Eyeliner guide and method

Abstract

An eyeliner guide and method of applying eyeliner that allows a user to steadily and neatly apply eyeliner is disclosed. The eyeliner guide includes a handle portion, a neck member and eyelid contact member. The eyelid contact member may be removably attached to the handle, and may be angularly adjustable in clockwise or counterclockwise fashion. In use, the eyelid contact member is placed against a user's eyelid, and eyeliner may be applied to a user's eyelid by tracing along the curved head of the eyelid contact member to form a straight, neat makeup line.

Claims

1. An eyeliner guide comprising: a handle portion having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion defining a neck member attached to one end of said handle portion, and said bottom portion including a contoured grip member with a rounded base; a first eyelid contact member, comprising a hollow interior and a generally smooth arcuate rim forming a cushion portion on an outer face of the eyelid contact member so that the cushion portion comes into contact with a user's eyelid during use; the first eyelid contact member having a first end and a second end, said arcuate rim being shaped to accommodate the form of a user's eyelid, and said arcuate rim being removably attached to said neck member at a point about halfway between said first end and said second end and wherein the hollow interior fully surrounds the neck member when attached thereto; wherein the attachment of said neck member and said first eyelid contact member lies in a plane disposed through a generally central portion of said rim and said first eyelid contact member; and wherein said first eyelid contact member is angularly adjustable with respect to said neck member via a series of mating dtentes and recesses on one of said neck member and said first eyelid contact member, so that said first eyelid contact member may be rotated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise fashion and secured at a desired angle in a generally transverse direction with respect to said handle portion.

2. The eyeliner guide set forth in claim 1, further comprising a second eyelid contact member that may be interchangeably used with said first eyelid contact member, wherein said second eyelid contact member has a different curvature than said first eyelid contact member.

3. The eyeliner guide set forth in claim 1, wherein said handle portion defines a hollow portion therein.

4. The eyeliner guide set forth in claim 3, wherein said hollow portion in said handle portion is accessible for storage purposes.

5. A method of applying eyeliner comprising: providing an eyeliner guide according to claim 1; applying said eyeliner guide to an eyelid; and applying said eyeliner by drawing an eyeliner applicator along the desired portion of said eyelid adjacent a rim of the removably attached first eyelid contact member of said eyeliner guide.

6. The method of applying eyeliner set forth in claim 5, further comprising interchanging said first eyelid contact member with a second eyelid contact member that has a different curvature than said first eyelid contact member.

7. The method of applying eyeliner set forth in claim 5, further comprising providing a hollow portion inside a handle of said first eyelid contact member to store desired items therein.

8. The method of applying eyeliner set forth in claim 5, further comprising adjusting said first eyelid contact member angularly clockwise or counterclockwise with respect to a neck member of said eyeliner guide and securing said first eyelid contact member at a desired angle.

9. The method of applying eyeliner set forth in claim 5, further comprising providing a cushion portion on the outer face of said first eyelid contact member so said cushion portion contacts said eyelid during application of said eyeliner.

10. The method of applying eyeliner set forth in claim 5, further comprising providing a grip member on a handle of said first eyelid contact member to aid the user in gripping said eyeliner guide.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

(2) FIG. 1A is a front view of one embodiment of the eyeliner guide and eyeliner applicator positioned adjacent a user's lower eyelid prior to use and arrows showing the direction the eyeliner applicator may move during use;

(3) FIG. 1B is a front view of one embodiment of the eyeliner guide and eyeliner applicator positioned adjacent a user's upper eyelid prior to use and arrows showing the direction the eyeliner applicator may move during use;

(4) FIG. 2A is a front view of a user's eye area showing the eye, eyelid, and eyelashes before application of the eyeliner utilizing the guide;

(5) FIG. 2B is a front view of a user's eye area showing the eye, eyelid, and eyelashes after application of the eyeliner utilizing the guide;

(6) FIG. 3A is a front view of one embodiment of the eyeliner guide showing the handle, neck member, and eyelid contact member with its curved head attached;

(7) FIG. 3B is a rear view of one embodiment of the eyeliner guide showing the handle, neck member, and eyelid contact member with its curved head attached;

(8) FIG. 4A is an exploded view of one embodiment of the eyeliner guide showing the eyelid contact member, neck member, and handle all separated from one another wherein the handle is hollow for storage and the neck member has adjustable snap-fit means that correspond to the snap-fit means on the eyelid contact member;

(9) FIG. 4B is a front view of one embodiment of the eyeliner guide showing the handle, member, and eyelid contact member attached wherein the eyelid contact member may be adjusted from a first position to a second position represented by broken lines;

(10) FIG. 5A is a front view of one embodiment of an eyelid contact member with a curved head of a first curvature;

(11) FIG. 5B is a front view of one embodiment of an eyelid contact member with a curved head with less curvature than the first curvature of curved head in FIG. 6A, represented by the dashed line;

(12) FIG. 6A is a front view of one embodiment of the eyeliner guide with a closed cap that allows access to a hollow interior space inside the handle; and

(13) FIG. 6B is a partially torn away front view of the eyeliner guide of FIG. 5A showing an open cap providing access to the hollow space inside the handle and cotton swabs inserted therein for storage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) The present invention is drawn to an eyeliner applicator guide 1 that assists a user with the application of eyeliner 15 to a user's eyelid 12 adjacent the eyelashes 13 to accentuate a user's eyes 11. In one embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the guide 1 includes a handle portion 2, a neck member 3, and an eyelid contact member 4. The eyelid contact member 4 includes a curved head 5, which corresponds to the shape and contour of a user's eyelid 12, as in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and is connected to a neck member 3 that is further connected to the handle portion 2. The neck member 3 is preferably disposed in a generally perpendicular angle with respect to the eyelid contact member 4, as shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 3A, 3B, 6A and 6B. The neck member 3 may be generally straight, or may include a forward curvature.

