easier to apply your winged eyeliner stamp, it will make it look odd when you’re done scrunching your skin. Keep your eyelids as normal and natural as possible when applying your winged eyeliner for the best appearance. 

3. Finish With Mascara

It’s no secret that a cateye makeup look is bold and beautiful, and it can stand on its own two feet (or should you say four feet, considering this is a “cat” look?).

However, leaving your eyelashes without a single drop of mascara is a big mistake for that amazing eyeliner. Mascara will complete your night makeup look, adding some desirable zhuzh.

You can use whatever type of mascara you’d like. But if you want to know which mascaras are best for completing a cat eye makeup style, consider going with the Essence Cosmetics Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara or Glossier Lash Slick.

Both of these mascaras are known for one thing: creating robust, luscious lashes that can be seen for miles. And you don’t even have to worry about applying those pesky false lashes (unless you want to, of course).

The Cat Eye Makeup is Calling Your Name, Babe!

Cat eye makeup never goes out of style (even though reverse cat eye makeup has taken the world by storm!). Luckily, creating a cat-eye makeup look isn’t overly complex. It comes down to creating a gorgeous wing connecting to the top and bottom lash line. Don’t forget a bit of natural eyeshadow and mascara to bring it all together!