Many of us have that one beauty product that we borderline obsess over, and for me, it’s always been finding the best eyeliner. I’ve been doing a winged eye for almost 20 years, and I won’t stop, no matter how much Gen Z deems it uncool. (Rude.) The best eyeliners have seen me and my fellow cat-eye loyalists through long days (and even longer nights), never failing to impress me with how well they endure through my various hijinks.
Quick Overview
Decades ago, when I first started out on my eyeliner journey, the options for an exceptional product were limited. What made things worse was that the few liners I loved kept getting discontinued. (Pour one out for Benefit Cosmetics Magic Ink.) The beauty gods seem to have heard my cries: In the past few years, newer versions of classic eyeliners have only become better and better.
Navigating through the eyeliner world can be confusing for anyone. Not only are there various types of eyeliner — from liquid, gel, kohl, felt-tip and pencil — there's also a vast sea of formulas, finishes, and applicators to consider. Ultimately it all comes down to your personal eyeliner goals. Finding the right eyeliner that complements your makeup style, whether heavy or light, and stays in place without turning into a raccoon-eye situation, is crucial.
A sampling of all the eyeliners I happily tested. (Marie Lodi/chof360)
That’s where I come in as your trusty eyeliner guide. I went to work testing more than 40 eyeliners, finding the best products that go on smoothly, stay put all day and will make your eyes gloriously pop. Whether you seek to perfect your cat-eye once and for all or simply to find the best smudge-proof liner that will stay on all day, this will help
Table of contents
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Other eyeliners that didn't make the cut
The best eyeliners of 2025
Rare Beauty
Size: 0.03 oz. | Type: Brush | Finish: Matte | Waterproof: Yes | Shades: 1
Selena Gomez looks great with a cat eye, so it makes sense that her beauty brand would have a top-tier liquid eyeliner in its product line. Made with up to 800 bristles, the brush applicator ensures this eyeliner goes on super smooth. Thanks to the soft, sleek bristles, I was able to apply it quickly and evenly, with zero gaps in the line. It’s richly pigmented, waterproof and lasts a long time, especially if you set it with a shadow or primer — something I suggest you should do with all eyeliners.
Rare Beauty has launched a Made Accessible Initiative, which focuses on rendering all products and packaging accessible for people with disabilities. While the eyeliner isn’t featured as one of these products, it is designed in a way that made me think the makers had an ergonomic grip in mind.
Compared with other liquid eyeliners I tested, this one has a wider, longer tube, which makes it comfortable and easy to hold. And while brush pens of the past were more difficult to maneuver and create precise strokes, this version acts like a felt tip, allowing me to easily line my upper lids. All of which make it an ideal choice for eyeliner beginners.
About-Face
Size: 0.012 oz | Type: Gel | Finish: Matte | Waterproof: No | Shades: 13
If you haven't tried About-Face, the makeup brand by the singer Halsey, consider using this pencil eyeliner to be the first product to introduce you to the brand. (FTR, I have tried, and continue to use, a lot of About-Face products because they are really, really good.) The pencil's formula is silky smooth, so the application is a breeze. It comes in 13 different shades, and every single one is intense enough to get a bold graphic eye alone, even without eyeshadow.
This versatile gel pencil is amazing for both a cat-eye and a sultry, smokey look. It’s also well-priced at $13, especially compared to other similar pencils on the market, like Haus Labs, which costs $22. And while the formula isn’t exactly waterproof, it’s water-resistant and lasts for hours.
Amazon
Size: 0.03 oz. | Type: Brush | Finish: Matte | Waterproof: Yes | Shades: 6
NYX makes some of the best eyeliners on the market today, but its Epic Ink is especially standout. It performs just as well, if not better, than of the pricier eyeliners. In fact, for weeks, I was using a NYX Epic Ink, thinking that it was more than twice the price! Similar to Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes, this NYX formula has a brush tip and a matte finish.
The reviews are impressive, to say the least: On Amazon alone, there are nearly 70,000 five-star ratings.
At $10, this is an affordable, high-quality eyeliner that should hold a spot in everyone's makeup bag.
How we tested eyeliners
I’ve been writing about beauty products for over a decade, but I have been using liquid eyeliner and drawing on a cat eye as my signature beauty look even longer. I swatched every liner on my hand to get a preview of the formula, then used a different brand every single day for months. I took notice of the pigment, application (did it go on smoothly?), how comfortably the pen or pencil fit in my hand, how easy it was to draw on a wing, the formula (is it waterproof or easy to blend?) and wear time. Unlike other beauty products, I didn’t care too much about the ingredients for this one or removal (as I know the best makeup removers had me covered there!).
An eyeliner swatch party.
Other eyeliners we tested that didn’t make the list
As I mentioned, the eyeliners currently on the market today are worlds better than those you could buy 20 years ago. It's a good problem to have, but it also made it difficult to narrow things down. I enjoyed testing Nars Climax Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, and it was thisclose to making the list. However, the brush has a challenging tapered tip which is not the most user-friendly or at least has a bit of a learning curve, so it might be better for more experienced liquid eyeliner users.
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Leaving Chanel's Intense Longwear Eyeliner Pen off this list was also tough, as it has a rich, intense pigment that I love and a nice application. The downside is you have to put the pen together to "activate" the ink. While it's not at all difficult to do the extra step, it might be a turnoff for some, especially at an over $40 price point. Last, the Chantecaille Le Stylo Ultra Slim Liquid Eyeliner is ultra-precise, but the brush tip was just a tad too stiff, so I had some difficulty drawing it on.
Eyeliner FAQ
What is the best type of eyeliner for beginners?
Our top pick from Rare Beauty is an excellent liquid eyeliner for beginners. In general, a gel pencil is easiest eyeliner to begin with because this type tends to be super flexible and forgiving. They're also easy to smudge for a softer look.
How do I wear eyeliner without smudging?
The number one trick to ensuring that your eyeliner lasts is to always use a primer. I like Urban Decay and About Face. In a pinch, you can dab a tiny dot of concealer on your lid and gently brush on some translucent setting powder. Last, if smudging really becomes an issue, consider using a liner with a waterproof or long-wearing formula.
What is the difference between liquid, gel and pencil eyeliner?
Liquid eyeliner offers precision and a dramatic look and is usually what people use to get a thicker, crisp, razor-sharp line. Gel eyeliner is more versatile, still offering precision along with a more blendable application. Meanwhile, pencil eyeliner is the classic, great for tightlining (applying eyeliner to your upper waterline) and can be used for creating softer lines too.
What are some tips for applying a cat-eye to hooded or aging eyes?
If you want to do a cat-eye, draw it using a pencil liner or matte black eyeshadow applied with a small angle brush. Celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg starts with eyeshadow and then goes in with a liquid liner that has a thin brush, as seen in this TikTok video. Some experts suggest a smaller wing better complements hooded eyes, but you should always do what you want!
What is tightlining, and how do I do it?
Tightlining is essentially applying eyeliner to your upper waterline to create an illusion of thicker lashes. Pencil eyeliner is best for this, especially kohl. Use it to gently fill in the gaps between your lashes.
We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.