(15) A series of interchangeable eyelid contact members 4 of various shapes and sizes, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, may be removably attached to neck member 3, as shown in FIG. 4A, so that a user may select an eyelid contact member 4 that most closely fits the contours of that specific user's eyelid 12.

(16) Further, in one embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the eyelid contact member 4 may be angularly adjustable with respect to the neck member 3 via a series of mating dtentes (protrusions) and recesses on the neck member 3 and the eyelid contact member 4, so that a user may rotate the eyelid contact member 4 either clockwise or counterclockwise, as desired. When a user is applying eyeliner 15 on a first eyelid 12, the angle of the eyelid contact 20 member 4 may be adjusted to a first position for ease of use, and then when the user applying eyeliner 15 to a second eyelid 12 (and potentially using the opposite hand), the angle of the eyelid contact member 4 may be adjusted to a second position shown in FIG. 4B. Although, mating protrusions and recesses are discussed here, there are many means for providing such angular adjustability, and one skilled in the art will recognize that any suitable means for providing such angular adjustment may be employed.

(17) The eyelid contact member 4 may be constructed with plastic, metal, silicone, or other desired materials. The eyelid contact member 4 may include a cushion portion 6 attached along the curved outer portion thereof, comprising a softer material to offer more comfort during contact with the eyelid 12. This cushion portion 6 may totally or partially encompass the curved area of the eyelid contact member 4 that is in contact with the eyelid 12. In one embodiment, the cushion portion 6 may be a strip of soft material just along the curved head 5 of the eyelid contact member 4. In a preferred embodiment, the cushion portion 6 may be made from a silicone. However, it is also anticipated that alternative materials may be used as desired in construction of the cushion portion 6.

(18) In alternate embodiments, the handle portion 2 may be removably attached or permanently affixed to the neck member 3. The handle portion 2 may allow attachment of two eyelid contact members 4, one at each distal end of the handle portion 2. The handle portion 2 may consist of one section or multiple sections. The handle portion 2 may be different shapes and sizes as a user desires. The handle portion 2 may be contoured to aid a user in securely gripping the guide 1. Further, the handle portion 2 may have a grip member that is composed of a material or contoured to aid a user in securely gripping the guide 1. Likewise, the handle portion 2 itself may be composed of a material to aid a user in securely gripping the guide 1. The handle portion 2 may additionally be hollow to reduce the weight of the guide 1 or to allow access to the hollow interior 7 for storage purposes as shown in FIG. 6B. In one embodiment the handle portion 2 may have an accessible hollow interior 7 and be sized and shaped to accommodate a spare eyelid contact member 4, cotton swabs, or other small items.

(19) The guide 1 may be made of or with a variety of materials, including but not limited to polymers and metals, in order to provide desired characteristics and aesthetics. The handle portion 2 and neck member 3 may be made of or with the same or different materials as the eyelid contact member 4. The handle portion 2, neck member 3, and the eyelid contact member 4 may be any desirable materials with any aesthetically desired colors or designs. The guide 1 as a whole, or the handle portion 2, neck member 3 and the eyelid contact member 4 may be fully or partially coated in a desired material, such as silicone to facilitate durability, easy secure gripping, easy cleaning, or comfortable contact with the eyelid 12.

(20) As to application, a user may select the desired guide 1 based on a desired shape and size eyelid contact member 4 and handle portion 2 extension angle. The guide 1 may be integrally formed or consist of the various elements, such as one or more eyelid contact members 4, a handle portion 2 and a neck member 3, selected separately and attached to form the desired guide 1. In an embodiment where the eyelid contact member 4 is angularly adjustable, the user may rotate the eyelid contact member 4 either clockwise or counterclockwise with respect to the handle portion 2 or neck member 3, as desired for application of eyeliner 15.

(21) The user then applies the guide 1 to an eyelid 12 covering most of the eyelid 12 but leaving the desired amount of space between the curved head 5 of the eyelid contact member 4 and a user's eyelid 12 (or eyelashes 13) as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. An eyeliner applicator 14 may then be utilized in conjunction with the guide 1 to apply eyeliner 15 to the desired area, so that the user is simply tracing along the curved head 5 of the eyelid contact member 4 in order to achieve a straight, clean line along the user's eyelid 12, as shown in FIG. 2B. Once applied on a particular eyelid 12 of a particular eye 11, the process may be repeated by holding the guide 1, with or without adjustment of the angle of the eyelid contact member 4 with respect to the neck portion 3, to another eyelid 12 and utilizing an eyeliner applicator 14. As in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the process may be utilized for both top and bottom eyelids 12 on each eye 11.

(22) Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.