So I've learned two things while learning to use gels. First, I have to apply the gel immediatly after washing my face and before putting any creams on, or else the gel will apply unevenly. Second, for everyday application, I find my cheapo Studio Basics angled liner brush to be easier to use than softer bristled brushes (for the "stamping" method of applying liner). The stiffer bristles allow me to push the liner onto my lid without the bristles wiggling out of place. If I want to do a more detailed, but more difficult application, sliding the brush across my lid as opposed to stamping it, then the softer bristles of a more expensive liner brush work better.

Interesting tips! So I guess you always wear your eyeliner under eyeshadow if you apply it right after washing your face?

I would never even dream of wearing gel eyeliner without a primer underneath, even the cream eyeshadows crease on me if I don't have a primer! (And my eyes are so deep-set that yes, eyeliner creases just as bad as eyeshadow!)

After some experimentation with several kinds of blushes (flat push brush, angled brushes, thin liners, soft and firm bristles) my favorite eyeliner brush is a non-AL brush that's a thin liner with taklon bristles. (Hmmm, Miss K, does your talkon brush supplier make a thin liner brush to add to the collection....?) I find it easiest to apply the liner in short strokes -- I never figured out how to get the push method to look good, no matter what brush I used! If the line ends up a bit uneven due to the brush pulling on my skin, a second coat of liner always smoothes it right out. Plus, some lighter or brighter gel liners like Tanzanite and Oceanic look best with two coats anyway (in my opinion)!

Different techniques work for different people!

I apply my liner after my foundation and shadow, just before my mascara. I don't use a base on my eyes, just swish the kabuki over my lids for a bit of foundation on them. I use a super thin soft liner brush, usually applying in one long line. I prefer them over the stiff ones, which I use for my brows! Before I used gel liner I used liquid with the brush (never the "pen" type applicator), so I guess that's just what I'm used to.

Yep, I guess different techniques work for different people like Cin said! I don't always wear my liner under my eyeshadow, its just that I find it more difficult to apply if I have oils on my lid. So I sometimes apply it over cream shadow, it's just more difficult. I would imagine it would be easier to apply over cream shadow+AL base since the AL base isn't oily so much as sticky in texture. But usu. I do apply my liner first, then cream shadow. It would be interesting to compile different techniques!

The AL thin liner that they used to sell is working for me now with a stamp and slight, short strokes. The brown is still too dark but works well with shadow over it and a very thin line under part of my lower lash.

GG--I love scuba dive and tanzanite (thanks for the recs from my previous post). Beautiful, not too flashy and not too dark. I wore Scuba with myrtha yesterday, gorgeous and brought out all the cool colors in my eyes. Today I have on tanzanite with bellflower and odile, another winner. I still apply shadow over the top line because it just makes everything blend well and eliminates any unevenness of the line.

Because of my naturally, ridiculously bright pink eyelids (I swear!), there's no way I can get away without priming and concealing the heck out of them first. I use an eyeshadow primer, then I go over my lids with my AL concealer (I also do the rest of my concealing at this point, too). After concealing, I do my foundation, with a good sweep of foundation over the lids as well, then I do my URFP all over the face and lids. THEN I can do my shadows, which I do first, then my gel liner. I have one of those really basic, super-thin liner brushes, because a thin line looks best on me (I only line the upper lids), and I find the thin brush also easiest for me to manage. Then I do my mascara - two coats on the uppers, one coat on the lowers.

Wow!
For me, I cleanse, moisturize etc.
Then I apply primer, then eye shadow, and then eyeliner goes last. When I was practicing how to use gel eyeliner, I would apply it first.

Jani - glad Scuba Dive and Tanzanite are working out for you, they are gorgeous colors!

