TikTok's Finger Eyeliner Technique May Be The Secret To Nailing A Smoky Liner Look

The best things in life are simple, and that should definitely apply to makeup hacks. When it comes to eyeliner, it can be a real pain to get it just right and not poke yourself in the eye. Not all of us have steady surgeon hands, and that's okay. Fortunately, there are lots of tips and tricks out there to achieve the eye look you want. Maybe you've tried the simple bobby pin hack or the tape trick to apply your eyeliner, but you haven't discovered the technique that works for you. 

You may often find yourself wondering: "Why is it so hard to get the perfect eyeliner wing?" Well, it doesn't have to be. Don't worry — TikTok has a hack for everything, including winged eyeliner. Instead of standing in front of the mirror for an hour trying to get your wing perfect, we have a quick and easy tip to help you pull off a gorgeous, smoky eyeliner look. All it takes is your favorite pencil eyeliner and your finger. Yep, that's it! 

Before we get into it, the first thing you should know is that this hack specifically works with a pencil liner, not a liquid eyeliner. For a smoky wing that isn't too pointed or harsh, a pencil liner will do the trick. Pro-makeup artist Aya Tariq suggests trying pencil liners with a "creamy texture" since they are "more forgiving and you can smudge them with a Q-tip, your finger, or a brush," she told Marie Claire. We recommend the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil and Pixi Beauty Endless Silky Eye Pen for beginners. 

Now, the hack. Just last year, a content creator by the name of Bex (@bexcxmpbell) made a TikTok video sharing an eyeliner tip that blew the minds of over 5 million viewers. All she did was apply a small amount of pencil liner on her finger, place her finger at the outer corner of her eye, and then with a swoop, she pulled her finger back to reveal a perfect smoky liner look. It was that easy! One of the comments under the video reads, "It's unfair how flawless this is," and we couldn't agree more.

In response to Bex's original video, a few users made their own videos trying out the hack but with no success. They ended up with more of a blob than a sleek, smoky line. The issue may have been because of the type of liner they were using. With this trick, the softer, the better. This will allow the product to easily glide along your skin rather than just becoming a smudge. Heating the tip of your eyeliner pencil with a lighter or blow dryer can be a great way to soften it up. Just be careful not to burn the pigment and, of course, your hands.

Bex made another video showing a different way to achieve the sleek, smoky look. Instead of drawing on her finger, she applied a small amount of liner to the outer corner of her eye and then used her finger to swoop the liner back into a wing. This method achieved the same beautiful results.  

Of course, what works for some may not work for others. If you are still having trouble, there is another variation you can try. A TikTok user named Roni (@roni4444ka) shared a very similar hack with the help of her finger. This video has over 1 million likes, and rightfully so. Instead of drawing on her finger, she applies the eyeliner around the outer corner of her eye, almost creating a tiny cat eye. 

Then, she drags the product back with her nail to create a pointed winged liner look. It even looks like it was perfectly drawn with liquid liner. Though it appears to be a bit more pointed, it still has that smoky element that the pencil liner achieves. Feel free to try these methods and see which works best for you. It may take some practice, but we believe in you. (PS: remember to wash your hands before touching your eyes.)