Okay, so the other day I was flipping through some old photos, you know, proper glamour shots, and Sophia Loren’s eyes just jumped out at me. That iconic look! I thought, why not give it a whirl? I’ve seen it around, but never really sat down and tried to do it on myself. So, I decided to dedicate some time to this little makeup adventure.
Getting Started
First off, I cleared my vanity, found a good mirror, and laid out all my usual eye makeup bits and pieces. I didn’t go out and buy anything special for this, just used what I had. I figured the technique was the main thing here, not fancy products. I pulled up a couple of reference pictures on my phone, just to keep the image fresh in my mind. You know how it is, you think you remember a look, and then you end up doing something completely different.
The Eyebrows – Can’t Skip ‘Em
I started with my eyebrows. Hers were always so perfectly shaped and defined. I used my usual pencil to fill them in, trying to get that nice arch. I didn’t go too crazy dark, but definitely made them a bit more prominent than my everyday look. Brushed them up and set them with a bit of gel. Done. Seemed like a good foundation for the drama to come.
Prepping the Lids
Next up, eyelids. I put on a bit of my usual eyeshadow primer. My lids can get a bit oily, and I didn’t want everything sliding around, especially with a look that relies so much on liner. Then I dusted a light, sort of creamy beige eyeshadow all over the lid, right up to the brow bone. Something neutral, because the liner is the star of the show, right?
The Liner – Oh Boy, Here We Go
This was the part I was most antsy about. That winged liner! And not just any wing, but that distinctive, elongated shape, sometimes with that little flick in the crease too. I grabbed my trusty black gel liner and a thin angled brush. Deep breath.
- The Main Wing: I started by drawing the wing from the outer corner of my eye, aiming it up towards the tail of my eyebrow. Getting them even on both sides? That’s always the fun part, isn’t it? Took a couple of goes, a bit of q-tip action with some makeup remover. It’s a thicker wing than I usually do.
- Connecting to the Lash Line: Then I dragged the liner along my upper lash line, making it thicker as it went outwards to meet the wing. Pretty standard stuff so far.
- The Crease Detail (Floating Liner Attempt): Now for that famous crease line. This was the bit I was properly experimenting with. I looked at the pics again. It’s like a soft, curved line just above the natural crease, sort of echoing the wing but not quite connected. I tried to lightly sketch it in, starting from about the inner third of my eye and sweeping it outwards and slightly upwards, almost parallel to the main wing but sitting in the socket line. This felt weird. I used a softer pencil for this at first, then went over it lightly with the gel liner. It’s not as sharp as the main wing, more like a shadow of a line. It took some fiddling, I tell ya. Not gonna lie, one side looked a bit more “inspired” than the other for a while.
Lower Lash Line
For the lower lash line, I kept it softer. I smudged a bit of dark brown eyeshadow close to the lashes, mostly on the outer half. I didn’t want anything too harsh there that would compete with the dramatic top liner.
Lashes, Lashes, Lashes!
Then, the lashes. Sophia Loren always had amazing lashes. I curled mine really well. Then I piled on the black mascara, top and bottom. I wiggled the wand right at the roots to get them nice and thick. I even considered false lashes for a second, but decided to see how much I could get out of my mascara first. Honestly, a couple of good coats made a big difference.
The Big Reveal & My Thoughts
So, I leaned back and took a good look. It was… dramatic! Definitely not my usual Saturday morning look, that’s for sure. The winged liner, especially with that attempt at the floating crease line, really did open up the eyes and give that very specific, vintage glam vibe. It took a fair bit longer than my usual routine, mostly because of all the faffing with the liner to get it somewhat symmetrical.
Was it easy? Not entirely, especially that crease line. It’s a bit of an art form. Would I do it again? Maybe for a special occasion, if I wanted to feel a bit old-school Hollywood. It’s a strong look, no doubt about it. I think with a bit more practice, I could get that crease line looking a bit more polished. But for a first proper go, I was pretty chuffed I even attempted it. It’s fun to step out of your comfort zone, even if it’s just with an eyeliner pencil in your own bathroom!