It can be difficult to find the best eyeliner for everyday use; you want something that won’t budge but is also simple to take off at the end of the day. It can be challenging to know where to begin, though, as there are so many fantastic drugstore options available. For this reason, we’ve made it our mission to give you all the information you need to make a decision.
Table of Contents
Best Drugstore Eyeliners
These top eyeliners from drugstores will help you save a ton of money.
Nyx Professional Makeup Epic Ink Liner
Price: $ 8.99
You cannot overlook the long-lasting, water-resistant, and vegan Epic Ink Liner by NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP. With this brown eyeliner from a drugstore with a matte finish, you can create the ideal cat-eye look. It has a fine, flexible tip that glides over your eyelids with ease. With the addition of this eyeliner, you can complete your ensemble and let your inner sparkle radiate.
Pixi By Petra Endless Silky Waterproof Pencil Eyeliner
Price: $ 23
The ultra-soft liner applies easily and gives just enough time for a smoky, sexy effect before it dries and sets for hours. It’s also offered at an inviting price point that encourages experimentation in a fun assortment of lively and timeless colors with shiny, matte, and shimmer finishes. The creamy texture makes it especially comfortable for tracing along the waterline without tugging or prodding at the delicate eye area, but you will need frequent sharpening to keep a fine tip for precision lining.
Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Gel Eyeliner
Price: $ 5
Up to 24 hours can pass while wearing this Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Gel Eyeliner. This gel eyeliner’s deep, intense black shade will enable you to master all eyeliner application techniques. For total control over the lines you draw on your eyelids, it also includes a professional brush.
Neutrogena Nourishing Eyeliner Pencil
Price: $ 9
Although we don’t usually think of eyeliners as being nourishing, we must admit that this formula lives up to its name. To prevent creasing or cracking from dry skin, the creamy tip’s olive oil and shea butter gently condition the delicate area as you trace with it. The formula is also designed to not irritate skin and eyes that are already sensitive.
Despite the limited color range, the shades contain light-diffusing pigments that give the illusion of a soft, subtle shimmer and, when used, draw attention to the whites of your eyes for a sharper gaze. Lines can be easily drawn thanks to the pencil’s built-in sharpener and a smudger on the other end.
Skinny Liquid Eyeliner By Revlon
Price: $ 6.47
Revlon’s Skinny Liquid Eyeliner gives you a vibrant color payoff. It is a smudge-proof, ophthalmologist-tested drugstore eyeliner that is smooth. The duration is up to ten hours. It’s interesting that this eyeliner has an ultra-fine tip that can hold enough eyeliner to enable you to draw precise and fine lines in a single motion. Additionally, there are four high-pigment shades of this eyeliner.
Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner Pencil
Price: $ 6
If you’ve never worn eyeliner before, this CoverGirl pencil version might end up being your new go-to. Creating your ideal eye look is simple with this self-sharpening tool, which also includes an angled smudger to correct mistakes.
Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner
Price: $ 17.02
This Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner from Physicians Formula also functions as a serum. You can create timeless eye makeup looks with this eyeliner while defining your eyes. By nourishing and moisturizing your lashes, the jet black color of the liner improves their appearance. Have you ever heard of such eyeliner?
E.l.f. Essential Waterproof Eyeliner Pen
Price: $ 13.44
This e.l.f. Essential Waterproof Eyeliner Pen is a smudge-free eyeliner. It has a water-resistant feature and a long lifespan. This eyeliner pen’s applicator is unique, allowing you to apply eyeliner with total precision. You have the ability to draw all types of eyeliner strokes, from fine to thick. In part because of this eyeliner pen.
Maybelline Hyper Easy Liquid Pen No-skip Eyeliner
Price: $ 7.98
This Maybelline Hyper Easy Liquid Pen No-Skip Eyeliner provides you with a satin finish. It includes a flexible tip that won’t skip and a waterproof formula. Because of the hexagonal shape of the eyeliner, you can draw strokes on your eyelids with a firm grip that won’t budge. You can certainly experiment with various eyeliner styles with this product.
