When the want to elevate your everyday eye makeup look arises but you don't have the time or patience to sculpt a precise cat-eye, Jennifer Aniston's recent winged eyeshadow look offers a chic and low-maintenance solution.
Beloved for their ability to define and lift the eyes, the best eyeliners can be as essential as the best foundations in our makeup arsenals. But liner can also double as the bane of our existence – especially when it comes to mastering the art of how to apply liner in liquid form. One wrong move and your eyeshadow and concealer are ruined or, more annoying still, your two wings don't match.
Thankfully, though, there is another equally flattering but slightly more forgiving alternative that appears to have Jennifer Aniston's stylish seal of approval: the eyeshadow wing. Offering an effortless feel whilst still accentuating the eyes, here's why this warm and smudgy eyeshadow wing is the look to recreate this summer and beyond.
Why we're loving Jen Aniston's shadow liner for subtle summer glam
Appearing at the Emmy FYC Event for Apple TV+'s The Morning Show on June 2nd, Aniston paired a gorgeous burgundy and orange floral dress with matching burgundy strappy heels, a nude lip and a warm, brown eyeshadow look that was the talk of our beauty team.
We were immediately taken by the way that the diffused, warm tones flattered her blue-grey eyes (worth keeping in mind if yours are a similar colour), but it was the trendy and effortless eyeshadow-as-liner that really sold this look to us.
Subtly extending from the outer corner of her eye, Aniston opted for a soft brown wing – so subtle, in fact, that it could almost be mistaken for part of her lashes, giving them natural-looking definition and a fuller appearance. The metallic taupe shade also helped bring out her eyes' sparkle.
This style of brown eyeshadow wing – unlike a solid pencil or liquid line – offers a softer look, while the smudged finish is also ideal for eyeliner beginners because, as mentioned, it's more forgiving and less precise. With the help of an angled brush and a Q-tip (for any accidents), you can apply a flick or wing with very minimal effort. The true appeal of this look is the smudgier, the better.
How to recreate Jennifer Aniston's soft eyeshadow liner
To recreate Aniston's look, all you'll need is either a brown eyeshadow or smudgable eyeliner pencil and an angled eyeshadow brush.
RRP: £46
Charlotte Tilbury's The Sophisticate palette not only offers two flattering deep brown shades – both of which would lend themselves well to lining on several skin tones – but also a soft cream and a taupe, which could be used as a base shade or as a highlight for the inner corner of the eye.
RRP: £5
For the perfect eyeshadow wing, an angled brush, like this one from Morphe, is your best friend as it can help to create a sharp and precise line while also buffing out the colour slightly – ideal for that signature smudgy effect.
RRP: £30
A pitfall to using eyeshadow over liner can be longevity, so if you need your wing to stay all day we'd recommend buffing this one out with your brush. The shade Cocoa offers both impressive pigment and staying power, plus it's one of Victoria Beckham's go-to eyeliner shades.
Simply apply your base eyeshadow colour to your lid before lining the outer corner of your eye using your brown eyeshadow and angled brush, extending it upwards into a small flick. You can also use pencil for this step before buffing it out with your brush. To finish, apply a coat or two of your best mascara to define and fan out your lashes.
For a more understated look, you could opt for the lining step alone or, for a bolder finish, use your brown eyeshadow to define the lower lash line, too. The latter will create an easy smokey eye (AKA one of our favourite easy makeup looks for added drama).
