The 11 Best Eyeliners for Waterline, According to Beauty Experts

We had real people put smudge-proof claims to the test.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil; Maybelline TattooStudio Gel Pencil Eyeliner; Kevyn Aucoin Precision Eye Definer; Neutrogena Smokey Kohl Eyeliner
(Image credit: Urban Decay; Maybelline New York; Kevyn Aucoin; Neutrogena)

The best eyeliners are an essential in your makeup collection. If playful, bold shapes are your forte, liquid liners are your best friend. Or maybe you like a subtle smokey look? In that case, the best pencil liners are there for you. But if you really want to make your eyes pop, you need the best eyeliners for the waterline, aka the wet, fleshy part of your lower inner eyelids.

Application in this part of the eye can change the look of your entire face, says professional makeup artist Jaleesa Jaikaran. “Using a neutral or white liner in the waterline can make you look more awake and take away any look of redness in the eyes,” she says. “On the other hand, using a brighter colored eyeliner that is complementary to your skin tone can emphasize your eyes and make your complexion a bit brighter.” Additionally, you can line your upper inner eyelid using a technique called tightlining with either black or brown eyeliner to make your lashes appear more lush and full. Not all liners are made to be worn in the area, though. To avoid smudging, opt for a waterproof eyeliner that's made to last.

The Marie Claire beauty team has compiled this list of the best eyeliners for the waterline—all of which are long-wearing, waterproof, highly pigmented, and, most importantly, have silky smooth textures to prevent irritation in the sensitive area. Keep scrolling for our tried-and-tested favorite eyeliners, alongside makeup artist insight on what to look for in the best liners for the waterline.

The Best Eyeliners for the Waterline at a Glance

Marie Claire's Best Eyeliners for the Waterline

Shop The Best Eyeliners for the Waterline

Marie Claire's Tester India tried out the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in both black and brown shades. Here she is wearing the black eyeliner shade.

India tested out two shades of the Urban Decay eyeliner—here, she's wearing the black shade, which she preferred for her everyday routine.

(Image credit: India, a Marie Claire tester)

Kelly Madu

After her testing period, Kelly loved the Maybelline TattooStudio Gel Pencil Eyeliner and now calls it "a staple in my makeup bag."

(Image credit: Kelly, a Marie Claire tester)

Marie Claire's Tester Tonna Obaze tried out the Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner in both black and brown shades. Here she is wearing the black eyeliner shade.

Marie Claire's Tester, Tonna, loved Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner because it reminded her "of the type of eyeliners my mom used to buy at the big department store beauty counter — quality, luxury, reliable."

(Image credit: Tonna, a Marie Claire tester)

Marie Claire's Tester, Hara, tried out the Hourglass Voyeur Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in both black and brown shades. Here she is wearing the black eyeliner shade.

Marie Claire's Tester, Hara, was blown away by the Hourglass Voyeur Waterproof Gel Eyeliner.

(Image credit: Hara, a Marie Claire tester)

Marie Claire's Tester Mackenzie Lee Harville tried out the Kulfi Underlined Kajal Clean Waterproof Long-Wear Eyeliner in both black and brown shades. Here she is wearing the black eyeliner shade.

Marie Claire's Tester Mackenzie Lee Harville tried out the Kulfi Underlined Kajal Clean Waterproof Long-Wear Eyeliner in both black and brown shades. Here she is wearing the black eyeliner shade.

(Image credit: Mackenzie, a Marie Claire tester)

Other Eyeliners for the Waterline We Love

Marie Claire's Tester Breeanna Sampson tried out the Maybelline TattooStudio Gel Pencil Eyeliner in both black and brown shades. Here she is wearing the black eyeliner shade.

Our tester Breeanna found the Maybelline TattooStudio Gel Pencil Eyeliner "very easy to apply." Here she is wearing the black shade.

(Image credit: Breeanna, a Marie Claire tester)

Marie Claire's Beauty Writer Gabrielle Ulubay tried out the Maybelline TattooStudio Gel Pencil Eyeliner in both black and brown shades. Here she is wearing the black eyeliner shade.

Marie Claire's Beauty Writer Gabrielle Ulubay loves the Kevyn Aucoin Precision Eye Definer because it "survived hours of walking, sitting outside, and jogging to catch the train."

(Image credit: Gabrielle Ulubay)

Marie Claire's Tester Giulia Faria tried out the NARS High-Pigment Longwear Eyeliner in both black and brown shades. Here she is wearing the black eyeliner shade.

Marie Claire's Tester. Giulia, liked the NARS High-Pigment Longwear Eyeliner because "the application was super smooth and didn’t lift the product that was already there."

(Image credit: Giulia, a Marie Claire tester)

Marie Claire's Tester Kish Lal tried out the Makeup By Mario Master Pigment Pro™ Eyeliner Pencil in both black and brown shades. Here she is wearing the black eyeliner shade.

Marie Claire's Tester, Kish, said Makeup By Mario Master Pigment Pro™ Eyeliner Pencil lasted through an entire night of dancing.

(Image credit: Kish, a Marie Claire tester)

Marie Claire's Tester, Chelsea, tried out the Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in both black and brown shades. Here she is wearing the black eyeliner shade.

Marie Claire's Tester, Chelsea, said she "went 10 hours without having to touch up the soft wing I finessed thanks to this eyeliner pencil."

