Nikki Makeup shares the trick behind the smoked-out eyeliner all her celebs ask for

According to celeb makeup artist Nikki Makeup - AKA Nikki Wolff - a smoky cat eye  is the look most requested by celebs. With over 12M views on TikTok, #smokeywingedliner is a makeup technique you’ve no doubt seen before. If not on a social media tutorial, then adorning the lids of A-listers as they shimmy down the red carpet. It's glamorous, sultry and oh-so-flattering on every eye shape, so what’s not to love? 

Most smoky eyeliner tutorials will tell you to go straight in with your eyeshadow brush, using tape as a template for that sharp wing effect. They may even advise you to apply liquid-liner first, softening it with eyeshadow as a second step. Both techniques are great, and can produce seriously stunning results… if you’re already a dab hand at slightly more complex eye looks, that is. 

Nikki’s signature sultry cat eye, seen recently on celebs such as Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Simone Ashley, Hailey Bieber and White Lotus actress Alexandra Daddario, is in high demand among her A-list clients, but the London-born makeup artists insists you don’t have to be a pro makeup artist to master it. 

“I always use pencils as a base for every eye look I create,” Nikki tells GLAMOUR. “That way, the eyeshadow has something to grip onto, you don't get any fallout and it lasts really well throughout the evening.” She goes on to explain that by using a creamy kohl pencil to map out your wing, you can blend and correct until you’ve achieved the perfect shape. “Just make sure it’s not a waterproof pencil,” she adds. “It’ll set quicker and leave you less play time to achieve the perfect shape.”

This game-changing technique is covered in her newly-launched Nikki Makeup Masterclass, created in answer to her fans’ pleas for an access-all-areas tutorial. “Over the years, my DMs and comments have given me a real sense of what people want help with," says Nikki. "I wanted to create an online experience that is not only super enjoyable, but is really going to help super-charge people’s makeup skills, no matter their experience or level.”

With a client roster that reads like a red-carpet roll call – Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Salma Hayek, Demi Moore, Yara Shahidi, Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley – we expect the masterclass will be a huge hit. Nikki has divided the membership into two tiers to suit all budgets: Pearl and Gold. Both include a set amount of seasonal feature-length masterclasses, detailed course notes and certificates of completion. The Gold Membership will give you access to more masterclasses, plus bonus video content.

Can’t wait a second longer for a full run-down of Nikki’s smoked-out eyeliner technique? Follow our 3-step guide below, then check out her masterclass membership details in full at nikkimakeup.com.

Nikki’s Three-Step Smoked-Out Eyeliner 

1. Create your Kohl line: Use a creamy kohl pencil to line the upper lid; Nikki loves the MAC Eye Kohl in Costa Riche. Unsure which direction to take your wing? Continue on from the natural angle of your bottom lash. “By doing this, you're going to get a shape that's flattering and lifting for the eye,” Nikki explains. “If the angle doesn’t look right, you can just clean it up, add more pencil or blend away if necessary.”
2.  Soften with shadow: Then, take your eyeshadow along the lash line to add a soft, smoky effect that will keep your liner in place. “I love using an eye shader brush to gently press the eyeshadow along the line,” says Nikki. “It’s going to grip really nicely to the pencil.” She adds that a shimmery gold shadow will make a great upgrade for party season, such as the Victoria Beckham Lid Lustre in Velvet.
3. Intensify with liquid & lashes: For added intensity, follow with some liquid liner if needed, plenty of mascara, and a few individual corner lashes. Nikki rates the Urban Decay Lash Freak Mascara and her own Nikki_Makeup Sweed No Lash-Lash in Black. Et voilà!