An Expert’s Guide To TikTok’s White Eyeliner Contouring Hack
Creators swear it’s like a “face lift” in seconds.
Playing with beauty products in unusual ways can be a life-changing makeup hack. Just look to BeautyTok, which has popularized creative tricks to make the most of items you already own, like using a brow pen for faux freckles or applying blush to your nose for a summery glow. The latest trend to take off on the platform is white or nude eyeliner as contour, which some creators swear by for an all-over mini “face lift.”
The idea is that adding a white or nude liner to certain areas of the face — like the corners of the eyes, nose, and lips — creates a lifting effect, giving the illusion of sharper features and a more “snatched” appearance. TikTok creators like @MelisEkrem, @Suzi_Sina, and @nesmates have used the technique, and commenters note they can spot a difference in seconds.
Unlike some beauty hacks that require complex technique and multiple products, this one is super easy to recreate at home. Below, Caroline Blanchard, head makeup artist at Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, spills the deets on how to try it for yourself.
1. Perfect Your Base Makeup.
First, Blanchard says to do your face makeup as you normally would — just try to avoid any waterproof bases so you can easily blend the eyeliner you’re going to add on top. She’s a fan of Beekman 1802’s tinted moisturizer rather than going with a heavy full-coverage foundation. Of course, any blendable base layer that you prefer will do.
2. Pick Your Eyeliner.
There are a few things to consider when reaching for your nude or white eyeliner. “You want to choose a creamy soft liner, and choose one that is about two or three shades lighter than your skin tone,” Blanchard says. Again, you might want to avoid a waterproof option so you can blend it out as needed.
Using a thicker stick, like Maybelline’s Color Tattoo Eye Stix, may be easier if you’re a beginner, and Blanchard also recommends the Bobbi Brown shadow sticks in matte shades. Tarte’s Fake Awake is another option that TikTokers are using for this hack.
3. Apply The Liner To The Eye Area.
First, Blanchard likes to brighten up the eyes by adding the liner in the inner corners and buffing it out with a small brush or Q-tip. Next, she says, “Go to the outer corners of your eyes, take your nude or white liner, and draw a line right under the darker liner you’re wearing.” (If you’re not wearing other liner, just draw this one on like a wing.) The line should extend upward, toward your temples. After it’s drawn, blend it in, or leave it sharp if you’re going for a more dramatic, graphic effect.
4. Apply It Around The Nose.
“You want to start the nude line at the base of your nostrils and draw your lines upwards again, towards the top of your cheekbone,” Blanchard says. This line should be about one to two inches long. “You’ll definitely want to blend it into your foundation,” she adds.
5. Add Liner Around Your Mouth.
To complete the lifting effect, “draw your lines from the lip corners upwards under your cheekbone and blend in again with either your finger, a Q-tip, or an eyeshadow brush,” Blanchard says. This is the final step to help draw the eye toward the high points on your face.
Remember that blending out the product is key — you want the “lines” to look barely there, yet still be visible enough to gain the lifted effect you’re after. Blanchard tends to recommend nude liners instead of white to create a softer appearance, so if the technique still isn’t looking right, try experimenting with different shades and formulations.
“One of the things I love about makeup is that although there are some basic rules to adhere to, there are so many options to change up products for effects you’d like to create,” Blanchard says. Take it from TikTok — most beauty products are more versatile than you might think.
