Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Maria Callas and Amy Winehouse all made the cat eye part of their signature look. From street style to the runway, there's no such thing as mere eyeliner when it comes to seducing at first sight.

Kim Bourhila, a Paris-based make-up artist for Shu Uemura, raises the eyeliner level to the art of calligraphy. "I love to do cat-eye make-up because it dramatically transforms one's eye expression," he says. "Eyeliner is something you can endlessly play with to create all kinds of looks: natural, dramatic, graphic, artistic… Once you master it, the sky's the limit."

"It's true that applying eyeliner can be challenging at the beginning, but mastery comes with practice," says Bourhila. "No need to sit for hours on the make-up chair to get a lovely cat eye." He adds, with a knowing smile: "And don't aim for perfect symmetrical lines, or you may go crazy and run the risk of ruining everything."

Whether you're a newbie or a seasoned expert, you can be sure that there's a perfect liner waiting for you. Here are some of Bourhila's professional tricks for a flawless line.

• For a longer-lasting cat eye, start by dusting on some powder (light eyeshadow or translucent face powder) on your eyelid.

• Sit at a large mirror and don't close your eyes when you draw your lines.

• Step back from time to time to see the whole picture and adjust accordingly.

• Keep calm and don't rush: start with thin lines and accentuate progressively.

• Note that two or three strokes are often necessary to get the right result.

• First draw the lash line and define the wing, then refine the top line to get an even overall shape.

• Last but not least, keep a cotton swab close to hand and use it like an eraser to correct your lines if necessary.

Get inspired by these dazzling, timeless looks, including five Kim Bourhila favourites that he's drawn for us here.

The polka-dot cat eye

If you're in an artistic mood, go for pointillism. Give free rein to your creativity and draw a unique, stylish cat eye.

The straight line

This straight, modern shape is particularly elegant on Asian eyelids. Quite easy to achieve, it's the perfect go-to cat eye for everyday wear. Draw a thin line for natural daytime make-up, or thicken it to go bold and dramatic.

The '60s fashion icon Twiggy used to draw lashes on her lower eyelids to get a doll-like look. The upper line was round and short, and she added a stroke of dark eyeshadow in the natural crease of her eyes.

This cat eye gives a stunning eye-opening effect. Did you know that Marilyn Monroe used to add a thin white triangle between the two lines to make her eyes look even wider?

Worn in the '50s by the greatest divas, this sophisticated cat eye was brought to the fore in the '80s by Thierry Mugler. This line is a must for those who want to unleash their inner tiger.

About Kim Bourhila

A make-up artist for Shu Uemura for more than 15 years, he is the only French "Shu Ari" (Shu Uemura artistic make-up master). In 2006, he won a worldwide Shu Uemura beauty competition with his make-up creation Bird of Paradise. Bourhila has also worked backstage at numerous fashion shows for brands such as Hanae Mori, Sonia Rykiel, Cacharel and Chantal Thomass. One of the fondest memories of his career was doing the make-up for his favourite star: Madonna.