If it’s been awhile since you experimented with eyeliner, there’s never been a better time to revisit it! After what feels like an eternity of the “clean girl” or minimal makeup look, eyeliner is due for a comeback, and we’re seeing it pop up in a big way — especially bold, graphic strokes of liner on the lower lashline. Think the 1960s styles worn by supermodel Twiggy, but updated for 2026.

We’re not entirely surprised that bolder liner looks are back on the red carpet and on our Instagram and TikTok feeds; the trend cycle has been hinting at it for awhile, like with the viral smoky eye trend of late 2025 and liner looks by influential stars like Jenna Ortega and Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu. But lately, lower liner has evolved from a rock ‘n roll, grungey look to something a bit more mod.

The Lower Liner Trend, Explained

In the 1960s, trendsetters like Twiggy, Diana Ross, and Cher wore a lot of eyeliner on both their upper and lower lashlines. Typically, that was a winged-out line on the upper lashline and a similar look on the bottom, often paired with individual false lashes or small strokes of liner drawn on the lower lashline, almost like spider legs.

Liner comes and goes in the beauty trend cycle, and the ‘60s look resurfaces decade after decade because it’s so much fun — not to mention easily customizable to your personal style (and steadiness with a liner pencil).

“The top lash line has been done in practically every iteration at this point, so playing with the lower lash line feels unexpected and a lot more interesting right now,” says makeup artist Kasey Spickard. “I think we’re reaching for that ‘60s aesthetic in reaction to the ’clean girl’ era, which has been so devoid of playfulness, color, and structure. We’re finally starting to see that shift show up on carpets and runways.”

Where We’ve Seen It

For the Parisian premiere of her new movie The Drama, Zendaya paired a ’20s-inspired curly bixie hairstyle with a graphic eyeliner moment. Slim, precise lines were drawn on both her upper and lower lashline, meeting at both the inner and outer corners to fully encircle her eye and winging out slightly at the lower lashline.

“[Zendaya’s liner] is really a direct nod to Sophia Loren’s eyeliner from the 1960s,” says Spickard. “It’s very architectural and structural, with this open graphic element filled with cream or white, so you’re creating the illusion of a much larger eye.”