When we think about winged liners, Adele's flawless feline flick is top of mind. The master behind her sharp liner is makeup artist Michael Ashton, who has been doing Adele's makeup since 2007.
He graciously sat down with The Cut and revealed his secret to achieving the singer's amazing cat eye."I popped over to her house to trim her fringe and she asked if I could do a quick bit of eyeliner for her before she went to meet friends. The eyeliner obviously got the seal of approval and the rest, as they say, is history," he shares.
He then gave step-by-step instructions on how to draw Adele's signature cat eye. "I always start by outlining the shape of the liner, working from the inner to outer corner of the eye with a black gel liner. I then work the product right into the root of the lashes and then build thickness gradually. Once I’m finished creating the desired shape, I use a waterproof liquid liner with a precision tip to intensify and refine the line, finishing by winging the end of the liner last," he explains.
You can watch these easy eyeliner tutorials in case you need a visual guide.
Ashton also pointed out that he used specific tapered brushes for precision. "I have a couple of fantastic eyeliner brushes I picked up in a little beauty store in Japan years ago and they have the perfect taper. They’re thicker at the bottom, which allows a quick application of product, but the tip is extremely fine so you can gently drag out the wing of the liner until it fades away into the finest point," he tells The Cut.
But of course, you don't need to fly to Japan to grab these brushes. As long as you use a fine angled liner brush, you're good. He divulged that he sharpens the wings with Bioderma Crealine and Muji cotton tips.
PHOTO: Lia Toby/WENN.com
