These Are the 16 Best Liquid Eyeliners

This Stila pick is a Byrdie-editor favorite. It's all thanks to the thin felt tip that's easy to control, depositing just the right amount of fluid black ink—never too much and never too little. Because of this, and its all-day staying power, it's been our go-to for creating the perfect cat eye for years. If you don't believe us, take it from real Ulta customers. There's a reason that it remains the beauty retailer's best-selling liquid liner. 

If you’re looking for a high-quality liner at a drugstore price, turn to this Maybelline gel liner. With plenty of five-star reviews on Amazon, you can rest assured that this formula is beloved by many. The gel is formula is made with innovative Ink technology that keeps the pigment saturated throughout the day. The waterproof and smudge-proof formula ensures that your look will stay in place without the need for touchups and reapplications.

As far as drugstore liner goes, this Revlon one ranks somewhere near the top. Since it's from the brand's ColorStay line, it boasts 16-hour staying power, though for us it was more like eight-hour staying power (still impressive).

Liquid liner takes more precision and practice, but pencil products don’t typically give you as much saturation or definition. The perfect compromise for beginners is this easy-to-apply felt tip liquid liner from L'Oréal.

This formula is perfect for playing around with different application styles and looks without it costing you a fortune. The smudge-proof formula lasts up to 12 hours, which is perfect for everyday wear. The top-rated formula is also available in black, brown, and grey, so you can find the best shade to bring out your eyes.

Another Byrdie favorite, this Sephora Collection liner is legitimately amazing for the price. It's ultra-pigmented and fluid (I, for one, have had this in my makeup bag for six months and it has yet to dry out or get goopy).

Eyeko is a British beauty brand that makes some seriously stellar eye products (for proof, just read this review on the brand's customizable mascara). Even though it comes from a Brit brand, this eyeliner was developed in Japan and inspired by traditional calligraphy brushes. It's waterproof, fade-proof, and long-lasting. It even has peptides that encourage lash growth, which is kind of brilliant.

Here's another insanely well-loved eyeliner. It still ranks as one of Sephora's best-selling liquid liners. It's opaque, fade-, melt-, and crack-proof, but what we love most about it is that it's 100% vegan and cruelty-free, just like all other Kat Von D products.

Em Cosmetics is Michelle Phan's beauty brand and brainchild (you know, the makeup blogger and entrepreneur extraordinaire?). Our editorial director, Faith Xue, swears by the brand's felt-tip liquid liner, which was inspired by comic art pens and their bold, one-stroke color. Subsequently, this liner creates a beautifully opaque graphic line, dries down quickly, and stays put thanks to a waterproof formula. It's also cruelty-free and vegan.

This Dior liquid liner, which joins the many other formulas the brand already boasts, is an ink pen version. What's unique about this one is that it comes in three different finishes. There's matte, vinyl (or glossy), and pearl, which has tiny light-reflecting bits suspended throughout. Also, if you're bored with plain black liner, there are a whole host of fun colors to try, including bubblegum pink, kelly green, and bright turquoise.

This is definitely the most luxurious liquid liner on the list, but this Christian Louboutin ink has a soft and flexible texture along with a glossy finish. It has some glowing reviews which confirm that the steep price tag is certainly warranted.

This is one of Ulta's best-selling liquid liners, regardless of brand or price. The ultra-fine brush deposits a thin line of stark matte ink, making it perfect for classic cat-eye flicks.  

Leave it to Tarte to master the art of creating a two-in-one eyeliner. This pencil is dual-sided. One side has the brand's traditional black pencil liner, while the other is equipped with a long-wearing waterproof liquid liner.

Have you ever used a liquid eyeliner pen, only for it to run out of pigment mid-application? Then you have to tilt it upside down, so the liquid can reach the pen tip, before trying to apply it again. That's annoying. An easy way to get around that is to buy an eyeliner that comes in this inkpot packaging. All you have to do is dip the pen tip into the liquid for smooth (never dry or flaky) application.

This Clinique product was made for people who don't like liquid eyeliner. It applies smoothly and opaque, with lots of control thanks to the thick tube. It's also free of parabens and synthetic fragrances, making it a great pick for sensitive eyes.

This CoverGirl pick is one of the more popular liquid eyeliners (notice the chic new packaging!). It has a super-tiny .1 mm tip, which makes it great for applying a thin and precise line. We like its quick-drying formula, which keeps rogue smudges and feathering from happening.