What Is a Floating Crease? Your New Favorite Eyeliner Trend

Tired of a traditional smokey eye? Or maybe you’re looking for a little more drama you’re your standard boldly-colored statement eye can supply? Whatever the case may be, the floating crease is here to help you slay your smize. If you’re unsure of what a floating crease is, no worries, that’s what we’re here to explain! Below, you’ll learn how to wield eyeliner, eye shadow, and mascara for an updated beauty look.

WHAT IS A FLOATING CREASE?

Before learning how to use eye makeup products to embrace the latest beauty look swarming social media, let’s talk about the look itself. Unlike traditionally blended eye makeup looks that are focused on effortlessly blending away any lines of demarcation, floating creases are all about appearing graphic and bold, drawing attention to a crisp line just above the crease. With this eye makeup technique, gone are the days of heavy blending and layering, and welcomed are moments of simplicity, despite looking avant-garde. You can thank the minimalistic makeup trend for that—as well as this season’s obsession with bold fashion statements.

HOW TO CREATE A FLOATING CREASE

Stock your makeup bag with the right products to create a trendy floating crease, choosing your product trio based on whether you want to create a more neutral floating crease or a bold floating crease.

If you want a neutral floating crease…

L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Pocket Palette Eye Shadow in Boudoir Charme

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner in Brown

L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara

If you want a bold floating crease…

L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Monos Eyeshadow in Little Beige Dress

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner in Cobalt

L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara in Cobalt Blue

Once you’ve decided on whether you want a neutral or bold floating crease, it’s time to get to work!

STEP 1: PRIME YOUR LIDS

Regardless of whether you want a neutral or bold floating crease, the fact remains that if you want it to wear evenly, you have to start with primer. Primer can help create a smooth base for the rest of your makeup application as well as help it wear evenly throughout the day.

STEP 2: BLEND YOUR LID BASE

Here’s where you have to start making decisions. If you decide that you’d like to move forward with a neutral floating crease, you can work with a bit more eye shadow to add to and complement your look. Blend the second lightest shade in your eye shadow palette across your entire lid, extending just beyond your crease. Then, dust some of the lightest color onto the center of your lid to help make your eyes really pop. (This is a classic trick to make your eyes look bigger!)

If you choose to go with a bold floating crease, simply dust some beige eye shadow from your lash line to just beyond your crease. You want to keep your shade especially one-dimensional with a bold floating crease so that it won’t take away from the element you want to stand out the most.

STEP 3: ETCH YOUR CREASE WITH EYELINER

To create your floating crease, close your eyes to determine where your real crease is. Then, using the eyeliner color of your choice (if you opted for a neutral floating crease, reach for brown; if you opted for a bold floating crease, use cobalt blue), draw an arc just beyond your natural crease to create the much-loved floating effect. You can leave it as is or use a densely-bristled brush to blend it out for a slightly hazier effect.

Editor’s tip: You can accentuate your crease with a little blendable eyeshadow in the same hue. Just be sure to blend it upward so that it doesn’t disrupt the crispness of your floating crease.

STEP 4: MATCH YOUR UNDER-EYE MAKEUP TO YOUR FLOATING CREASE

If you love a little coordination and are craving a bit more drama to go with your floating crease, use the same eyeliner that you used for the crease on your lower lash line, too. Just remember to blend for a slightly softer under-eye effect.

STEP 5: FINISH WITH MASCARA

No eye makeup look is complete without a few swipes of mascara. If you opted for a neutral floating crease, keep it understated with a classic black mascara. Now, if you love looking a bit bolder, skip the black and pick up a tube of cobalt blue mascara. While your floating crease, lash line, and lashes will all match, when paired with a nude base it really doesn’t look overdone. In fact, it looks positively picture-perfect.

HOW TO DO THE REST OF YOUR MAKEUP

To keep your floating crease at the front and center of your beauty look, be sure to pair it with a lightweight face makeup look that focuses on a no makeup, makeup allure. To get the look, prime your skin, color-correct it with the L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Color Correcting Crayons, and top it off with a dewy glow using the L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer. To ensure that your face makeup appears super-airy, use a makeup blender, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender, to stipple it into place. Finish your look with an understated glossy lip using the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Plump and Shine Lipstick, Sheer Lipstick in the color of your choice. Be sure to take a picture because, trust us, this beauty look is 100 percent snap-worthy.

Next up: Love your new lid look? For more fun ways to update your eye makeup look, learn How to Perfect Your Cat Eye with a Stencil.