Gen Z might be trying to bring back Y2K, but this millennial is more than happy sticking with midcentury. The groovy, art deco beauty looks of the 1960s are timelessly chic.
Mod makeup looks are also deceivingly easy. Even the greenest of MUAs can recreate these looks. One of my favorites is banana liner.
No Bananas Necessary
A quick look through the online MUA community shows a few different ideas of what “banana liner” really means. To clarify, no, we’re not talking about actual bananas.
Rather, think ‘Twiggy.’ You’ve likely seen this trend before; you just didn’t know what to call it. The curved eyeliner below the brow bone accentuates the eyes, giving you a doe-eyed, perfectly ‘mod’ look.
The trend’s name refers to the banana-shaped space between the eyeliner and lash line. Though, you can always use the actual fruits for your color inspo like IG user @cinthia_mua.
Modifying The Mod
In addition to being insanely easy to replicate (more on that later), banana liner is also easy to modify. This makeup look can be as 1960s or 2020s as you prefer.
For example, MUA @beatsbylizzie incorporates banana liner into many of her new-age glam looks. Keep it mod with downward-sloped liner. Or make it modern with a cat-eye flick.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with color, either. @makeupstoris blends Art Nouveau, mod 1960s, and modern-day with this aqua blue and lime green look.
But of course, and no disrespect to MUAs everywhere, who has time for that?! Luckily, banana liner can be understated, too. Simplify for everyday with a nude lid and a swipe of mascara a la Sharon Tate.
Making It Your Own
Now, onto the fun part: trying it out yourself. You can achieve banana liner with liquid, gel, pencil, or shadow liner.
For ultra-bold graphic lines, stick with a liquid liner like this one from NYX. NYX PROFESSIONAL Epic Ink Liner is waterproof and has a felt tip for easy, precise application. So, you can get that perfect Twiggy curve on the first try.
If liquid liner isn’t your forte, try a gel liner instead. Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Gel Eyeliner has a high shine finish that lasts up to 24 hours. Its easy-to-use brush is also much more forgiving for liner newbies.
Finally, for a softer look, stick with eyeshadow and a small, angled brush. Inglot’s Duraline transforms any powder product into a liquid. So, you can wear as many colors of banana liner as you have shades of eyeshadow.
Trace your banana liner just under the brow bone, following the natural line of your eye socket. (Charlotte Tilbury’s Twiggy eye tutorial has some great pointers for this part.)
Add as much or as little extra details as you want, and voila—you’ll look like you stepped straight out of 1961. Now you finally have an excuse to buy that pair of go-go boots.