Winged Eyeliner Stamps vs. Eyeliner Stencils

If you keep up with the latest makeup trends, you’ve likely heard that winged eyeliner stamps and eyeliner stencils are both trending. Winged eyeliner is a timeless look, so it’s no surprise there’s been buzz surrounding products that can make drawing your sharpest wing a whole lot easier. Whether you consider yourself a makeup novice or an expert, we could all use a few tricks up our sleeve when it comes to executing a flawless makeup look. But which of these eyeliner-perfecting tools should you use? While they have the same goal, stamps and stencils do differ. Read on to learn which option you should reach for to sharpen your cat eye.

WHAT IS A WINGED EYELINER STAMP?

First, let’s talk about what a winged eyeliner stamp is. This tool is a type of felt tip eyeliner, but instead of having a pointed tip, it has a stamp on its end. Typically, the eyeliner pen actually is double-ended, with one normal felt tip and one stamp. The stamp is in the exact shape of a wing (or triangle) so that it can conveniently create a perfectly-sized flick when pressed down at the outer corner of the eye.

HOW TO USE A WINGED EYELINER STAMP

We touched on this briefly, but let’s dive into detail on how to use a winged eyeliner stamp, shall we?

Step #1. Align your stamp. Position your stamp at the outer corner of your eye, angling it to your preference.

Step #2. Stamp! Yup—it’s that easy. Gently press the stamp onto your skin and remove to reveal a flawless wing.

Step #3. Complete your line. Of course, you don’t want to have a floating wing! We don't think that's a trend—yet. Line the rest of your upper lash line using a liner that matches the color and finish of your stamp.

Step #4. Repeat. Repeat steps one through three on your other eye, then show off your wings!

WHO SHOULD USE A WINGED EYELINER STAMP?

If you’re a makeup newbie, or simply in a rush, you may find that an eyeliner stamp is just your speed for winging your eyeliner without any mistakes. With this tool, you don’t have to put much thought into your flick because all you need to do is line up the stamp and press it onto your skin.

On the other hand, if you don’t have much lid space—aka you have hooded eyes—you may find an eyeliner stamp doesn’t work for you as it can't be adjusted to suit your eye shape. Also, if you love to switch up the color of your wing, there may be a better option, which leads us to…

WHAT IS A WINGED EYELINER STENCIL?

So, what is a winged eyeliner stencil? As you can probably guess, this tool is a stencil that is placed where you would like your wing, then filled in using your eyeliner of choice.

HOW TO USE A WINGED EYELINER STENCIL

Want to use a winged eyeliner stencil? Give the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Flash Cat Eye Waterproof Brush Tip Liquid Eyeliner a try. Here’s what to do.

Step #1. Line up your stencil. Position the open part of the stencil at the outer edge of the eye. Lay it flat against your skin.

Step #2. Color it in. Fill in the stencil to draw your wing. Remove it from the outer edge of your eye to reveal a precise wing.

Step #3. Finish your line. Continue lining across your eyelid, connecting the line to your flick.

Step #4. Repeat. Just like with a stamp, you’ll want to repeat steps one through three on your other eye.

WHO SHOULD USE A WINGED EYELINER STENCIL?

A wing stencil is a great option for those who want to perfect their technique and eventually be able to draw a wing with no help at all. Consider it training wheels for mastering winged eyeliner. Aside from being a learning tool, eyeliner stencils also allow you to customize your look, since you can fill in the stencil with your eyeliner of choice. This means you can play with different colors and finishes using the same stencil, whereas an eyeliner stamp only offers one color and finish to work with.

Next: Wing It: Learn How to Do Cat Eye Makeup with Our 7 Expert Tips