Coloured eyeliner: water-activated liners
687 productsfrom £2
Coloured eyeliner in bright, metallic and duochrome shades, with water-activated liners, refill pans, coloured mascara and palettes for every eye look.Coloured eyeliner in bright, metallic and duochrome shades, with water-activated liners, refill pans, coloured mascara and palettes for every eye look. Colourful eyeliner in a water-activated formula gives stronger colour and a sharper line than most pencils. Start with one shade you love, then build a palette.
687 productsfrom £2
Glisten Cosmetics
Red Wet Eyeliner Set
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Choosing a coloured eyeliner
A coloured eyeliner is the quickest way to change a look, and one line of blue, green or copper does more than a full lid of shadow. Pencils are easy to use, but many bright shades fade by lunch. Water-activated formulas give stronger colour and a sharper line, which is why most of the liners here come as cakes and pans. Glisten Cosmetics makes the range, with metallic, matte, duochrome and UV shades as single pans, split pans and palettes. UV shades glow under blacklight, which makes them a favourite for festivals and gigs. For everyday wear, a soft bronze, plum or navy reads as colour without looking like a costume.
How to use a water activated eyeliner
A water activated eyeliner is a pressed cake you wet with a drop of water or setting spray, then apply with a fine brush. Some brands call it a wet liner or cake eyeliner. Too much water makes the line streaky, so mist the brush rather than the pan. Once dry, it sets to a long lasting eyeliner that holds through the day, and micellar water lifts it at night. One pan lasts a long time, because each line uses only a thin layer from the surface.
Colourful eyeliner for blue, brown and green eyes
Colourful eyeliner looks strongest in a shade opposite your eye colour on the colour wheel. Copper, bronze and orange make blue eyes look brighter. Purple and plum suit green eyes. Brown eyes can wear almost anything, though navy and teal stand out most. If you are new to colour, start with a thin coloured eyeliner along the upper lashes and build from there.
Palettes, refills and coloured mascara
Magnetic palettes let you buy refill pans in the shades you use most, which cuts packaging. An eyeliner palette with split pans gives two shades in one. For lashes, the Glisten Cosmetics Spectra Lash range includes red mascara, sky blue, ginger and black. Refillable Eye Makeup lists every refill option, and Vegan Eye Makeup lists the vegan formulas. Fine liner brushes sit in Tools, and gentle removers sit in Makeup Removal.
Common questions
What colour eyeliner suits blue eyes?
Warm shades such as copper, bronze, orange and gold make blue eyes look brighter, because they sit opposite blue on the colour wheel. Soft brown is a subtler everyday option.
What colour eyeliner suits brown eyes?
Brown eyes suit most colours, but navy, teal, purple and green give the strongest contrast. Metallic gold works well for evenings.
What colour eyeliner suits green eyes?
Purple, plum, burgundy and copper bring out green eyes. Try a thin line of purple along the upper lashes first if you are new to colour.
How do you use water-activated eyeliner?
Mist a fine liner brush with water or setting spray, swipe it across the cake and draw the line in short strokes. Let it dry for a few seconds before blinking, and remove it with micellar water before bed.
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