obsessive tester
We tested the best liquid liners, kohl pencils, and gels on the market.
By Kendall Becker, a Cut Shop contributor covering fashion and lifestyle as well as a trend forecaster and host of The Curated Podcast
Photo-Illustration: Chinea Rodriguez
Photo-Illustration: Chinea Rodriguez
I’ve been an eyeliner devotee from the moment I was able to perfect the cat-eye look. I’ve spent years testing out the best eyeliners to craft the perfect matte black wing or even the occasional pop of color.
Eyeliners wield a special power that a lot of other makeup products don’t: the ability to make a huge difference in just a few strokes. The fun part is: There’s no one way to do your eyeliner, either. You can do a messy and glittery party-girl look that would rival any character on Euphoria, or you can lean into the clean-girl look and just opt for a simple yet classic cat-eye.
Whatever your look of choice is, the Cut Shop has tested probably over 50+ eyeliners in the last few years to find the best options, from the best liquid liner to create the perfect wing to one that provides a pop of color. Yes, just like sunscreen, I take my eyeliner very seriously. The criteria for a good eyeliner isn’t just how good it looks; it’s how easy it is to apply (sans Q-tips cleanup) and how long it lasts. What good is a perfect wing if it’s flaking and smearing off in an hour? Below the ones that we loved:
So, you’re looking for the best eyeliners?
➼ Our top picks
➼ More tried-and-true options
➼ Our experts
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Our Top Picks:
The Best Precise Eyeliner
$18
Type: Liquid, Gel | Colors: 2 | Waterproof: Yes
If you’re looking for a smudged look, keep scrolling. This Tarte eyeliner is ideal for a sharp look — whether you use the gel pencil side or the liquid felt tip. This two-in-one option is also waterproof, ensuring your look stays precise no matter the conditions.
The Best New Brand to Try
$22
Type: Liquid | Colors: 1 | Waterproof: No
I went through quite a “wing” phase back in the day, and I wish I had owned this liner for it. I still love a dramatic wing look for an evening out, and when that happens, this AppleDoll will undoubtedly be my go-to. The felt tip is long enough for versatile lines and effortlessly glides on, making the art of achieving the perfect wing much less of a headache.
The Best Option for Subtle Color
Type: Gel | Colors: 3 | Waterproof: Yes
If you’re looking to play with color without straying too far from the norm, Rare Beauty offers this eyeliner in a classic black, chocolate brown, and a spiced burgundy (that feels perfectly aligned with the fall 2024 runways). The price point is fair, so feel free to experiment with a new hue that you might not reach for every day.
The Best Eyeliner That Does It All
Type: Gel | Colors: 3 | Waterproof: Yes
Whether you prefer a precise line or smudged look, this eyeliner can do it all. The formula doesn’t dry down too fast, so you’ll have plenty of time to shape and smudge your lines. But when it does set, it won’t budge. You can forget the worries of your eyeliner running throughout the day with this one.
The Best Eyeliner for Clean Lines
Photo: Chinea Rodriguez
$28
Type: Liquid | Colors: 1 | Waterproof: Yes
This liner keeps it clean in more ways than one. With its inky felt tip, the liner glides perfectly and lasts all day without moving or transferring. The smaller tip also allows for the most precise wing so you can create the perfect cat-eye.
The Best Eyeliner for High-Impact Color
Photo: Chinea Rodriguez
$9
Type: Gel | Colors: 13 | Waterproof: Yes
It takes a bit of work to perfect this liner, but the color payoff is definitely worth it. For example, Electric Slide, a matte green, shows up vibrantly without any eye prep or priming. But do you know what’s even better? It’s long-wearing.
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More Tried-and-True Options:
The Best Drugstore Eyeliner Pencil
Type: Gel | Colors: 6 | Waterproof: Yes
This pencil doesn’t know the meaning of drag. It glides on smoothly, but it isn’t one of those pencils whose tip breaks off if you dare to apply any pressure. In a blind test, we bet you would peg this one as being from a luxury brand, but it’s under ten bucks.
The Best Eyeliner for Smoky Eyes
$16
Type: Kohl | Colors: 23 | Waterproof: YEs
This budgeproof pencil is wildly popular probably because it feels like coloring with an oil pastel instead of a No. 2. The formula is ultracreamy and glides on smoothy, while the color payoff is up there with something more liquid, like a marker. The formula’s also simple to play with and smudge out for an easy smoky eye before it sets for the day.
The Best Liquid Liner for Jewel Tones
Type: Liquid | Colors: 8 | Waterproof: Yes
If you want sapphire blue winged liner or a jade green cat-eye, you have to go Stila. No matter the shade, each performs equally well, giving you a vibrant, sharp line of pigment that glides across your skin and stays put. If you want slightly different shades of brown or black, Stila excels at those in liquid formulation too.
