Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Renee Rodriguez
When it comes to makeup, I'm OK with admitting I'm not the most skilled. I've mastered my basic makeup look [2], but I've never been great with crazy eyeshadow [3], tons of highlighting and contouring, or eyeliner. For the most part, I keep my look fairly basic: tinted moisturizer, blush, and maybe a few swipes of mascara if I'm feeling a little extra. However, just because I'm not necessarily skilled in the makeup department doesn't mean I don't like testing out new looks [4] every once in a while.
When I saw that "transparent eyeliner" was going viral on TikTok, I was immediately interested because it was being touted as the perfect trend for fans of minimalist makeup [5] (aka me). In the past, I'd never really considered eyeliner to be minimalist, but I was definitely willing to give it a try.
@maytahmi [6] When ur darker eyelids become useful x #editorialmakeup [7] #linertutorial [8] #eyeliner [9] #makeuphacks [10]
♬ Music For a Sushi Restaurant - Harry Styles [11]
The trend was first started by TikTok creator May Akhtar, who showcased how to get the transparent eyeliner look [12] using a small amount of concealer and a slanted makeup brush. Essentially, Akhtar uses concealer to create a negative-space eyeliner look, and the end result is stunning. The hashtag #transparenteyeliner now has over 2.3 million views on TikTok, and I've been seeing tons of other beauty influencers re-create the look on their own. Most recently, I've been seeing people re-create the look using just a light-colored eyeliner, so I opted to go that route when testing it on myself.
To test the hack, I grabbed the Jafra Beauty Duo Eyeliner [13] ($13) in the color combo Nude/Black Diamond. I love this eyeliner because it glides on smoothly without tugging at my skin, and it lasts hours without smudging or the need for a touch-up. When it came time to draw on the eyeliner, all I did was draw a line along the top of my eyelid with a slight wing, then draw a line coming from the corner of my eye to connect the two lines together. Basically, I created an outline where I normally would with winged eyeliner; I just didn't fill it in. Afterward, I smudged out the exterior lines and blended the lines. Then, just to give the look some extra staying power, I tapped a tiny bit of translucent powder over the entire look. The end result was subtle, and I mean super subtle, but I really liked how it turned out.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Renee Rodriguez
The wing I did would probably only be noticeable to me, but to be completely honest, this was the most luck I've had with winged liner since . . . well, ever. It was super tiny, but it was perfect to me and super cute. Because I was using a lighter-colored eyeliner, I didn't need to be super careful when drawing it on, which is something that always makes me nervous when attempting eyeliner in darker colors. I didn't have to spend a ton of time trying to get the lines just right, which was a definite plus.
I'm also a big fan of bare makeup and no-makeup-makeup looks, and this new trend definitely fits the bill. My eyelids are very similar in color to the rest of my skin, but I think this trend would look even more stunning on someone with naturally darker eyelids. However, applying an eyeshadow that is a few tones darker than your skin tone would also be a great way to make this eyeliner trend pop. Overall, I definitely think I'll continue testing out this trend, especially over the summer months when I want to look as cute as possible while putting in the least amount of effort.