(Image credit: Chelsea, a Marie Claire tester)

Marie Claire's Tester Emily Jane O'Brien tried out the MAC Colour Excess Gel Liner in both black and brown shades. Here she is wearing one of the shades.

Marie Claire's Tester, Emily, found that "even in the 80-degree weather, my winged eyeliner did not get smudged."

(Image credit: Emily, a Marie Claire tester)

What to Look For in Waterline Eyeliners

  • A Waterproof Formula

The waterline is an especially sensitive area, so any tugging or skipping may cause irritation and damage. If you’re looking for an eyeliner specifically for your waterline, pro makeup artist Ehlie Luna says silicone-based and waterproof eyeliner formulas are your best bet. “To spot them you might see words like cyclopentasiloxane or trimethylsiloxysilicate listed in the ingredients.” But she gave another pro tip: “You don't have to memorize these words, but notice ingredient names with ‘-sil’ buried in them among the first five ingredients. Often they will mention 'waterproof' on the package somewhere.”

  • Consistency

“The best liner for the waterline is a pencil liner that has a creamy payoff yet is long-lasting,” says Jaikaran. A creamy-textured pencil won’t tug or skip across your waterline, meaning there will be less chance for irritation. Luna also notes that kohl and kajal formulas are often used in the waterline because they are especially creamy.

Are Eyeliners Safe to Use in the Waterline?

Yes, you can safely use eyeliners in the waterline if you use the right formula. Opting for matte formulas are a great place to start. Formulas with sparkle in them can contain ingredients that can harm the delicate eye area. However, remember that eyeliner in the waterline can cause dryness for some. "It occludes the openings of the meibomian glands,” says board-certified New Jersey-based ophthalmologist Dr. Diane Hilal-Campo. “This prevents the oils from being released into the tear film. This will cause the patients' eyes to be dry.” So, you're better off not wearing eyeliner in the area every day.

Why Trust Marie Claire

We tapped three experts—two pro makeup artists and one board-certified ophthalmologist—to pull together the best, safest products for the waterline. Ultimately, we selected 11 eyeliners to test in two classic shades: brown and black. Our independent testers (plus one Marie Claire staffer) then reviewed their liners based on their staying power, ease of application, how easy they were to remove, and how pigmented each shade was.

Meet the Experts

Portrait of Jaleesa Jaikaran
Jaleesa Jaikaran

Growing up in Trinidad, Jaleesa moved to New York City to pursue her dream of makeup. She started assisting industry greats like Kabuki, Pat McGrath, and Diane Kendal on sets and fashion weeks in New York, Milan, and Paris. Jaleesa began to develop her eye for color and strengthened her focus on the perfection of skin tones of all shades, which has led to her work being published in publications including Elle, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Essence, L’Officiel, Vogue Italia and Refinery29. As a content creator, Jaleesa strives to make content that teaches, inspires, and makes makeup achievable, and is known for her insider tips and signature skin. Jaleesa also runs The Life Of a Makeup Artist podcast, and regularly posts to her Tiktok account. In 2022, she was named one of LinkedIn's Top Voice in Fashion & Beauty. 

Ehlie Luna
Ehlie Luna

Ehlie Luna is a pro makeup artist whose experience goes from key makeup artist for the New York City Ballet to freelance commercial work in 2020 allowing her to move deeper into content creation. Her work has been featured in music videos and has graced the red carpet and catwalks of New York Fashion Week. She’s also worked with brands such as Daily Paper, Mac Cosmetics, Pattern Beauty, Beautyblender, r.e.m. beauty, UOMA Beauty, Macy’s, and more. Luna shares her expert tips and injects her unique personality into the beauty space through her TikTok page @EhlieLuna

Portrait of Dr. Diane Hilal-Campo
Dr. Diane Hilal-Campo

Dr. Diane Hilal-Campo is a Board Certified General Ophthalmologist who is highly skilled in both medical and surgical eyecare. Dr. Hilal-Campo has been practicing in Oakland, New Jersey for more than 23 years. She is a graduate of Columbia University, and was in the first class that accepted women at Columbia College in 1987. Dr. Hilal-Campo then went on to receive her medical degree from Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. She completed her internship in internal medicine at Columbia and then went on to complete her residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Hilal-Campo is an active member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and an active member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. She is also a founding member of a group for female Ophthalmologists in New Jersey. After spending decades treating female patients struggling with dry eye and other painful conditions caused by makeup and beauty treatments, she developed her own brand of eye-friendly formulas, twenty/twenty beauty.

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Brooke Knappenberger
Associate Commerce Editor

Brooke Knappenberger is the Associate Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she specializes in crafting shopping stories—from sales content to buying guides that span every vertical on the site. She also oversees holiday coverage with an emphasis on gifting guides as well as Power Pick, our monthly column on the items that power the lives of MC’s editors. She also tackled shopping content as Marie Claire's Editorial Fellow prior to her role as Associate Commerce Editor.

She has over three years of experience writing on fashion, beauty, and entertainment and her work has appeared on Looper, NickiSwift, The Sun US, and Vox Magazine of Columbia, Missouri. Brooke obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism with an emphasis on Magazine Editing and has a minor in Textile and Apparel Management.