Cat eye makeup is every gal’s go-to beauty hack for an instant glam feeling. With gorgeous beauty icons flaunting cat eye flicks on every occasion, it’s also easy to understand why. Nevertheless, when it comes to the practical side of how to do cat eye makeup, most of us will cringe at the thought of smudged eyeliner, uneven corner flicks and a lack of dexterity. Well, fear not. Here are the easy steps for perfect cat eyes. We’ve also rounded up a number of tutorials complete with cat eye makeup tips. As a bonus, you’ll also find top-notch, easy-to-handle products to help your cat eye makeup endeavors.

How to do Cat Eye Makeup Step by Step
Here it is – the breakdown of each easy step to the perfect cat eyes. The same rules apply to both small and big eyes. All of you beauties with hooded eyes or creased eyelids can follow the same basic guidelines. The main difference stands in that flick-of-the-hand wing which can have a dramatic impact on the final result. Before we get started, here is a quick list of products that fare quite well with makeup gurus and beginners alike.
- L’Oreal Paris Super Slim Eyeliner
- Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
- Beautyblender Liner.Designer
- Sigma Beauty Winged Liner Brush E06
1. Determine the shape of the line and its thickness
While this is not a golden rule, the cat eye makeup line shouldn’t be as thick on the inner corner of the eye as on the outer corner. Start from thin and gradually thicken the line as you follow the line of your lashes. Here’s how to do it:
- Create the base. The base you’ll be working with is a thin outline starting from the inner corner (near the tear duct) and ending with the outer corner (where your lashes also end).
- Fill the thicker end. Playing with the thickness of the cat eye line can help you create different amazing looks in no time. With the baseline in place, draw over it halfway across your lid, starting from the outer corner. At the end, you’ll want to have a cool, smooth gradual arch.
Keep in mind that how you place the thicker line, as well as its thickness, dictates the look of your cat eye makeup. Round it up to make your eyes look bigger. Flatten it to elongate the cat eyes. Start the thicker line closer to the mid-lid for a stylish retro cat eye makeup. Alternatively, thicken the line toward the outer point and create the illusion of eyes further apart.

2. Create the best cat eye makeup shape
You don’t need any cat eye makeup stencil to master this skill. There are three basic cat eye flicks that determine the shape of your cat eyes and create that glam look you’re after. These are the three flicks or wings you can start experimenting with.
- Curvy wing. Once the basic cat eye makeup line is in place, start working on the curvy wings. These are recommended for smaller eyes and hooded eyes. Curvy wings come out from the corner of the eye with a rounded line at the bottom and curvy tip upward, toward the outer corner of the eyebrow. Check out this tutorial for eyeliner cat eye curvy wings.
- Triangular wing. Whether you’re after a dramatic cat eye makeup for big eyes or a sassy day-to-day look, triangular wings are your choice. From the outer corner of the eyelid, draw a line straight up toward the outer corner of the eyebrow and then back in. This type of cat eye wings works best for extra definition, particularly if you have large eyes. Here is another inspiring tutorial using liquid eyeliner to create triangular wings, albeit with a slightly different method.
- Curvy flick for deep creases. This type of cat eye makeup wing is very similar to the first wing. Nevertheless, it is slightly more elongated so that it misses the crease at the outer corner of the eye. As such, you will avoid eyeliner smudges that may occur as the skin moves. Pixiewoo, the dynamic duo based in London bring you loads of cat eye makeup tutorials. We selected one for hooded eyes. Nevertheless, check out their channel for Angelina Jolie cat eye makeup, Halloween cat eye makeup and more.
3. Determine the right angle
Even though there are many different cat eye makeup wings, it’s crucial that they’re perfect twins for both eyes. Avoiding situations in which you draw a line only to wipe it off and start all over again is important, right? Therefore, here’s the short guide to getting the angle right and the perfect wings with it.
- Use a brush or pencil. Hold a brush or pencil against the side of the nose. Tilt it until one end reaches the outer corner of the eye and that of the eyebrow. If possible, draw a tiny point where the tip of the wing should end. By the way, check out this article on the perfect eyebrow shapes. You’ll see that the two guiding points should line up nicely.
4. Determine the length of the wing
While this is a key factor for out-of-this-world cat eye makeup, there’s no way to go about it without experimenting. However, the rule of thumb is to find the flattering cat eye wing length for your eyes. Make it too short and it can create the effect of smaller eyes. Make it too long and you get an unsightly drama-queen look. The right length can be achieved after a few tries and getting to know the shape of your eyes and how the eyelids crease. Don’t give up on achieving the vetted cat eye flick, especially if you’re a novice. Practice does make perfect.

5. Draw the wing and fill it in
A good cat eye makeup wing, whether it’s curvy or triangular, should be outlined first and filled after.
- Draw the wing line toward the outer end of the eyebrow. With just one eyeliner fine touch, outline the first part of the wing.
- Draw the inner wing line. Use the eyeliner to draw a second line starting from the outer end of the eyebrow and connecting it to the corner of the eye.
- Fill in the cat eye flick. With soft brushes, fill in the space between the two lines.
Remember that throughout these 5 easy steps it’s important to not pull your eyelids or skin. Typically, that creates the illusion of your cat eye makeup being higher or straighter, as well as color smudges and creases.
Have you perfected the cat eye makeup? Great! Put on mascara and get ready to hear more about how dazzling you look. Check out these tips and tricks on how to effectively apply eyeliner, complete with tutorials. We hope you enjoyed these 5 simple steps to achieving a stunning cat eye makeup. It may look complicated at first, yet it gets easier the more you practice.
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