My now-fiancè—bizarre!—has many marriageable attributes, however a capability for sneakiness is not amongst them. So when this previous Valentine’s Day (additionally the three-year anniversary of the day we met) rolled round, I figured I ought to look hotter than standard. You already know, simply in case something necessary got here up. I did not not get a blowout, and I positively did not not faucet manicurist Julie Kandelec to remodel my naked, stubby nails into pink claws the evening earlier than Fairy Godmother-style. I figured it was cash well-spent both means—if nothing of notice arose, I would just look further stylish whereas downing tartare and Beaujolais at our favourite French place.

I additionally knew I needed to play the hits makeup-wise: a cool-nude lip, celebration lashes, and a daring, black wing. I laid down a clean canvas with just a little Glo Pores and skin primer and Dior basis, then toned down some redness with concealer. I chiseled my cheekbones with Westman Atelier’s contour stick, Gucci bronzer, and a wash of Violette_Fr blush. I raked Anastasia Beverly Hill’s curiously sturdy forehead gel via my arches, tapped Chanel’s subtly shiny Glow Stick in a half-moon on my cheekbones, and shellacking my lips with Charlotte Tilbury’s satin-y new lipstick. At that time, I used to be prepared to color on my eyeliner and go, however my go-tos had been nowhere to be discovered. After looking out each purse and tote in my room, I gave in and desperately rummaged via The Archives, a.okay.a. my makeshift magnificence closet that is extra chaotic than cohesive. I grabbed the primary one I may discover, a tiny white tube that ended up being the hero of the evening: af94 Backline Liquid Liner in Eyes Vast Shut.

As a former magnificence editor who considers a ‘60s-style wing one thing of a signature, I’ve tried tons of of pens, pots, and pencils in pursuit of the right cat-eye. Testing a brand new product on a probably photo-heavy night wasn’t very best—even with a gentle hand and a trusted components, a wing can go awry. However I’m a frequent person of Halsey’s first magnificence model, About-Face, so I figured I may belief their sophomore make-up line, too.

Fortunately, it was love at first dip: I pulled the point-tipped brush from its teeny pot and noticed the liquid was that inky, deep-space black I crave in an eyeliner. The pencil-like form of the comb’s deal with gave me all of the dexterity I wanted to maintain my hand regular, and as I dragged the components throughout my lids and out in the direction of my temples, there was no skipping or bleeding in sight. The skinny brush-tip made it simple to sculpt and sharpen the sting of my wing, and I may touch-up the spots I missed on my waterline with precision. It additionally pulled off a uncommon feat for the liquid components world: it gave me loads of play-time to repair any missteps, however as soon as it dried, it was there to remain.