Fishtail Eyeliner Can Take Your Look From Ordinary To Extraordinary

If you adore eyeliner, then you've likely nailed the perfect winged liner and can create the sharpest cat-eye. So what should you try next? We suggest diving right into fishtail eyeliner. As cool and creative as it sounds, it sees the liner swooping upward and downward just like, well, a fishtail. It's also a look that only requires a few simple steps.

First, start by applying a liquid liner to the edge of your eye while flicking it up and out, makeup artist Rachael Vang explained to Maybelline New York. Vang notes that you don't need a perfect line right away as you can fix it up afterward. Next, continue the line across the top of your eye. Now, create a swoop attaching the line to the flick the same way you would if you were creating a cat-eye. Once you've done that, you can do the same on the bottom but turn the flick down. At this point, you can bring the outer lines together so that the two parts of the fishtail aren't separated by a gap. Finally, you can fill in your lower lash line to create a finished look. If you prefer, you can switch to a pencil liner for this last part for a slightly softer style. You can also add dark, lengthening mascara to enhance the dramatic effect.

If that has piqued your interest, then you might want to check out the wide range of ways that you can slay fishtail eyeliner.

If you're new to this animal-inspired style of makeup, then you might want to stick with the classic fishtail eyeliner. Rather straightforward yet still eye-catching, you can start off with a relatively subtle application that doesn't take the outer flicks too high or too low but still boasts the necessary fishtail shape. You can also keep the upper liner line rather thin and ditch the color on the lash line if you prefer. However, you will still want to make sure that the lines of the fishtail connect.

The saying may tell us to go big or go home — but in this case, the more dramatic option would be to go deep. Just take a look at how striking this fishtail liner is, thanks to the fact that the lower flick has been made on a sharp angle that goes relatively far down. Along with both a thick upper liner and a filled lower lash line that extends right around the tear duct, you might also notice the additional mini flick on the bottom just inside the larger version which adds another edgy touch.

There's no doubt that fishtail liner is stylish enough to stand up on its own. On the other hand, there's no reason why you can't put a different twist on the look each time you apply it by adding various vibrant colors. Simply create the style like you normally would, but end the black liner midway along. From there, you can continue the line with blue, green, or whatever pleases you. You might want to consider shades that compliment your eyes or match the outfit you're wearing that day.

If you like the idea of adding color to your fishtail eyeliner, then you might want to take the vibe up a notch. You can do this by replacing the bottom black line with something much brighter. In this case, you will want to create the lower line first so that you can pop the black on top without smudging the sharp edges. You might also want to take the black liner in around the tear duct and a tad bit under the eye for a little extra framing.

Make the space between your fishtail liner truly pop by filling it in with a touch of white. Although you could use liner for this, you'll surely love the effect you end up with if you opt for eyeshadow. You can further enhance the look by dabbing the white shade on the inner eye. Beyond that, blend your black liner on both the top and bottom or add a bit of dark charcoal gray eyeshadow to create an enviable smoky eye that makes this perfect for a night out on the town.

Give your fishtail eyeliner an added level of depth and dimension by incorporating a couple of highlights. After creating the look with a black liquid liner (as first mentioned above), you can then use a white pencil liner to follow the shape of the flicks — but only on the top of each line. You may also want to arch it over your eye. The result will be like a bright light from above is shining on your eyes, capturing the spark and reflecting a gorgeous gleam.

Take a totally different approach to this style in a super-easy way by ditching the black eyeliner and using a white version in its place. While you can follow the same steps that you normally would in order to create fishtail eyeliner, the lighter shade will offer you a very different effect. Although you can certainly use this color for any of the versions above, you definitely don't need to opt for anything more than a few thin lines for this. You'll make a major impact that's also unique.