Eyeliner seems so simple, yet it's one of the hardest to get right, from picking the right shade to applying it the right way for your eye shape. Yet the key to a killer cat eye begins with choosing the right formula—an eyeliner that is too dry or too prone to smudging can completely ruin your look.
So, we put dozens of the most popular options on the market to the test in our lab in NYC and evaluated them based on pigmentation, dry time, wear, waterproof capabilities, and ease of removal. Then, we consulted with an expert optometrist, Dr. Janelle Davidson, to learn more about eyeliner and eye safety. Ahead, we’re sharing the best eyeliners of 2024.
What to Look for in an Eyeliner
- Type: The type of eyeliner is arguably the most important thing to consider. Why? Because it will greatly impact the application process and the outcome of your makeup look. If you’re looking for sharp, precise lines for a wing, for example, your best bet is to opt for a liquid liner. If you want precision but struggle with liquid eyeliner, a gel liner can be helpful, as it works best with a brush. If you want variety, pencil eyeliners are our recommendation since they can offer a range of finishes, from a diffused effect to a bold graphic eyeliner look.
- Applicator: Not all eyeliners have the same type of application. For example, some liquid liners have felt tips, while others have brush tips. Some are ultra-fine, while others have larger applicators for bolder looks. The same goes for pencils—some are narrow while others are wider.
- Formula: It’s also important to consider the ingredients in each formula. If you have oily lids, live in a humid environment, or rely on lash extensions, you may want to look into an oil-free eyeliner that prevents the pigment from smudging and lash glue from breaking down.
Our Top Picks
Best Liquid:
Best Pencil:
Best for Tightlining:
Best Longwear:
Best for Beginners:
What We Like
Smooth formula glides on
Fine tip allows for precision
Full pigmentation in one swipe
Easy to remove
What to Consider
Dries out quickly if left uncapped
Formula: Liquid | Shades: 8 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This eyeliner has been popular for ages, and we can see why. It’s everything you would want a liquid eyeliner to be: easy to apply, pigmented, fast-drying, smooth, long-wearing, and easy to remove. Highlights include the packaging—it's easy to hold and navigate the wand effortlessly—and it glides across eyelids with ease. The small felt tip applicator allows you to create thin, precise lines or build up the eyeliner for a thicker, more dramatic result. Just one swipe provides a rich color payoff with a matte finish, and the formula dries completely within seconds to prevent smearing. Once applied, it doesn't smudge or run, and it's easy to remove with just a few swipes of a makeup remover.In addition to how well-performing it is, we love that it’s offered in eight different shades, which isn’t super common in liquid liner formulas.
What We Like
Fine-tip applicator
One-swipe pigmentation
Fast-drying
Smudge-free
What to Consider
Some say it runs out quickly
Formula: Liquid | Shades: 5 | Cruelty-Free: No
Finding a high-quality eyeliner doesn’t require a trip to a department store or the need to spend a lot of money. The drugstore has options, and this one from Maybelline is our favorite. The fine-tip felt applicator is easy to apply with no skipping or dragging, and the pigmentation is bold. We appreciate that the formula dries almost instantly (this helps us make sure the liner doesn't smear). Once set, it takes on a matte finish, which remains smudge-free for hours and comes off easily with a remover. It’s also suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers and has been tested by dermatologists and ophthalmologists. A high-performing product at such an affordable price—this one is easy for us to recommend.
- See AlsoI’ve Personally Tried Over 50 Eye Pencils—These Are the Most Pigmented and Long-LastingThe Most Versatile Product in Your Makeup Bag? The Humble Eyeliner PencilThe 10 Best Eyeliner Pencils for Sharp and Smudgy Makeup LooksThe GHI tested the best liquid, pen and pencil eyeliners on the market
Best Splurge
Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal Liner
What We Like
Smooth, easy to work with formula
Dual-ended pencil has smudger on one end
Can be used for bold and diffused looks
Beautiful shade range
Excellent pigmentation
What to Consider
Takes a bit of time to dry in the waterline
Slight smudging on oily lids
Formula: Pencil | Shades: 11 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Our editors and beauty lovers adore this eyeliner. Aside from the stunning shade range of 11 colors that feature unique neutrals and gorgeous jewel tones, the formula is creamy and workable. It comes with a sponge-tip smudger on one end of the pencil, lending itself to a wide range of looks. For example, it can be smoked out and manipulated to provide a diffused finish, or it can be used for sharper, more defined makeup looks. It doesn't dry down immediately, but in this case, we think that's a good thing—you have a minute to work with it. The only con: It can slide on oily eyelids. If you have oily eyelids, consider applying an eyeshadow primer first to avoid slipping and sliding throughout the day.
What We Like
Rich pigmentation
Smooth application
Waterproof and smudge-proof
Precise applicator
What to Consider
Minor cracking during wear
Formula: Liquid | Shades: 2 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This popular liquid eyeliner is an editor favorite and has been a staple on the market for years. The small brush tip applicator makes creating precise definition easy, and it provides full pigmentation in just one swipe. It glides on effortlessly, dries down almost instantly, and remains smudge-proof as you wear it. After testing it, we had nothing but good things to say about the application and loved almost everything about how it wore, minus a tiny bit of cracking on the outer corner of the eyes.