Tally - I've actually never tried AL's eye primer. Eye primer is one thing I still buy from another brand, because my lids are super-duper oily and the brand I use is the only thing I've found that makes my eyeshadow look perfect all day long! Maybe AL's would work, but why change a good thing? (It's not like I don't already buy enough from AL ) I'm pretty sure the primer I have keeps my skin matte due to all the silicones... But I do not use an eye cream during the day and my primer quickly dries to a matte finish, so there's no oil on my lids by the time I do my eye makeup (which is only a few minutes after washing my face).

For the record... I wash my face, apply acne meds, apply primers, apply eye shadow, clean up the eyeshadow mess I always spill on my cheeks (lol), do the rest of my face including undereye concealor, then go back and do eyeliner and mascara

I just wanted to add another technique!

I love to stamp or smudge shadow or liner (gel or otherwise) right into my top lashline.This prevents that seperation that you can sometimes get and when you are doing an actual liner makes you lashes look super thick and full.

I do this every time I do makeup,even if I am not doing shadow.It just makes my eyes look really lush.

I like to use a thin liner brush to apply my gel liner (usually Black Out) and then I go over it with a pencil brush or the AL talkon Line and Smudge brush and a little bit of the darkest colored shadow I am wearing. This helps me to even out any wiggly lines and smokes out the line a little. Robyn posted this technique (or one very similar)a while back and it has really helped me to improve my lining.

That's interesting about applying the liner before primers, shadow, etc.! I will have to try that to see if they go on smoother. Sometimes the brush will tug a bit if I'm layering the liner on top of a lot of eyeshadow. For me, there was a definite learning curve w/the gel liners, but now that I feel more confident in my application techniques, I love them. For solid, winged, or more detailed lines, I use the Thin Liner that AL used to sell. I have just recently gotten the "push" or "stamp" method to work for me with the gel liners. For that, I use a flat taklon brush and wiggle it into my lashline like Melissa described. It prevents that line of naked skin b/t my eyeliner and mascara that I sometimes get. If I want a smudgy line, I apply the gel liner using the push method, then before it sets up, I run the pointy end of an Eye Tee swab over the line. This smokes it out a little.

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Tally - I've actually never tried AL's eye primer. Eye primer is one thing I still buy from another brand, because my lids are super-duper oily and the brand I use is the only thing I've found that makes my eyeshadow look perfect all day long! Maybe AL's would work, but why change a good thing? (It's not like I don't already buy enough from AL ) I'm pretty sure the primer I have keeps my skin matte due to all the silicones... But I do not use an eye cream during the day and my primer quickly dries to a matte finish, so there's no oil on my lids by the time I do my eye makeup (which is only a few minutes after washing my face).

Yeah, I was going to add that I realized that I didn't wait for the creme shadow to dry fully... it takes about 5 minutes or so. This morning there was too much oil on my lid from bits of sunscreen and not fully dried cream shadow, so when I pressed the liner to my lid, it didn't stick. I still don't think that the liner applies as well over the cream shadow even when it is fully dry, but I'll have to get back a/b that (I think b.c. even if the cream shadow is dry, it begins to rub off with the formulation of the gel liner interacting with it, hence creating an uneven surface). I wouldn't recommend AL's brand for oily lids. Shadows crease more on me with just AL's primer than with just the creme shadow. However, mineral shadows crease the least with the creme shadow first, then AL's shadow

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If I want a smudgy line, I apply the gel liner using the push method, then before it sets up, I run the pointy end of an Eye Tee swab over the line.

I do that too, Ella! Well, with a plain cotton swab, (or my finger..).

I do wish that AL had some liners with the brush applicator which are my favorite to use.It pains me b/c I have to give my money to MAC to get them.I just haven't found another brand whose brush applicator I like.

I also use a really thin taklon liner brush that loooove.It is stiff and thin yet flexible at the same time.

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Originally posted by girl_geek:
I've actually never tried AL's eye primer. Eye primer is one thing I still buy from another brand, because my lids are super-duper oily and the brand I use is the only thing I've found that makes my eyeshadow look perfect all day long!

I too have super oily eyelids. If you don't mind sharing, what brand of primer do you use? I have tried a few with moderate success, but nothing that I love.