What Is Reverse Cat Eye?

The reverse cat eye flips traditional eyeliner placement. Instead of drawing a wing on the upper lash line, you apply liner — either black, colored, or both — along the outer third of the lower lash line and flick it upward and outward to create the wing shape from below. The upper lash line is usually left bare or given only a thin tightline. The result is an eye shape that looks elongated in a different direction than a traditional cat eye, with the emphasis shifted downward and out. The look was popularized in Y2K beauty and has resurged through 90s grunge revivals. It works best on almond and round eye shapes and pairs beautifully with smoky lower lash line shadow. A common variation uses a bright color (white, blue, green) instead of black for a more editorial, less wearable effect. The reverse cat eye is considered an intermediate technique because symmetry is harder to achieve than with upper-lid liner — both lower wings need to mirror each other exactly.