All You Need For A Flawless Cat-Eye Is…Dental Floss?

We can tell you what hyaluronic will do for your skin, teach you how to master the art of draping blush, and talk your ear off about parabens and phthalates (both are essentially endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are a big no-no for natural beauty shoppers). It's part of our job. But we are also the first to admit that perfecting the sleekest cat-eye is still a big struggle. Although there are plenty of products, like clean-up pens, crazy-thin applicators, and highly-rated formulas, it’s never a surefire guarantee how things will turn out. Some days, our left eye will look like it's melting off, while the right could be mistaken for the work of Kat Von D herself. All that to say, we’re always down to pick up some good liner hacks — and the one we just heard about sure is clever.

There are likely a lot of things stockpiled in your medicine cabinet, but there’s only one bathroom essential you can use to construct the cat-eye of your dreams: dental floss. No, not the kind that’s wrapped up in a box. We’re talking about the dental floss picks that make flossing and, it turns out, crafting winged eyes that much easier. Instagram user Makeup By Sugar posted the genius hack to her page. Check it out.

So how does she do it? She first paints the floss with her eyeliner liquid and then stamps it on her eyelid. In seconds, she has the straight, opaque line we all aim for. She makes sure to include a highlighted warning that we urge you to heed: Forego the mint or other flavored floss offerings and go for the most basic of strings so that you don’t have to worry about the liner formula smudging (a scented, oily residue is not ideal for a long-lasting eyeliner look; plus, it could be irritating). True, liner stencils could help you achieve a similar look, but when you’re playing with a tight budget, why not opt for something you already have in bulk?