I Tested Over a Dozen Liquid Eyeliners, and This One From the Drugstore Has Them All Beat

I must admit, the Honest Beauty Liquid Eyeliner took me by surprise—the formula is richly pigmented at first stroke, and delivers a bold matte finish. And while the ink well format does have a bit of a learning curve, keeps the felt tip saturated at all times. My only gripes are the fact that the formula takes a solid 20 seconds to dry down, and that it transferred a bit on my oily lids. But given the affordable price tag, it’s nothing a little primer or shadow can’t fix.

The pioneers of easy no-makeup-makeup, I was expecting Glossier’s Pro Tip Liquid Liner to be as user-friendly as everything else in their lineup—and it is. The flexible brush gives you a precise line that’s perfect for a subtle cat-eye flick. The formula goes on semi-sheer which is a good thing for beginners who are nervous about going overboard with their liner, but might be a con for people who prefer a more bold, graphic look. The good news is that it’s buildable—it just takes a bit more time to get an opaque finish—and long wearing, with zero smudging or transfer.

If you love winged eyeliner, then you’ve probably tried the KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner. It’s been a long time best-seller for good reason—the precise brush tip offers plenty of flexibility for bold and minimal feline flicks alike. And the easy-to-use pen actually lives up to its waterproof claims, making it oily-lid friendly (though if you want it to be extra budge proof, I recommend using a primer). The only caveat in my opinion is that it takes a couple of strokes to achieve full pigment—but the buildable formula makes layering easy, and never pulls up on itself or skips while applying.

I love the bold matte finish on the Perma Precision Eyeliner by Pat McGrath Labs. Unlike other felt tip liners I’ve tried, the tip on this liner has some give to it, offering enough flexibility for a fluid cat eye flick. The pigmented, high coverage formula dries down quickly, but it did transfer a bit on my oily lids, so I’d recommend setting it with a powder or using a budge proof primer before applying to get the most out of its waterproof formula. Some Sephora shoppers also claimed that this one dried out quickly, but that hasn’t been my experience. Just store the liner upside down to keep the felt tip saturated.

Originally $10, now $8

This drugstore liner is said to be a more affordable dupe for the KVD Tattoo Liner…and I kind of agree. The Epic Ink Liner is just as user-friendly, has an equally precise brush tip, and a reliable waterproof formula that stays put. Dare I say that the pigment on this one is even more intense and high coverage than the KVD liner? One swipe does the trick with this one and I barely ever have to layer it. When the heat and humidity are at its peak here in Miami, I do use a primer with it as insurance.

If you’re a winged liner aficionado, you’re going to want to snag this on your next trip to the drugstore. Maybelline’s Liquid Ink Eyeliner requires some practice to master the inkwell format, but once you get it, the long-wearing formula holds up. The applicator’s precise felt tip helped me achieve a sharp, clean line, and the pigmented black shade keeps its impact throughout the day without transferring. Plus, it’s under $10—which you can’t beat! Just note that if you’re partial to a matte finish, the Tattoo Studio Liquid Ink boasts a satin look.

Ilia Clean Line Liquid Eyeliner promises an extra fine tip perfect for a precise liner look—and it totally delivers. It glides on effortlessly without skipping or tugging on my lids, and the formula is bold and pigmented with every stroke. And if you’re the type of person who likes to edit their feline flick with a cotton swab (I am), Ilia’s easy-to-remove formula makes touching up your liner easy—making this user-friendly pen a dream for beginners. The only con is that the formula might be a little too easy to remove, and requires a little help from a primer or powder to avoid transferring and smudging. I used Ilia’s skin-smoothing liquid eyeshadow as a base and that worked beautifully!

Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner has over 1,000 vegan bristles in its flexible brush tip, making it easy to achieve a variety of liner looks—from bold graphics to precise, minimalist wings. The pen is also a bit taller than all of the other liquid eyeliners that I tried, which I found to make application even easier. What’s more, it packs serious pigment, giving me smooth and opaque matte ink that’s truly waterproof. And according to some Sephora shoppers, the budge-proof formula is great for folks with hooded lids too!

In all of my liquid eyeliner research, I was beginning to think I preferred brush tip eyeliners—until I tried the Benefit Roller Liner. The felt tip tapers to an extra fine point for extra precision that’s still super flexible, and it delivers smooth strokes of pigmented (truly matte) ink. While the Sephora reviews are varied, all I can say is that this formula was incredibly long lasting on me! With no smudging, bleeding, or transferring in sight. Plus if you want to take it for a test run before getting the full size, you can always buy a mini version.

Originally $12, now $9

Of all the liquid eyeliners on this list, this L’Oreal eyeliner ticks all of my boxes. I even used it on my wedding day—outside in the Miami humidity—which is really saying something. The fine felt tip delivers a razor sharp wing that’s *actually* waterproof, and lasts all day and night on me. It’s user-friendly, and perfect for drawing on subtle baby wings and artsy, graphic designs like. And after a solid three months of semi-consistent use (I did have to test the other liners on this list, natch), the liner pen has maintained all of its smooth, black pigment without getting dry and crusty. Plus, it’s so affordable!