Lakme Insta Deep Intense Black Eye Liner
Price: $ 7
Pitch black eyeliner that is water-resistant is the Lakme Insta Deep Intense Black Eye Liner. It provides a smooth finish while exfoliating your skin. Its glossy appearance will make your eye makeup sparkle. This black eyeliner’s featherweight formulation has the ability to give your eyes the precise definition they deserve.
The Lip Bar Straight Outta Patience Eyeliner
Price: $ 10
This is the only liner you need if you want to line closely between your lashes or fill in your waterline. It glides smoothly over your lids and in between your lashes thanks to the formula’s jojoba oil infusion’s surprisingly soft texture. Furthermore, the inky formula deposits a rich, opaque color that really draws attention to your eyes.
What To Keep In Mind
Eyeliner Type
There are numerous varieties of eyeliners, and each has special advantages in terms of control, accuracy, and usability. Traditional pencils, which frequently need to be sharpened to maintain a point, exist alongside mechanical or twist-up pencils, which occasionally have an integrated sharpener and have a gel-like formula. A fine liner brush is needed to apply liquid or cream pigments that come in pots. These formulas usually cater to makeup users who are more experienced.
To make application easier, choose the pigment type (kohl, kajal, liquid, gel, or cream) and application method (pencil, pen, felt tip, or brush) that best suit your comfort level and preferred style.
Formula
Finding the ideal formula for your eye makeup look will direct you toward the best outcome. If you want to create a smokey effect, look for creamier, softer formulas that will set so you won’t end up with a smudged mess but still give you time to blend and buff. Additionally, there are formulas that promise to last through sweaty workouts, long nights, and hot days that are waterproof and long-wearing. Find a formula that hardens quickly and won’t wash off at the first hint of moisture in that case.
Finish
When compared to the finish of an eye shadow, the finish of an eyeliner may seem like a minor detail, but shiny, matte, or shimmery liner can significantly alter the way you appear. Matte liners provide a subtle definition, whereas shiny and shimmery liners can produce a striking, attention-grabbing effect. The choice of finish ultimately comes down to taste.
How To Choose A Drugstore Eyeliner
Pay Attention To The Format And Texture
Each type of drugstore eyeliner is best suited for a particular type of eye look and comes in a variety of styles and textures. Choose a liquid liner formula if you enjoy creating bold cat eyes or crisp wing lines. Your best bet is a gel or cream eyeliner pencil with an integrated blending brush or sponge if you enjoy a smudgy, smokey look. If you like to tightline, define your waterline, or draw delicate, subtle lines on your eyes, eyeliners with ultra-fine precision tips should be your go-to.
Consider The Removal Process
Drugstore eyeliners that are labeled “waterproof” “water-resistant” and/or “transfer-proof” are great…until it comes time to remove them at the end of the day. The majority of long-wearing formulas are difficult to remove with soap and water, so you’ll need to buy a cleansing balm or oil-based eye makeup remover to completely dissolve the pigments without pulling and rubbing at your sensitive eye area.
FAQs
How Can You Stop The Eyeliner From A Drugstore From Drying Out?
According to the formula, eyeliners typically have a shelf life of three to six months, just like all other cosmetics. For pencils that can be sharpened, removing the dried-out exposed area with a quick twist of the sharpener usually suffices to restore the pencil’s soft tip. Hydrating eye drops can assist in reconditioning the formula and brush tip of felt tip liners. A felt rod can be seen when the screw on some liners is unscrewed at the end that is opposite the tip. Add a couple of drops of moisturizing eye drops (such as Visine), then tighten the end and thoroughly shake. Voila, everything is as good as new!
Is Applying Liquid Or Pencil Eyeliners Simpler?
Easy is relative because it really depends on the appearance you want to achieve. Consider using liquid eyeliner if you want to draw bold, clean lines. Choose a gel formulation if you want to diffuse or blend the liner for a smokier effect. While felt tip pens work well for cat eye swoops, a soft pencil liner is frequently best for the waterline.
If you’re a beginner, it’s generally advised to start with sharpenable or twist-up pencil liners because they give you time to smudge and perfect before they’re set. However, with a steady hand, some patience, and makeup remover to correct any errors, anyone can become proficient in the various eyeliner formulas.