How to get Angelina Jolie's red carpet eyeliner look, for just £12

Telegraph

30-06-2025

Earlier this week I was rummaging through my make-up bag, desperately trying to find an eyeliner. I wouldn't go so far as to say I was panicked, but I did feel concerned, because this isn't just any old eyeliner – it is the one that has quickly become the star of the show in my daily make-up routine.
For some people, a bright red lipstick is their trademark, but for me, it's a stroke of black kajal or kohl on my upper lash line. As a mother to young kids, I feel it's become even more necessary a tool to anchor my tired eyes.
Eyeliner has been by far my most used make-up item since I was a teenager (with my Indian heritage, one of my earliest beauty 'lessons' was in expertly applying liner with a steady hand) and so I have, in my time, tried hundreds.
This is no exaggeration. And yet, so many fail to hit the mark. My main gripe with eyeliner, particularly liquid formulations, is that while it begs to remain crisp and sharp, more often than not the inky colour will transfer and smudge. This is even worse if you have hooded eyes like me, and not acres of space on your eyelids.
But this one that I was so frantically searching for – and eventually found at the bottom of my handbag – is the 12H Intense Ink Fine Line Felt Liner from the own-brand collection of Sephora. What's better, it comes in at under £13, a snip of the cost of some versions you can buy at the retailer (and, apparently, the relatively affordable own-brand collection at Sephora is its bestseller despite stocking all the big beauty brands).
Sephora Collection 12h Intense Ink Fine Felt Liner, £12.59, Sephora
If you find traditional liquid eyeliners too difficult to use, this felt-tip version offers more ease. Once it's on, it's on: this product has withstood the test of the recent heatwave in the UK and the daily battle against humidity on the London Underground. You can use it to create a very slim line or a more dramatic look.
Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen in 01 Deeper, £52, Selfridges
Speaking of dramatic eyeliner, I discovered the exact combination Angelina Jolie – who celebrated her 50th birthday earlier this month – used on the red carpet at Cannes. Or rather her make-up artist Raoul Alejandre, who enhanced Jolie's eyes with a two-step approach using Tom Ford products: firstly, Eye Defining Pen in 01 Deeper, £52, followed by a layer of Gel Eyeliner in Black, £36, on top, to act like an insurance policy for the product underneath by fixing it into place. The Tom Ford eyeliners are pricey but worth it if you're looking for a luxury product to add to your kit.
Tom Ford Gel Eyeliner in Black, £36, Selfridges
Jolie has long been the poster girl for a standout eyeliner. But if the thought of framing your eyes with a dramatic black eyeliner makes you break out into a sweat, Hannah Martin – who is the go-to make-up artist for Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie – advises on trying a different shade in a softer kajal texture.
'The joy of kajal eyeliners is that the product is malleable but once it's set, it's set. A reddish-brown shade with tiny illuminating particles will bring real focus to the eyes, whatever your eye colour,' says Martin. If you are worried about transfer with a kajal liner, 'create your line and wait 30 seconds while your eyes are closed for it to dry,' she adds. Try the Silk to Set Kajal Liner in Spiced Pecan by Hildun x Hannah, £16.
Silk to Set Kajal Liner in Spiced Pecan by Hildun x Hannah, £16, Hildun Beauty
While kajal as an eyeliner is naturally softer in texture, Martin explains that you need to keep it sharpened to get a really slim, precise eyeline. 'With a sharpener, just half a turn will do to keep the nib nice and sharp.' She also suggests powdering your eyelid with a little translucent powder before using eyeliner, if you really are concerned about transfer.