Eye of the--Cat

We often learn important life lessons from our friends. I remember one such lesson with perfect clarity: I was fourteen, hanging out with my best friend, India, when she said, "Laura, I love you, but you need to pluck your eyebrows, you need to wear make-up, and you need to buy tighter jeans." She then proceeded to sit me down, do my eyebrows, apply my make-up, and take me shopping--at Abercrombie & Fitch, teen fashion mecca and original home of the 36" inseam. Would I have ever reached fashionista status without Miss India? Perhaps not.

Since then, I have channeled the fashionista within, somehow developing the ability to create my own polished appearance, finding inspiration in all the usual places: friends, fashion magazines, my travels, the red carpet, and TV. Sometimes this involves experimenting--as I did this past fall when I opted to dress as Amy Winehouse for Halloween. From her crazy beehive-esque hair, erratic cat-eye make-up, and her impressive collection of tattoos, I simply could not help myself. Little did I know, this was the beginning of a new cosmetic obsession.

Fortunately for me (and my employer), I don't channel the Amy look on a daily basis. However, I have become quite the indoor cat, adding a somewhat tame version of the cat-eye to my regular beauty regime.

To be fair, the cat-eye can be a little tricky sometimes. Bobbi Brown's Longwear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink has been my saving grace. True to its claim, this liner "offers the precision of a liquid liner and the ease of a gel-based formula." My strategy is a simple one: I use Bobbi's Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush and draw a fine line along my eyelids (at the lash line), which I extend outwards in a diagonal motion, following the natural line of my outermost eyelashes. On a good day: done and done. On an off day, however, my lines will end up uneven and asymmetrical. Thankfully, there is an easy fix; a little moisturizer on the end of a Q-tip can smooth out any imperfection in a matter of seconds.

For a less dramatic effect, you can try a liner in a lighter shade. For example, when I had my make-up done for the Museum of Fine Arts' Masquerade Ball in June, my make-up artist went with a neutral brown liner as part of the ethereal, goddess-y sort of look. But make no mistake: for a true cat-eye, black a must.

If you're unsure about a DIY cat-eye for your first attempt, drop in at the MAC store, and they will be happy to show you the ropes. Just be sure to emphasize that you do not want the Amy Winehouse eye unless, of course, you do. Call it a fashionista's intuition, but I have a sneaking suspicion that once you see the eye of the cat, you'll never go back.

Images, in order of appearance: (1) Amy Winehouse, photo courtesy of the New York Times (www.nytimes.com); (2) Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner $21, available from Bobbi Brown (online at http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/); (3) Angelina Jolie, with cat eye, photo from www.beautyunzeen.blogspot.com.