How to Make Eyeliner

Last Updated: December 23, 2022 Tested

Making your own eyeliner couldn't be simpler, and once you try it you'll never want to go back to the store-bought stuff. Homemade eyeliner doesn't bleed, it won't irritate your skin, and best of all, you can use it to create all your favorite looks.

Things You Should Know

You can make your own eyeliner by mixing activated charcoal with water, coconut oil, or aloe vera gel.
If you don't have activated charcoal, you can burn almonds and use the soot that forms on the outside of them instead.
To make brown eyeliner, add cocoa powder to your mixture.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Activated Charcoal

1
Buy some activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is available at drug stores and natural health stores. It's commonly used as a remedy for indigestion, so it usually comes in the form of capsules. This pure black, all-natural substance is perfect for creating homemade eyeliner.
- This is not the same as the type of charcoal you burn to cook food on the grill. Look for a jar of capsules labeled "activated charcoal" in the vitamin section of the store.
- If you can't find activated charcoal locally, it's available for purchase online. One bottle provides enough charcoal to make many year's worth of eyeliner.
2
Break a few capsules into a small container. You can use an old eye shadow or lip balm pot, a tiny tin, or any other container you have on hand. Break the activated charcoal capsules into the container.

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3
Dip your eyeliner brush into the charcoal. You can use plain activated charcoal as eyeliner without mixing it with anything else. The charcoal will naturally mix with the oil on your skin to stay in place once you apply it. Dip your eyeliner brush into the container and apply eyeliner in your favorite style.
4
Experiment with different textures. If you like your eyeliner to have more of a paste or gel consistency, you can mix the activated charcoal with water or oil to make it a little damp. Start with just one or two drops, and keep mixing more in until your eyeliner reaches the consistency you want. Try mixing in one of the following ingredients:
- Water
- Jojoba oil
- Almond oil
- Coconut oil
- Aloe vera gel

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using an Almond

1
Gather supplies. This method is a great alternative if you don't have activated charcoal on hand. The soot from a burned almond creates a rich, black liner that looks just as good as store-bought liner. All you need are a few household supplies:
- A raw almond that has not been roasted or salted
- A pair of tweezers
- A lighter
- A small container or dish
- Butter knife
2
Hold the almond in the tweezers and burn it. Use the tweezers to hold the almond steady (and protect your fingers from getting burned) and hold the lighter up to the almond. The almond will slowly burn and smoke. Keep going until about half of the almond has turned to soot. It should be black and smoky.^{[1]
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- If the tweezers you're using are all-metal, they may heat up and burn you if you use the lighter for too much time. Put on a glove to protect your hand.
- Try rotating the almond in a circle so it burns evenly on all sides.
3
Scrape the soot into the dish. All that nice black soot is what you need to create eyeliner. Use a butter knife to scrape it off the almond and into the dish. If you need more soot, keep burning the almond or start on another so you collect a good heap of it in the dish.
- As you scrape, make sure not to scrape off chunks of unburned almond. You want the soot to have a fine, dusty texture, with no big pieces.
- Examine the soot afterward and pick out any larger chunks.
4
Dip your eyeliner brush into the almond soot. You can use plain soot as eyeliner without mixing it with anything else. It will naturally mix with the oil on your skin to stay in place once you apply it. Dip your eyeliner brush into the container and apply eyeliner in your favorite style.
5
Experiment with different textures. If you like your eyeliner to have more of a paste or gel consistency, you can mix the soot with water or oil to make it a little damp. Start with just one or two drops, and keep mixing more in until your eyeliner reaches the consistency you want. Try mixing in one of the following ingredients:
- Water
- Jojoba oil
- Almond oil
- Coconut oil

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Creating Different Colors

1
Use cocoa to make brown eyeliner. Unsweetened cocoa powder makes a beautifully rich, dark brown eyeliner. Spoon a little into a small container. Mix the cocoa with a few drops of water, jojoba oil or almond oil until it has a gel-like consistency, then apply it with your eyeliner brush.
2
Try spirulina powder to make green eyeliner. Spirulina powder is made from dried and ground algae, so it has a beautiful dark green hue. Pour some spirulina powder into a dish, then apply plain or mix it with water or oil to create a gel effect.
3
Use beetroot powder for reddish hues. While you might not want to wear bright red eyeliner, adding beetroot powder to activated charcoal or cocoa will create a pretty reddish hue that looks great with warmer skin tones. Beetroot powder is available at most health food stores.
4
Buy mica powder to make colorful eyeliner. Mica powder comes in every color of the rainbow. It's a product used in all types of makeup, from eye shadow to lipstick. Do an online search for mica powder to find the color you like best. Use the powder the same way you'd use activated charcoal: mix it with water, aloe, or oil to create a gel you can instantly apply.
5
Convert old eye shadows into any color liner. Any eyeshadow can be converted into eyeliner. Take one of your old, cracked eyeshadows and dump it into a small container. Use a knife to break it up until it turns into a fine powder. Mix in a little water, aloe, or oil to create a gel, then apply the product with an eyeliner brush.

Community Q&A

Question

Could I use the tip of a mascara wand? Or could I use a heated black pencil?

Community Answer

I wouldn't recommend using a mascara brush as the little arms will prove too much of a risk to mess up. Do not use a heated black pencil that is not made specifically for the eyes.
Question

How do I take off the almond soot eyeliner?

Community Answer

Use a light oil like coconut oil or aloe vera gel. Even a makeup wipe will work. Don't use liquid makeup remover, it may irritate the eye.
Question

Can I store the eyeliner anywhere? Should I put it in the refrigerator?

Community Answer

Yes, it is recommended to keep any natural makeup in the refrigerator as it will prevent the growth of bacteria.