For dramatic, sexy eyes, many makeup artists choose to line the waterline (the part of your lower lid that sits between lashes and the eye itself). While many eye care professionals don’t recommend this at all due to risk of infection, others say that the risk of lining the waterline is about the same as using eye makeup anywhere else on the eye. They ration that by taking proper precautions such as sanitizing and sharpening liner pencils between uses, throwing them away when they get too old and not sharing them, creating a dramatic eye doesn't have to be harmful. This technique is really a matter of preference, but here are some of the pros and cons to wearing liner on the waterline.
Pros
Lining the waterline makes a smoky eye even smokier by removing the appearance of skin between your lashes and your eye. It helps to draw attention to your eyes, and can even make them look whiter. If your eyes are big, lining the waterline can make them look smaller. Adding this look to a neutral, classic or colored smoky eye increases the smolder and intensity.
The gentlest way to line the waterline is by using a soft pencil liner or a gel liner. This is not an area in which you want to go cheap. Try the Urban Decay 24/7 pencil for a smooth finish that is easily blended and stays on a lot longer than other liners. Other options include the Lancome LeStylo and Clinique Brush on Cream Liner.
Cons
As mentioned, using makeup that close to the eye can potentially lead to infection. The risk of infection can be minimized by making sure liners and lining tools are kept clean. Also, eye makeup such as mascara and eyeliner tends to have a shelf life of about 3 months. Any longer, and bacteria can collect leading to a higher risk of eye infection.
Lining the waterline is also tricky for people who have sensitive eyes or may wear contact lenses. Anyone who’s rocked this look before knows that it can be very irritating if the wrong products are used. Make sure and do a test run before taking this look out all night.
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