While minimal eye looks have been very trendy this year, classic winged liner is creeping back into the fray, just in time for party season. And Gillian Anderson has just handed us the perfect inspiration for an elevated but subtle take on the technique.
The best eyeliners, like a pop of blush and a quick coat of mascara, really have the power to change and enhance your look. Tight-lining with a smoky black pencil, for instance, can instantly transform your makeup from day to night, while adding a feline-like flick with a liquid formula can deliver a certain je ne sais quoi to an otherwise understated look. Indeed, a winged liner has many merits, from accentuating your lashes to offering a fresh and doe-like effect to your eyes. While wearing the best mascara on its own has been popular this year, eyeliner is still such a timeless and reliable option, especially for an event or occasion.
And Gillian Anderson has reminded us of just how much, having debuted a very chic, cat-eye look this month - and we even know which liner was used to create it.
Why we're loving Gillian Anderson's winged liner for a timeless, sultry eye
In our minds, a winged eyeliner is on par with a red lip. Both are classic and universally flattering, hence why they're so often paired together, and despite what you might think - or have been led to believe - application is fairly easy to master.
A cat-eye, especially, is surprisingly straightforward once you learn the correct placement for your eyeshape and find the right kind of eyeliner. As perfectly demonstrated by Gillian Anderson at the LA premiere of her latest film, Tron: Ares, on October 6th, 2025.
Anderson wore an elegant, tailored black gown, with a side-swept hairstyle and classic Hollywood makeup - consisting of a rosy pink lip, cheek, and a sleek winged liner. The look feels glamorous but not over the top, making it perfect for any occasion when you want your eyes to have a bit more oomph, but perhaps aren't confident with eyeshadow.
As we can see, Anderson's wing starts at the centre of her iris and flicks out, creating definition, as well as creating the illusion of thicker, lifted lashes. The wing itself isn't too extended, which is ideal if you have any wrinkles or fine lines and struggle to achieve a very straight line. Its short tip also means it won't be morphed when you smile.
This winged style is also easy to achieve with a pen-style eyeliner. In fact, Anderson's makeup artist for the event, Jo Strettell, shared that the L'Oreal Infallible liner was used to create her signature flick.
Our winged eyeliner picks
In our experience, some eyeliners wing better than others. A felt-tip style pen liner is really easy to work with, and often features a flexible and pointed tip that allows you to get a very precise line. A pencil, cream liner, or even an eyeshadow (paired with an angular brush) can be slightly more forgiving, though, as they're not as pigmented, and can be used to create a more subtle, smoky wing.
And while we do know the exact eyeliner behind Anderson's look, we've also shared two more options that are equally easy to manoeuvre.
RRP: £9.99/ $10.99
For precision and long-lasting pigment, L'Oreal's felt tip-style eyeliner is a must-have - and it's the exact formula Anderson wore on the red carpet.
RRP: £27.25/ $37
If you don't get on with pen or pencil eyeliners, a gel paired with a thin, angular brush might be more your speed. Bobbi Brown's Longwear Eyeliner just glides on and doesn't crack or flake. It's also available in six shades, including shimmers, and offers up to 12 hours of water and sweat-proof wear.
RRP: £24/$25
If you need your liner to last - be it through rain or tears - Lancôme super fine pen-style eyeliner is waterproof, pigmented and offers up to 24 hours of wear.
To recreate Anderson's red-carpet look, we recommend applying a pink shimmer across your whole eyelid (similar to hers), before taking your felt-tip liner and, beginning at the centre of your iris, tracing your upper lash line as closely as you can, before flicking the liner out at the edge of your eye - in a slightly upwards angle - towards the end of your eyebrow. You can then go back and accentuate the wing slightly, and if needed, clean up with a cotton bud or fold a cotton round in half and use the straight edge. Then finish with a coat of volumising mascara.
