My Eye Lineup: Shadow and Liner

Everything I put on my lids, from the primer that keeps it in place to the liners that stay put through a school day.

Bridget wearing her pink eyeshadow look

Eyeshadow is where I have the most fun with makeup. I want a color and a finish for any occasion, so my drawer runs from everyday nudes to a favorite palette loaded with mattes, metallics and foils for the bold days.

I mix splurges with budget finds here. My favorite shimmer is a champagne from a drugstore single, and it lives right next to the splurge palettes. Every pick on this page earns its spot the same way: smooth color that blends easily and stays put.

Affiliate Disclosure: This page has affiliate links, including Amazon links. If you buy through one, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share products I use myself.

You Asked, I Answered

How do you keep eyeliner from smudging when you have watery eyes?

I have two favorites. The first is a smudge-proof liner from Lancome, the 24-hour Drama waterproof gel pencil. Shop Lancome Drama 24H → The second is the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On pencil. Shop the 24/7 Glide-On → They glide on like liquid, they dry super fast and they stay all day.

What makes your eyes look more awake when you're exhausted?

I have five things I use to get that look. First, Lumify eye drops, which make your eyes look well rested and super bright. They get rid of redness instantly and give you a wider, brighter looking eye. Shop Lumify → Next is my Instant FIRMx Eye tightener by Peter Thomas Roth. It instantly tightens the skin under your eye and makes it look smoother. Shop Instant FIRMx Eye → Once the skin under my eyes is tightened, I dab on an under-eye brightener called Instant Awake by Catrice. What I love about these brighteners is that it comes with hyaluronic acid and shea butter, and it's buildable, meaning I can go as light or as heavy as I want depending on the makeup I'm going for that day. Shop the Catrice brightener → For my eyelids I use Sheer Wisdom Serum Shadow by butter LONDON in the color Sepia Tan. Shop Sheer Wisdom → And my last step is my fake awake eyeliner by tarte in the color nude. It instantly brightens your eyes in seconds. Shop fake awake →

Eyeshadow

butter LONDON Sheer Wisdom Serum Shadow

"My shadow and primer in one, with skincare built in."

Why I like it:

A liquid eyeshadow with a luxurious satin matte finish that doubles as a light-to-medium coverage eyeshadow primer. The 2-in-1 formula delivers a rejuvenating peptide blend alongside high-performance pigments to give eyeshadow even color and help makeup stick to skin.

Too Faced Born This Way The Natural Nudes Palette

"My best nude palette: 16 shades that flatter real skin tones."

Why I like it:

A palette of modern nudes inspired by the beautiful nuances of real skin tones. These 16 highly-pigmented shades range from flattering mattes to sultry metallic, shimmer, and sparkle for a radiant look. Easy-to-blend, creamy shadows in matte, metallic, and shimmer finishes.

Jeffree Star Blood Sugar Palette

"My favorite palette. A color and finish for any occasion."

Why I like it:

Blood Sugar features 18 striking eyeshadows and pressed pigments in three luxurious finishes: matte, metallic, and foil.

ILIA Eye Stylus Shadow Stick in Opulent

"One stick, three ways: wash of color, liner, or inner-corner light."

Why I like it:

The Eye Stylus Shadow Stick glides on for rich, waterproof pigment that blends easily and lasts up to 12 hours. Use the flat side of the slanted tip for all-over color or the edge to line and define. Available in 20 matte and shimmer shades made for mixing and matching.

Urban Decay 24/7 Longwear Eyeshadow

"My longwear single: velvety color that stays put 12 hours."

Why I like it:

A creamy, vegan eyeshadow single delivering high-pigment, ultra-velvety, supercharged color with long-lasting wear of up to 12 hours. Available in shimmer, metallic, matte, and satin finishes.

COVERGIRL Eye Enhancers in Champagne

"My budget single, and Champagne is my favorite shimmer."

Why I like it:

A silky sheer formula that blends easily for the look you want, with shades for days. Mix and match with other matte, pearly, or sparkly shades for a custom look that's all you.

Eyeliner

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Pencil

"My best longwear liner: 16 hours, waterproof, zero smudge."

Why I like it:

The 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil delivers creamy, high-performance color in over 30 bold shades across matte, metallic, shimmer, glitter, and satin finishes. Up to 16 hours of waterproof, smudge-proof wear with unbeatable staying power.

Lancôme Drama 24H Liqui-Pencil

"My best overall liner: creamy going on, locked once set."

Why I like it:

A 24-hour waterproof gel pencil with ultra creamy, dramatic color. No smudging, flaking, fading or transferring: the creamy texture is blendable when first applied, and once set it does not move.

Laura Geller Kajal Longwear Kohl Pencil

"My kohl pick, with a thicker shape for a steady grip."

Why I like it:

This iconic eye pencil delivers rich, intense color that glides on smoothly with zero skipping, and stays put all day without fading, smudging, or transferring. Infused with vitamin E to soothe and caffeine to help de-puff the eye area, and the thicker pencil shape ensures a steadier grip.

tarte fake awake Brightening Pencil

"Eight hours of sleep in a pencil."

Why I like it:

It's a trick in a stick. This twist-up pencil glides on smoothly to neutralize the inner rim and brighten the inner corner, brow bone, waterline, nose and Cupid's bow.

Urban Decay 24/7 Inks Liquid Eyeliner Pen

"My liquid liner: a paint-brush tip you can actually control."

Why I like it:

Inspired by professional paint brushes, the 24/7 Inks Liquid Eyeliner features an ergonomic design with a patented precision grip and an ultra-sharp tip for controlled, effortless application. Up to 24 hours of durable wear from a water-resistant, smudge-proof vegan formula that resists sweat, humidity, and tears.

When My Eyes Look Tired

LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops

"They make your eyes look well rested and super bright."

Why I like it:

This is my first step when I look as tired as I feel. It gets rid of the redness in your eyes instantly and gives you a wider, brighter looking eye.

Peter Thomas Roth Instant FIRMx Eye

"It instantly tightens the skin under your eye."

Why I like it:

My second step. It tightens the skin under my eye and makes it look smoother, and then everything I put on after it sits better.

Catrice Instant Awake Under Eye Brightener

"Buildable, so I go as light or as heavy as the day needs."

Why I like it:

Once the skin under my eyes is tightened, I dab this on. What I love about it is that it comes with hyaluronic acid and shea butter, and it's buildable, meaning I can go as light or as heavy as I want depending on the makeup I'm going for that day.

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