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

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!

Pros

• Waterproof

• Fine felt tip

• Doesn’t transfer

• Easy to use

• Great for bold and subtle wings

• Affordable

Cons

• None (!!)

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.

Pros

• Inkwell doesn’t dry out

• Pigmented formula

• Matte finish

• Affordable

Cons

• Slight learning curve

• Takes time to dry down

• Transfers

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!

Pros

• Waterproof formula

• Flexible brush tip

• Matte and pigmented formula

• Smooth and easy to apply

• Great for hooded lids, according to reviews

Cons

• Might get too inky

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.

Pros

• Long-wearing formula

• Hooded eye friendly, according to reviews

• Doesn’t transfer

• Inkwell format doesn’t dry out

• Precise felt tip

Cons

• Wouldn’t recommend for beginners

• Comes off in flakes after day long wear

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.

Pros

• Flexible brush tip

• Long-wearing formula

• Beginner-friendly

• Great for minimal liner

Cons

• Sheer formula

• Dries out quickly, according to other reviewers

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!

Pros

• Ultra-fine felt tip

• Pigmented formula

• Matte finish

• Beginner-friendly

• Easy to remove

Cons

• Transfers on oily lids

• Needs a primer/powder

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.

Pros

• Dries down quickly

• Waterproof formula

• Precise brush tip

• Beginner friendly

• Pigmented formula

• Affordable

Pros

• Requires a primer on hot and humid days

• Brush tip frays if you’re not careful

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.

Pros

• Truly waterproof formula

• Matte finish

• Extra fine felt tip

• Very pigmented

Cons

• Dries too fast according to some reviews