What We Like
Rich pigmentation
Smooth formula and application
Easy to remove
What to Consider
Some online reviewers noted issues with smudging, mainly when used on the waterline
Formula: Pencil | Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
A creamy eyeliner pencil that glides across the skin with ease and can be manipulated to create different types of looks is a makeup bag staple. We love this one because, in addition to being offered in several elevated neutrals, it features a creamy formula that can be applied in a solid line or can be smudged out for a blurred effect. The formula doesn’t need to be layered, and it delivers full pigment in one swipe. It applies on the skin and waterline without tugging or pulling, and once set down, we had no issues with running. The only con worth noting is that it can smudge, mainly when used on the waterline.
What We Like
Impressive pigmentation
Fast-drying
Transfer-proof
Easy to remove
A little bit goes a long way
What to Consider
Can be slippery at first
Formula: Gel | Shades: 7 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Some people find that using a small eyeliner brush and dipping into a pot gel liner is much easier than applying liquid and pencil formulas. If this sounds like you, we can’t recommend this gel eyeliner formula enough. It comes in a variety of vibrant shades on the brand’s website, which is awesome for those who love experimenting with color, but the jet-black shade is timeless and definitely something worth investing in if you consistently wear black eyeliner.The formula is soft and insanely pigmented right out of the pot. It glides onto the eyelids with ease, and it dries down very quickly once applied. Even better: It sets to a matte, waterproof finish and stays fully intact as you wear it. Despite the incredibly rich pigmentation and wet formula, it was easy to remove. It's worth noting that it can be a bit tricky to get used to. We recommend starting with a tiny amount of product on your brush and slowly building up in order to maintain a mistake-free application.
What We Like
Intense pigment
Smooth glide
Brush tip for smudging
Oil-free formula
What to Consider
Must be sharpened frequently
Type: Pencil | Shades: 5 | Cruelty-Free: No
While this formula comes in multiple colors, it’s actually the two brown shades that have us sold. An exceptional brown liner can be hard to find, but celeb makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic's line offers two, including our beloved “The Perfect Brown”—which is truly just that. We also like how it comes with a brush on the other end for achieving a flawless (and intentional) smudgy finish. This brush effectively blends liner up and out without removing pigment for a truly smoky eye.
What We Like
One-swipe pigmentation
Formula glides on with ease
Wears well even on oily lids
Painless to remove
What to Consider
Can smudge when not dried down
Formula: Pencil | Shades: 8 | Cruelty-Free: No
If you’re someone who likes to tightline—aka line your waterline—you need an eyeliner that is pigmented, and, most importantly, long-wearing. This one is fantastic for the waterline because it has a very smooth formula that’s like a hybrid between a gel and a cream, making it soft to use in delicate areas. You don’t need to apply much pressure at all to yield incredible color payoff, and once applied, it sets down completely. The formula is also safe for sensitive eyes, suitable for people who wear contacts, and has been tested under ophthalmological control.
What We Like
Formula is easy to work with
Sets down quickly
Wears beautifully
Doesn't smudge, bleed, or run
What to Consider
Could have slightly more even pigmentation
Formula: Gel | Shades: 5 | Cruelty-Free: No
It’s safe to say that no one likes runny, smeared, or faded eyeliner, which is why finding a long-wearing formula is so important—especially if you’ll be wearing it during special events or long days. This is a great long-wearing option because once the waterproof formula sets down, it locks into place and doesn't budge until you wipe it away with makeup remover. We like that the formula is meant to be used with an eyeliner brush, allowing you full control over how much product you use. It dries down quickly, and once set, it wears excellently—no smudging, smearing, or fading. And despite its waterproof formula and long-wearing formula, it isn't difficult to remove.Our only gripe with this formula is that you might need to apply a second layer in order to get full, even, pigmentation, but considering that it’s easy to layer and the color payoff is still really nice, this isn’t a major con for us.
What We Like
Comes with stamping product and a separate liquid eyeliner
Size and shape of the stamp is nice
Richly pigmented
Waterproof and smudge-proof
Easy to remove
What to Consider
Formula creates a slight tight sensation on the skin
Eyeliner pen could have more smooth application
Formula: Liquid | Shades: 1 | Cruelty-Free: No
Achieving sharp, even winged eyeliner is one of the biggest makeup technique challenges that many people face—it’s difficult! That’s why products like this one, which find innovative ways to help us achieve the eyeliner look we envision, are so great. This product comes with a double-sided wing-shaped stamp—one stamp for the right eye and one stamp for the left eye—as well as a regular liquid eyeliner to finish the look and line the eyelids.In terms of the application process and the effectiveness of the stamp, it went pretty smoothly. A tool like this will take some trial and error to get perfect, but we loved how evenly the stamp applied the product and how well the shape worked to create the wing. While it looked nice, and the formula didn’t budge, it did create a bit of a tight sensation on our eyelids.
