30 Before 30: Learn How To Apply Liquid Eyeliner: First Attempt

A few weeks ago I started doing my 30 Before 30, and one of the things on my list was to final master the application of eyeliner, because I am appalling. And if you really do not believe me, here's a photo of the only eye look that I've ever done for the blog, last August:

For this look, I'd used Rimmel Glam Eyes liquid eyeliner, which is easier than most eyeliners, for me personally, because it has a much narrower brush that allows me to create a finer line, no matter how heavy handed I am.

And I think that that is my problem: I am far too heavy handed for the application of eyeliner.

But with the look above, I think another problem was that I'm not very good at creating a consistent line, so I attempt to go over the line again, and in the process end up taking the already applied layer off with it. Is that because it has already dried? Or because it hasn't yet dried? I'm not sure, but I wonder if that plays a part?

So, for my eyeliner challenge, I decided to have a first attempt that I'd show you. I don't wear eyeliner very often because I'm so rubbish at it. But, I threw this "look" together yesterday. Well, it's not really a look, because I didn't even attempt to make the eyeshadow look neat, and the eyeliner, well er...see for yourself how awful my application was:

I'd really love to be able to say that I put no effort into applying the eyeliner, but I kinda did, and it still looked awful. Unlike the look I created last August, I didn't use my trusty Rimmel eyeliner, but opted for my Barry M one instead, which I've never found easy to apply. I always find that I get too much product on the brush which applies too thickly. But if I try and rub it off, I just end up making a mess similar to the one in the first image!

As you can see in the middle picture, of my first attempt, I've made the line so thick that due to my heavy brow bone you can barely even see the colour of the eyeshadow, which is annoying, because it's such an amazing colour! So, maybe the key is to stick to my finer brushed Rimmel eyeliner?

I must have watched more than my fair share of YouTube videos from the likes of Lauren Luke, Michelle Phan, XSparkage etc, and they all make applying eyeliner look so bloody easy, and yet it is something that I just can never get right.

I need your help: This is where I need your help! Basically, I want to know what tips and tricks you have for perfect (or as close to perfect as you can get) application of liquid eyeliner? Do you dot it, do little lines? One quick sweep, or maybe you do it slowly? Or maybe you're like me and need all the help that you can get too!!?

I think that practice is going to make perfect, in my case *gulp*

So, what tips do you have for applying liquid eyeliner?

Are there any tricks, or does practice really just make perfect?