Eyeliner is one of the most category-dependent products in makeup. A liquid liner that works perfectly for a graphic wing is the wrong tool for a soft smudged look. A kohl pencil ideal for tightlining is not what you want when you’re trying to draw a precise geometric line. The format matters as much as the formula.
Here’s what works in each category, tested across wear time, pigmentation, and ease of application.
Best Liquid Liner: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof (~$24)
The gold standard for liquid liner precision and staying power. Stila’s felt-tip applicator has a fine, flexible tip that allows both thin precise lines and slightly thicker strokes depending on pressure. The waterproof, smudge-proof formula dries immediately — roughly 20 seconds to complete set.
What we found: At the 10-hour mark in a humid climate, no migration or smudging on either normal and combination skin. The felt tip maintained its shape and precision across an entire bottle’s worth of use. Removal requires an oil-based remover.
- Price: ~$24 at Sephora/Ulta
- Tip: Felt-tip with flexible precision
- Best for: Graphic liner, winged liner, anyone who needs long-wearing precision
Best Drug Store Liquid: NYX Professional Makeup Epic Ink Liner (~$12)
Performs nearly identically to the Stila at less than half the price. Same felt-tip format, slightly stiffer tip (which means slightly less flexibility but also more predictable control for beginners), and genuine 8-hour staying power in our testing.
What we found: Pigmentation is equivalent to the Stila — deep, matte black in one stroke. The slightly stiffer brush tip was actually preferred by some testers who found Stila’s flexibility harder to control.
- Price: ~$12 at drugstores/Ulta
- Best for: Budget shoppers, beginners building liner skills
Best Pencil: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (~$25)
Urban Decay’s 24/7 is the benchmark pencil liner for a reason: the formula is intensely pigmented, applies with almost zero drag (the “glide-on” name is accurate), and sets to a long-wearing finish that doesn’t migrate for 6+ hours on most skin types.
What we found: Most consistent performer in the pencil category. Available in dozens of shades beyond basic black, including deep urban plum, bronze, navy, forest green, and white. The retractable format means no sharpening; the creamy formula doesn’t break at the tip.
- Price: ~$25 at Sephora/Ulta
- Format: Retractable pencil
- Best for: Smoky eyes, waterline, tightlining, everyday use
Best Drugstore Pencil: e.l.f. No Budge Eyeliner (~$10)
For a pencil that costs $10, e.l.f.’s No Budge formula is surprisingly close to the Urban Decay. Pigmentation requires two passes rather than one and the shade range is more limited, but holding power is genuinely comparable in our testing.
What we found: 6 hours without significant migration on combination skin. One tester with oily lids noted some migration at 4 hours, at which point eyeshadow primer makes a meaningful difference.
- Price: ~$10 at Target/Ulta
- Best for: Budget everyday use, testing liner colors before investing in prestige
Best Gel Liner (Pot): Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner (~$33)
Pot gel liner offers precision and longevity that pencil liners can’t match, but requires a separate brush for application. Bobbi Brown’s formula is the reference-point gel liner in the industry: intensely pigmented, workable during application, and sets to a film that resists smudging for 12+ hours.
What we found: The gel formula has a longer working window than liquid (about 60 seconds before it begins to set), which allows for more control and correction during application. Once dry, it didn’t move in our wear tests — including through a workout.
- Price: ~$33 at Sephora/Bobbi Brown
- Requires: A separate angled liner brush (gel brushes ~$10–$25 from Real Techniques or Sigma)
- Best for: Precise liner looks, smoky eye base, long-wear requirements
Best Gel Pen: Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Pen (~$10)
Combines the formula advantage of gel liner with the convenience of a liquid liner pen applicator. No separate brush needed, and the felt or rubber tip allows reasonable precision. Best choice for beginners who want gel staying power without learning pot-and-brush technique.
What we found: Slightly less intense than pot gel (pigmentation requires 2 strokes for maximum depth), but significantly more convenient. Staying power was 7–8 hours on combination skin, which beats most pencil liners.
- Price: ~$10 at drugstores
- Best for: Beginners wanting gel staying power, people who don’t own liner brushes
Best Kohl: Charlotte Tilbury Rock ‘N’ Kohl (~$29)
Kohl is the softest, most blendable liner format — it’s designed to smudge deliberately. Charlotte Tilbury’s version is intensely pigmented (the “Bedroom Black” shade is particularly deep), applies easily to the waterline and tightline, and blends into a smoky effect with a fingertip.
What we found: Does not have staying power for precision looks — that’s not the purpose. For creating soft, smoky, or smudged inner corner effects, the CT kohl outperforms pencil and gel significantly. Apply to both the lower waterline and upper tightline for the most impactful result.
- Price: ~$29 at Sephora/Charlotte Tilbury
- Best for: Smoky eyes, waterline emphasis, that slightly undone look
- Note: Apply this last, after eyeshadow is fully blended, as the soft formula transfers easily
Best White Liner: NYX Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk (~$5)
White liner on the inner corner brightens and widens the eye more dramatically than any highlighter. The “Milk” shade from NYX — a clean bright white — is the classic recommendation from professional makeup artists. It’s soft enough to apply comfortably on the waterline, opaque enough to show up clearly, and costs $5.
What we found: The standard for inner corner and waterline brightening. Apply immediately before finishing your look, as it tends to dissipate more quickly than other liner types on the wet waterline.
- Price: ~$5 at drugstores
- Best for: Brightening inner corners and waterline, cutting crease looks
Eyeliner by Use Case
| Goal | Best Choice |
|---|---|
| Sharp wing | Stila liquid, felt-tip |
| Budget wing | NYX Epic Ink |
| Everyday pencil | Urban Decay 24/7 |
| Maximum staying power | Bobbi Brown pot gel |
| Smoky, smudged look | Charlotte Tilbury kohl |
| Tightlining | UD 24/7 pencil or kohl |
| Waterline brightening | NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk |
| Beginners | e.l.f. No Budge pencil or NYX gel pen |
Sources
- Temptalia.com — Eyeliner formula testing: smudge resistance, line precision, longevity (2025–2026)
- Jones, Robert. Makeup Artistry Techniques. Thomson Course Technology, 2004 — liner formulation types
- Urban Decay Cosmetics — 24/7 Glide-On liner formulation data and wear testing (2024)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the easiest eyeliner to use for beginners?
Pencil eyeliner is the most forgiving for beginners: it's easier to control, highly blendable, and mistakes can be corrected or turned into a smudged look. Retractable pencils like the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On are especially popular because they don't need sharpening and have consistent tip width.
Which eyeliner lasts longest on oily eyelids?
Gel pencil and waterproof liquid liners are the best choices for oily lids. Standard pencil eyeliner typically migrates within a few hours on oily skin. Gel liners (whether in pot or pencil form) have a waxy, gripping formula that holds much better. Priming the lid with an eyeshadow primer first significantly extends any liner's staying power.
How do I stop liquid eyeliner from smudging?
Allow 30 to 60 seconds to dry completely before opening your eye — this is the single most effective change most people can make. Applying over a thin layer of translucent powder on the lash line also sets liquid liner and prevents transfer to the under-eye area.