The accompanying liquid liner didn’t provide the smoothest application across the lash line, but we were ultimately able to achieve a pretty look. There are some minor flaws to this product, but considering how effective the stamp is, we think it’s a fantastic option for winged eyeliner beginners.
What We Like
Brush and handle make application easy
Fast-drying
Smudge-proof
What to Consider
Needs to be built up a bit to achieve completely opaque pigmentation
Formula: Liquid | Shades: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
If you have sensitive eyes or you’re really cautious about the ingredients in your beauty products, this is a fantastic liquid eyeliner for you. It has a simple ingredient list free from potential irritants, and the formula has been ophthalmologically tested for sensitive eyes.It performs beautifully, too. The felt tip applicator and long handle make applying the eyeliner with precision easy, and it dries down quickly and is completely transfer-resistant. It felt comfortable as we wore it, and a few swipes of makeup remover dissolved it effortlessly. The one con is that it did take a bit of building up in order to achieve jet black color payoff, but all things considered, this isn’t a dealbreaker for us.
What We Like
Smooth formula glides on
Highly pigmented
Transfer-proof
Easy to remove
Thin tip allows for precisions
What to Consider
Once you click up product, it can’t be twisted back down
Ultra-fine pencil makes it more prone to breakage and running out of product quickly
Formula: Pencil | Shades: 5 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Eyeliner tends to be one of the more tricky makeup items to apply, which is why finding one that makes application practically effortless is a win. This one is great because not only does it have a mechanical pencil-style design with an incredibly fine tip, but the formula also glides on without tugging or dragging in the eye area. During testing, we loved that it provides an intense color payoff in one stroke and dries down quickly to a budge-proof finish. It’s easy to remove, too, making the entire process of using it from start to finish a breeze.
One thing we wish we could change: The way the mechanical pencil works. Once you click it up, you can’t retract the product, meaning that you have to be careful about not clicking up too much at a time. And because the pencil is so incredibly thin, it is prone to breakage if you’re not super careful. But as long as you’re conscious of this and only click up a tiny bit at a time, it’s still a great product to have in your makeup collection, especially if you like to draw precise lines.
Best for Oily Eyelids
Eyeko Black Magic Liquid Eyeliner
What We Like
Great color payoff
Long-lasting
Waterproof
What to Consider
Can dry out quickly if cap left off for a prolonged amount of time
Type: Liquid | Shades: Black | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This eyeliner is one of our favorites for three simple reasons. First, the brush tip—it’s flexible but not too flexible, and it makes tracing a precise line or thick cat-eye as easy as a flick of the wrist. Second, the formula is inky black and rarely requires retracing. And finally, the longevity: We’ve worn this eyeliner through rain and sleet and have even fallen asleep with it on (oops), and it does not budge.
FAQ
Which type of eyeliner is easiest to apply?
Perfecting your eyeliner—no matter what style you go for—takes practice. If you’re a newbie to eyeliner, we recommend going for formulas that are more forgiving, like a creamy pencil. You’re more likely to see jagged lines or smudges with a pigmented liquid eyeliner than you are with a pencil liner that can be diffused and easily remedied if you make a mistake.
What eyeliner is best for contact lens wearers and people with sensitive eyes?
According to Dr. Davidson, people who wear contact lenses or have sensitive eyes should be a bit more discerning about what eyeliner they use. She recommends avoiding waterproof eyeliners as well as formulas made with talc, sulfates, BAK (benzalkonium chloride), and BHA.
“Those that wear contacts should gravitate towards liners that have natural ingredients, like castor oil—a triglyceride with antimicrobial and antibacterial properties—as well as hyaluronic acid for hydration,” she adds. “Always be sure to patch test before applying by adding a small amount of product to the lid margin and keep an eye out for a reaction.”
Is it bad to wear eyeliner on the waterline?
People have been wearing eyeliner on the waterline for many years, but it’s not typically recommended by eye doctors. According to Dr. Davidson, it’s best to save wearing eyeliner on your waterline for special occasions and avoid doing so on a regular basis. “The waterline houses the meibomian glands, which are critical in maintaining the natural balance of the ocular surface tear film,” she explains. “Dysfunction in the meibomian glands can contribute to dry eye disease; women who wear eye makeup have a higher prevalence of dry eye disease.”
Why Trust Byrdie
Alyssa Kaplan is an experienced writer in the beauty industry and product tester specializing in cosmetics. She has tested dozens of eyeliners, including several on this list. She received a bachelor’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she studied marketing and product development in the cosmetics industry as well as fashion business marketing. Alyssa has been a commerce writer at Byrdie since 2022, where she covers all things beauty.For this story, she consulted with:
- Dr. Janelle Davison, a Georgia-based Optometrist with more than 15 years of experience providing eye care to her patients. She’s also a twenty/twenty beauty Visionary Panel member, where she helps to ensure that all products created are effective and eye-safe.