Can You Use Eyeliner As Lip Liner And Vice Versa: MUAs Weigh In!
Lip liner and eyeliner: the same product, right? They’re both intended to line and accentuate, and they all come in fun and exciting colors.
So, can you use a lip liner as an eyeliner?
The short answer? No.
Eyeliner is made specifically for your eyes, and you must never put non-eye makeup products anywhere near your eyeballs.
Eyeliner and Lipliner Are Not The Same Things
The ingredients in lip liner and eyeliner are both very similar, achieving very similar results. However, they differ regarding the pigments used to create various shades.
Many lip liners include pigments that are not intended to go anywhere near the eyes but only on the lip line. In some cases, the dyes used in lip liners can cause serious irritation and even blindness if used near the eyes.
The pigments used in eyeliners have been tested to be perfectly safe to use on the eyes.
Using your nude lip liner to accent your eyes may be tempting, but you should avoid that temptation!
To keep your eyes safe, only use products that are intended for the eyes.
That means no lipliner, blush, lipstick, or lipgloss.
Why Lipliner is Not a Good Eyeliner
As I mentioned above, the pigments added to your lip liner color are perfectly safe for your lips but not your eyes.
Eye makeup will eventually find its way inside your eyes, so it’s crucial that you only stick to products that are safe to use near your eyes. Your eyes are sensitive, so make sure that you opt for products that won’t cause any irritation or long-term damage!
Safety aside, lip liner doesn’t make a good eyeliner. Lip liner often has additives that help moisturize, why eyeliner has ingredients that have a drying effect.
If you decide not to heed my words and put lip liner on your lids anyway – be prepared for a smudgy mess at the end of the day.
What Can I Use in Place of Eyeliner?
We’ve established that you cannot use lip liner on your lids or eye area. So, how can you achieve that perfectly lined lid sans the traditional liner?
Getting a little creative with your eyeshadow is perfect for experimenting with different liner shades without irritating your eyes.
Odds are, you have palette upon palette of eyeshadow, with some shades that have never been touched.
To use shadow as sort of a gel eyeliner, run a small brush under the tap to get it nice and wet (be sure to wring out excess water). Then, swipe the west brush in the desired eye shadow and line your lids like you’re using a liquid liner.
The eyeshadow will become cakey on your lids, but that is perfectly normal! Once the eyeshadow is applied, run a dry brush or your finger over your lips to blend.
I like to give a quick spritz of setting spray to ensure that your shadow is locked in place.
Homemade Eyeliner
Can’t quite get the hang of the eyeshadow method? This homemade eyeliner recipe is simple, safe, and more affordable than your average store-bought eyeliner.
My favorite homemade eyeliner looks a little something like this:
- Pinch of beeswax (Vaseline works well, too)
- Activated charcoal to desired shade (you can even use cocoa powder!)
- ¼ teaspoon water
- ½ teaspoon oil
Melt the oil and wax in a saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients in a glass jar with a secure lid, and you are ready to go!
I also like to add a few drops of vitamin E oil to give my skin some additional love.
Can I Use Eyeliner as Lipliner?
Lip liners typically come in your standard red, nude, and pink shades, making it difficult to experiment with bold lips. You’re in luck if you have been eyeing your purple pencil eyeliner to create a bold lip!
You can use your eyeliner as a lip liner.
Unlike the eyes, the lips are far less sensitive. It’s perfectly safe to use eyeliner as a lip liner.
However, if you want your lips to look great, there are a few key points to keep in mind.
First of all, eyeliner is very drying. To keep your lips nice and moisturized, be sure that before you apply your eyeliner to your lips, you put on a skincare moisturizer product.
Also, most eye pencils are entirely waterproof and smudge-resistant. They may prove to be a better liner for your lips than a traditional lip pencil, especially when you need something that will stay in place all day long.
Conclusion
Eyeliner as lip liner? Perfectly safe. Lip liner as eyeliner? Bad idea.
Playing with colors and beauty products for your eyes and your lips is exciting, but it’s super important that you never use anything on your eyes that wasn’t intended for them.
With plenty of eye-friendly alternatives and a few homemade recipes, you’ll never find yourself in an eyeliner-less lurch!
