For more than thirty years Nicki Sebastian has kept one steady part of her makeup: a cat-eye. She wore it through everyday life, from marathons to snorkeling, and kept the routine even during the hardest moments— including her rounds of chemotherapy when she temporarily lost lashes and brows. That history is part technique and part identity: the eyeliner acts as a small, familiar anchor. Her approach emphasizes ease and repeatability, so anyone who struggles with fine motor control or wobbly hands can get a clean look without hours of practice.
Nicki relies on compact, user-friendly tools rather than complicated steps. She recommends a twist-up liner (an retractable pencil) because it removes the need for a sharpener and gives consistent tip control. Her longtime budget pick is Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner in Black Brown, while her current favorite is SOSHE Beauty Precision — a pencil with a mere 0.5 millimeters tip that excels at delicate detailing. She often chooses the shade Deep Plum, a subtle alternative to stark black that earns her compliments for its warmth and softness.
Tools that make the difference
Selecting the right products takes the guesswork out of application. A thin, precise pencil like SOSHE Beauty Precision helps you place pigment exactly where you want it. A softer, classic option such as Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner offers smudge-resistant color on a budget. For other essential pieces in her kit, Nicki names Tower 28 Mascara for clump-free volume, Hourglass brow pencil for subtle shaping and KS&CO brow gel for a fuller finish. Her cleansing choice is Vanicream face wash, which she uses to remove everything gently at the end of the day.
Step-by-step application that reduces mistakes
Nicki’s method breaks the process into small, controlled moves rather than one sweeping stroke. Start by identifying the midpoint of your lid—roughly above the pupil—and use very light pressure to lay down a series of short marks. This is the core instruction: use tiny strokes—think of them as short light dashes—instead of attempting a single continuous line. Working from that middle point, connect the dashes toward the outer corner until you pass it slightly, then return to fill gaps. Repeat the same approach inward toward the tear duct to even out the line along the lash base.
How to form a clean wing
The wing is simply an extension of the lash line, created with the same careful, feathered motion. Tilt your hand so a tiny mark angles upward at the outer corner; that mini-stroke should echo the natural curve of your lashes. Keep the initial mark thin—it’s easier to build thickness by layering more short strokes than to remove excess. If a stroke goes astray, remove just that section with a makeup wipe and redo it. This incremental, forgiving process is what makes her technique accessible to people who find eyeliner intimidating.
Finishing touches and the ritual’s meaning
Beyond eyeliner, Nicki keeps the rest of her makeup minimal and dependable: a coat of Tower 28 Mascara, light brow shaping with Hourglass tools, and a locking brush of KS&CO brow gel. These finishing steps complement the cat-eye without competing with it. The routine also has emotional weight: Nicki doesn’t depend on it to feel worthy, but she does treasure the little lift it gives her. Her 13-year-old daughter—currently acting in a production of Snow White—asks for help with a cat-eye for school dances, a detail that softens the ritual into a shared moment between mother and daughter.
Quick troubleshooting and maintenance
When things go wrong, the fixes are simple. Keep a gentle makeup remover on hand to clear a single errant stroke and start again, and choose a hydrating face wash like Vanicream to protect fragile skin after wear. If you want a subtler result, opt for a plum or brown shade rather than pure black; if you need drama, layer more short strokes to build intensity. Above all, Nicki’s advice is to slow down and trust the process: the cat-eye becomes reliable when broken into tiny, repeatable moves.
