“In a world where you can be anything, be yourself.” Albert Einstein said this during one of his revolutionary findings on the world and the universe. Hundred of years later, we all are still stumbling to find our true selves in different forms, day in and day out.
Within the beauty industry too, where the trends change faster than any season, people are always hooked to new styles. The most common denominator in all these trends is being yourself and doing what works for your style. Likewise, the term “e-girl” has shaken social media like a tsunami.
Here’s everything you need to know about the e-girl style and mainly, a guide to the edgiest e-girl eyeliner.
Who Is an “E-Girl”? How to Spot Her?
The rendition of an e-girl is more of an aesthetic rather than a typical person. In 2022, she’s someone who spends a lot of her time on the internet. She might be into gaming a lot or mostly seen grooving on TikTok. However she is defined, her personality has changed over time.
Starting from the mid-20th century, each generation has witnessed its own version of the e-girl. Originally coined as the goths in the 80s where they were all dressed in black and striped tees, were seen flaunting their perky hairstyles. Later on, in 2000, some of them were seen jamming to “My Chemical Romance”. The first ever celebrity girl who rocked the then version of e-girl was Avril Lavinge, who was known for her rebellious and polished take on alternative fashion with her pink highlights and striped tie.
Then came 2010, when the e-girl style was heavily influenced by Asian culture, specifically by Amines and K-Pop with a subtle blend of “Kawaii”, a culture of cuteness known in Japan. Most of the e-girls belong to Gen Z for whom it’s become more of a real-life beauty trend rather than just a Snapchat filter.
You can easily spot them in a crowd with their colorful hair ranging from green, purple, or pink, to anything other than their natural shade. E-Girls aren’t afraid to be vocal about their style. One of their biggest fortes is flaunting their blushed cheekbones and nose, with a pint of little black hearts drawn right under their eyes. They finish off their look with blurred lips and some shimmery gemstones.
How to ace the E-Girl Eyeliner?
When in doubt, just wing it.
It’s a lot easier said than done. We all know eyeliners are the trickiest part of makeup. The spoolie brush can tell when you’re nervous. If both your eyeliners are identical, consider yourself lucky. It takes multiple hits and trials to come up with your go-to eyeliner.
The best tip to ace the e-girl eyeliner is, to make sure you use a black liquid or a gel eyeliner to tie the whole look together. Make sure it doesn’t look cakey. It’s really important to follow the following guidelines:
1. The Shape of Your Eyes
Make sure you know the shape of your eyes. Some are cat-shaped, almond, or rounded. Remember, every shape is unique and equally beautiful. Your job is to make your eye shape pop out and let your eyes do the talking while you flaunt your e-girl look.
2. Pick Your Favorite Eyeliner
E-Girl eyeliners are best known for thick, dark black, and edgy wings. When you choose the eyeliner, go with the one that you’re most comfortable using it. If you’re comfortable using the liquid eyeliner, it brings out the best cat-eyed-shaped finish.
It’s also a lot easier to get a polished look with it. The gel eyeliners or the pencil ones are prone to smudging and finish off with a pastel black hue. Make sure you choose your eyeliner wisely.
3. Apply the Eyeliner
There’s no rocket science in what’s the best way to apply the e-girl eyeliner. Make sure you keep it thin at the corner of your upper eyelid and increase its width as you stroke towards the wing. Be generous while you stretch your wings. Extend as far as you can. Remember, the bigger the wing, the more dramatic your look will be. Finish off with sharp and pointed ends. Add a white eyeliner to the lower eyelid.
Some of you might even like doing the graphic eyeliner style. Try out different styles according to your mood and do what works for your eyes, since there’s no rule of thumb here. You can even mix max different styles. The classic example of nailing the eyeliner game is Audrey Hepburn.
4. Let Your Eyelashes Speak
No makeup is complete without a powerful and bold mascara. If you have naturally thick and dark eyelashes, thank your genes. If not, there’s nothing to worry about. There are beautifully crafted false lashes found abundantly in the market for your rescue. Either way, after you finish off with the eyeliner, make sure you grab the voluminous mascara and apply it to both the eyelashes in the upper lid and the lower lid.
5. Finish Off With Tiny Details
This is where your face turns into a canvas. You can be as creative as you can here. Use your eyeliner to draw different shapes under your eyes and make a statement with the e-girl style. You could pull off black little hearts under your eyes, or if you’re in the mood for boldness, go with a butterfly.
If you want to keep it casual, you could finish off with diamonds or stars followed by a few dotted freckles. You can then add a nude or a peachy lip shade for contrast. And, voila, you have aced the e-girl look.
What Makes E-Girl Eyeliner Different From Alt or Goth Eyeliner?
With so many eyeliner trends coming from Tik Tok, it can be difficult to distinguish which is which. Especially between alt, goth, and e-girl eyeliner which all use bold, mostly dark colors to achieve the intended looks.
With goth eyeliner, the main thing to remember is that grunge is the goal! These eyeliner looks are usually the least refined of the bunch; including lots of smudging and blending for a smoky effect. Another thing to note is that goth eyeliner almost always uses black as the main — if not the only — color. It’s dark, moody, and messy!
Alt eyeliner allows for more color than goth and usually leans more to the traditional side of eyeliner. This means it uses shapes like eyeliner wings and the traditional cat eyeliner, and then adds a slight twist like glitter or color.
E-girl eyeliner is the most colorful of the three trends, and the end goal is a more cartoonish/video game look! It’s also important to note that e-girl eyeliner is by far the newest of the trends whereas goth and alt styles have decades of history.
The Takeaway From E-Girl Eyeliner
The fear of missing out (F.O.M.O.) can get real if you’re away from the internet for long. But it’s equally easy to keep up with the e-girl beauty trend if it fits your style. Remember it’s all about being effortless and sophisticated. Customize your e-girl eyeliner and add a bit of an oomph. In the end, you should know how to voice it around your personality.
So, in a world where you can be any kind of an e-girl, be yourself first!
You can also find inspiration for the e-girl eyeliner from Harley Quinn to Doja Cat. Here’s your inspiration for popular e-girls and the trends they follow.
Also, no look is complete without a proper OOTD, so, here’s your guide to e-girl outfits that contrast with the e-girl eyeliner!