Celebrity fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, 55, shocks fans after revealing she uses SHARPIE as eyeliner in bizarre beauty hack – as she fires back at concerned critics: ‘It’s harmless’
Celebrity fashion designer Cynthia Rowley has shocked fans after sharing a surprising eyeliner hack.
The New York City icon, 55, revealed she had used Sharpie as eyeliner for years, leading many to wonder if it was effective or dangerous.
The designer posted a TikTok video of herself applying the marker to her eyes, while a popular audio played declaring the action “iconic” in response to “Why do you use Sharpie as eyeliner?”
“Although it is not approved by the FDA, I do believe it is harmless,” Cynthia captioned the video, with the hashtags “makeup tutorial” and “don't try this at home.”
New York City-based designer Cynthia Rowley posted a TikTok of Sharpie being applied as eyeliner, while a popular audio played declaring the act “iconic”
“Although not approved by the FDA, I believe it is harmless,” the designer promised her followers
The Sharpie brand, which has been around since it launched in 1964, agreed in the comments section, declaring it “ICONIC,” to which the designer replied, “Omggg, I love you guys.”
“I'll never forget the first time I witnessed this,” one of Cynthia's friends wrote, confirming that she really did use markers as makeup.
'Omg crazy!! Will it last for days?' one curious commenter asked, while the designer's TikTok account replied, “Yeppp,” calling it “the best long-lasting eyeliner out there.”
“I'm just not good enough at makeup for this,” another person replied, as they had to get the cat eye just right the first time as there is little room for correction as Sharpies can last for three days without fading.
Some people had tried the hack before, with one writing: 'ME IN HS 04 BABY. It stung but held on so well.”
Others were intrigued, writing: 'Wait, I have to try…'
“How do you get it off?” asked one curious commenter.
Even Sephora got in on the action, saying, “@Sharpie have your people call our people.”
Commenters wondered if it was dangerous to wear Sharpie as eyeliner and wondered how she removed the product
“Kit Keenan come get your mom,” one follower wrote, tagging Cynthia's 24-year-old influencer daughter who appeared on The Bachelor.
“Girlfriend, I need confirmation that this is in fact satire,” one person commented.
“You're giving me anxiety.”
However, this isn't the first time the fashion designer has opened up about her love for the unexpected eyeliner.
Cynthia said earlier in a interview in 2020: 'I've always been super low maintenance. I have been known to use Sharpie for eyeliner.”
Commenters on TikTok were shocked by the Sharpie, but some wanted to try it at home or had already joined in on the wild trend
“Someone said, 'Dude, you can't do that. That's going to kill you.' But it will last very well,” Cynthia promised.
In 2015, the fashionista said Yahoo her favorite product from her makeup line was the liquid eyeliner, called 'much better than the Sharpie I used to use.”
“The Sharpie idea came from seeing my friend, artist Tom Sachs, using it in his work,” Cynthia revealed, referring to the contemporary New York City artist.
'I always carry a Sharpie and one day I needed a liner in a pinch, so read the packaging and it seemed fine… I'd been using it for years but definitely prefer ours! '
New York City-based celebrity makeup artist Jasen Kaplan, who has done glam for Cyndi Lauper, Lynda Carter, Lisa Vanderpump, Bethenny Frankel and more, told FEMAIL it's best not to use Sharpies as eyeliner.
Cynthia said in a 2020 interview, “I have always been very low maintenance. I have been known to use Sharpie for eyeliner'
“Sharpies use water-insoluble ink that contains Permachrome, a pigment used in inkjet printer ink, and xylene and toluene as binders to give the ink longevity,” Jasen explains.
“Xylene is a clear solvent used in paints and varnishes, and toluene is commonly found in crude oil and gasoline.”
“These are not ingredients I would put near the eye,” said Jasen, calling it “dangerous and toxic,” as well as difficult to remove.
“I would only use eye-safe pigments around the sensitive eyes,” the makeup artist continued, suggesting Charlotte Tilbury's Feline Flick ($32), which he described as highly pigmented and easy to use.
“It will give you an even better result with a much safer formula,” Jasen promised.