On the shelves: types of cosmetic makeup pencils

Inna Evtikhova, image maker, stylist and makeup artist, head of the Image Inn Academy of Style and Makeup

The article was first published in the magazine “Makeup&YOU Professional” and is intended for professional makeup artists. Today there are a huge number of brands producing pencils. Let's figure out why this important tool for every makeup artist is needed, how and for what occasion to choose it correctly, and what textures to give preference to.

Eye makeup pencils

And we'll start with eye pencils. Their distinctive feature is the softness of the texture. The pencil should not scratch the skin or cause discomfort, and at the same time it should lie gently on the eyelid, not crumble or leave greasy, torn stripes. This applies to all eyeliners. They contain natural waxes, pigments, and preservatives for an antibacterial effect.

What exactly are eyeliners?

Shading pencils . Their lead is wax based and soft enough to be blended like eye shadow. With these means it is convenient to create a certain shape, saturate and deepen the color, and make soft transitions. These pencils are what you need for pencil makeup techniques. Kajal looks the same as regular eyeliner. It can be either wooden or plastic. It is used for lining the inside of the lower eyelid, so such a pencil should always have an inscription that it is hypoallergenic and has passed ophthalmological control. Its main feature is moisture resistance. It comes in both white and black. White color is suitable for increasing the shape of the eyes. But be very careful, it can play a cruel joke on you: it cannot be used in regular commercial makeup if your client has yellow albumen or red streaks. Black kajal is very narrowing of the eye, so do not use it if the client's eye shape is slit-like or the eye is very small. There are also pencils for eyeliner, eye-liners or, as they are also called, contour pencils (they are good for drawing arrows and drawing the contour of the eye). Such pencils are used only for eyeliner on the outer eyelid. Their lead is harder, so the pencil can be sharpened very sharply and get a thinner and clearer line. Therefore, makeup with eyeliner can even include arrows. There are pencil shadows . They usually look thicker, but are easy to apply and can even serve as a base for eye shadow. Eye pencils are available in a very wide range of colors, so you can always choose the shade you need. Glitter pencils are also available. However, if your client has sensitive eyes, it is better not to choose this option.

What to look for when choosing a pencil?

The main thing is to answer the question: “why do I need it?” And based on the answer, pick up a pencil by drawing a line on your hand. The line will be a little thicker and softer. But note that if the line is too thick, when you start shading such a pencil with a brush, it can shade indefinitely. Because the oily texture slides very easily behind the brush and movements need to be controlled more carefully. A denser pencil line will keep the shape of the arrows well and not spread.

Lip pencils

Lip pencils are often used to enhance the contour of the lips. But they also prolong the durability of the lipstick, protecting it from spreading - thanks to the pencil, lip makeup looks more neat. Also, using a pencil, you can easily adjust the shape of your lips, add volume to them, or vice versa, make them narrower. Lip pencils come in both clear and colored . Colorless pencils are often called invisible outline. They can be either transparent - with a high content of waxes and silicones for use under lip gloss, or with a delicate beige-pink tint to match the color of the lips, which allows them to be used with lipstick.

Contour pencils are harder, wooden, sharpen well, and are convenient for creating a clear outline. A thinner and denser lead will allow you to clearly outline the shape of your lips. A thick pencil, on the contrary, will add plumpness to your lips and create the effect of more smudged makeup, which is now in trend.

Also, when choosing a pencil, you should know the main rule: it is matched either to the color of your lips or to the color of your lipstick; there are simply no other options today! This is important to remember! To achieve a natural effect, the pencil line must be shaded. You can use a beige or invisible pencil, light under bright lipstick, in which case it will work as an invisible contour. But! If you want to enhance the color of your lipstick, then the shade of the pencil should be darker. Be sure to not only outline the outline with it, but also shade the entire surface of the lips, and then cover it with lipstick - its color will be enhanced and the result will be more durable. If you want to make your lips plumper, leave the center unshaded and cover the entire surface of the lips with gloss. The pencil will help keep the lipstick or gloss exclusively in the shape of the lips and will not allow it to spread into fine wrinkles.

How to choose a lip pencil?

It should be soft, but not greasy. Run it over your hand without pressing. It should leave a soft, continuous line, should not break, leave uneven marks on the hand, or wear off with light touches. To remove a good pencil mark, you need to make an effort or use a damp cloth. That's when it will give you staying power and keep your lipstick in place. When choosing a lip pencil, give preference to soft but long-lasting types. A thinner and denser lead will allow you to clearly outline the shape of your lips.

Eyebrow pencils

Your makeup pencil kit should definitely include eyebrow pencils. They are the hardest among the rest. They are needed to fill in perhaps a missing hair somewhere or to give the eyebrows the desired shade. With their help, you can give exactly the eyebrow shape that suits your client. Helps enhance or soften facial expression. Now the trend is wide and even eyebrows, as if slightly careless. But this is only an illusion; eyebrows must be well-groomed and of the exact shape that suits a certain person. And an eyebrow pencil will come to the rescue. It is the hardest of all, it should not stain the skin or create the appearance of unkempt eyebrows. With a pencil, you can draw the entire eyebrow, making it more expressive, or fill only the gaps.

What to look for when choosing?

The most noticeable feature of an eyebrow pencil is the brush at the end. Eyebrow pencil has a completely different texture and contains a large amount of powder. If you run it over your hand, with the lightest pressure you may not even see the mark. It is this quality that allows you to create the effect you want to achieve: an expressive or, on the contrary, a careless eyebrow shape. If it breaks during sharpening, it is most likely frozen (if it is winter) or has expired: powder products in these cases become very fragile.

How to choose a color?

Look at the color of your hair - the shade of the pencil should match the tone of your hair roots. If your client's hair color is red or something else that is far from natural, for example, has a reddish undertone, then choose a product that matches the color of the eyebrow hairs. Be sure to add a little shade that is in your hair to the middle of the eyebrow. If your hair is light and the color of your eyebrows is significantly darker than your hair, choose a pencil that is a shade lighter than your eyebrows, then they will look as natural as possible. Colors that every master needs to have: light for blondes, medium and darker for other clients, but exclude black, since black will make even a brunette look older.

Highlighter pencils

This makeup pencil is completely different from the rest, but is increasingly gaining popularity. An excellent product to make your face radiant. It is applied to the convexity of the cheekbone, to the inner corner of the eye, to the bridge of the nose and to the “Cupid’s bow”, that is, where direct light hits. After using it, your face will feel fresh and look healthy. This highlighter can be in two shades - pearlescent pink or more golden.