The Best Everyday Eyeliner
Type: Kohl | Colors: 8 | Waterproof: Yes
Tilbury thinks beyond the usual eye-pencil shades, and her unique color blends define eyes in an effortless-looking way. Try the taupe-y Smokey Gray, a nice toned-down alternative to black, or the nude Eye Cheat, which is excellent at dialing down redness in the eye area without looking concealer-ish.
The Best Eyeliner for Cat-Eyes
$9
Type: Liquid | Colors: 4| Waterproof: No, but long-lasting
Maybelline makes one of the best liquid liners out there. Why? Its ability to give a sharp line. This pen has a supersharp tip and an easy-control grip that helps you create smooth, even strokes. Use it to create a cat-eye, and you’ll end up with angles so precise your friends will think you used a protractor.
The Best Drugstore Color
Type: Gel | Colors: 13 | Waterproof: Yes
A color liner can be quite unreliable: It can skip, drag, and leave you pulling at your eyelid to get any sort of pigmentation. Maybelline’s Tattoo Studio Gel Pencil is the exception. It applies smoothly and evenly without sacrificing any color or wear.
The Best Under-the-Radar Eyeliner
Type: Gel | Colors: 18 | Waterproof:
In general, you should not sleep on the Sephora Collection. Thanks to Sephora’s manufacturing know-how, the entire collection contains very satisfying dupes for high-end products at a fraction of the price. Its eyeliners are reliably long-lasting, come in a ton of fun colors, and cost under $10. The one is particularly nice because it doesn’t require any sharpening and doesn’t smudge, but also blends easily if you want a softer look (how it manages to do these seemingly contrasting tasks is a mystery, but it works).
The Best Eyeliner for a Matte Finish
$22
Type: Liquid | Colors: 1 | Waterproof: Yes
Many eyeliners will claim they’re matte, but this one truly is. The super-black liquid liner has a dense but flexible brush ,much like the Pat McGrath Labs one, so you’re able to be a bit more creative with your liner. It does dry very fast, however, so move quickly.
The Easiest Eyeliner
Type: Gel | Colors: 4 | Waterproof: Yes
If liquid liners leave you blotchy and pencil liners make your delicate eyelids shudder, this gel liner in a pot will be your saving grace. Use a brush to glide the creamy formula over your lids. It’s easy to guide it into hard-to-reach places or paint on cat-eye wings without skips. Once it sets, it stays put with a long-lasting matte finish that has a unique sheen you can’t get from a liquid or pencil liner.
The Best Eyeliner for Pros
Type: Liquid | Colors: 1| Waterproof: Yes
If you want something thin and precise, this liner is for you. The brush is small and dense but flexible enough to create thin or thick lines. It’s also a true black color that doesn’t skip or smear.
The Best Eyeliner for a Hint of Color
Type: Kohl | Colors: 16 | Waterproof: Yes
This satiny liner comes in a handful of subtle to not-so-subtle shades, including olive, a standout shade of metallic-y green that you should grab if you’re looking for an alternative to your standard black. The long-shade glides on and adds just a hint of color without too much shine or sparkle. You can also smudge it out for a smokier look.
The Best Eyeliner for Your Waterline
Type: Gel | Colors: 5 | Waterproof: Yes
These creamy liners are great for waterline lining, tightlining, and generaldesign-drawingbecause they consistently keep their precise shape, no sharpener necessary. The nonirritating vitamin E and aloe-infused formula not only comes in classic black and brown but also lush tones like amethyst and terra-cotta that pop on darker skin tones.
The Best Luxury Eyeliner
$65
Type: Liquid | Colors: 1 | Waterproof: No
Yes, this eyeliner is pricey. However, you get two eyeliners for the price of one. This liner comes with two tips — one bigger and thicker, and the other smaller and finer. Use the thicker side to line your eye in a hurry; use the thinner side to perfect the point and angle of a cat-eye. Both tips are sturdy, and the pigment flows from them as freely as drinks at happy hour (though it also dries very quickly). Once on your lid, it looks thick and expensive and not at all like a magic marker.
The Best Eyeliner for a High-Impact Look
$24
Type: Liquid | Colors: 2 | Waterproof: Yes
Despite its grip-friendly triangle shape, Rihanna’s liquid liner is actually quite well rounded. The shade (called Cuz I’m Black) is super-juicy and delivers an extra-saturated inky line immediately upon contact. There’s never any need to go back over your handiwork to get an opaque line, and like other Fenty products (Pro Filt’r, Stunna Lip Paint), this stuff will last you all day.
The Most Reliable Eyeliner
Type: Kohl | Colors: 2 | Waterproof: No
There’s good reason this pencil is a longtime favorite. It goes on as smoothly as a roller-ball, smudges in really nicely, and packs a bold punch of pigment, which is why it still stands the test of time.
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Our experts:
- Kendall Becker, Cut Shop contributor
- Chinea Rodriguez, shopping writer at the Cut
- Kathleen Hou, former beauty director at the Cut
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