As someone who wears a winged eyeliner look weekly, I'm the first to admit that nailing a perfect flick requires more than a steady hand and good luck. An artist is only as good as their tools, and no eyeliner offers cleaner lines, sharper precision, better longevity, or deeper color payoff than a liquid one. In fact, the best liquid eyeliners are the backbone of nearly every iconic makeup look—whether it's a subtle kitten flick or a full and sharp cat eye that could cut glass.
And I’m not alone in that opinion: “For me, a great liquid liner isn’t just makeup,” celebrity makeup artist Ashley Bias says. “It’s confidence in a pen.”
That confidence comes from finding a smudge-proof liquid eyeliner that glides instead of drags, dries down quickly without being too watery, and doesn't disappear halfway through the day (or worse, transfer onto your lids). The best formulas combine the precision of a pen with the deep pigment of a gel, making it easy to create everything from razor-thin lines to bold, graphic wings.
Sure, it takes a while to master the skill, but a good liquid liner should do some of the work for you—but not all liquid liners are made equal. That’s why I went straight to the experts to find out their favorite, fool-proof liquid liners and put them to the test. Ahead, the five best liquid liners for clean lines that could last through a thunderstorm.
The Best Liquid Eyeliners
- Best Liquid Liner Overall: Stila Stay All Day® Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner
- Best Liquid Liner for Precision: Too Faced Better Than Sex Easy Glide Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
- Best Drugstore Liquid Eyeliner: NYX Professional Makeup Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
- Best Liquid Eyeliner for Longwear: MAC Cosmetics Brushstroke 24-Hour Liner
- Best Liquid Liner for Color Payoff: Valentino V-Liner Waterproof Eyeliner
It was an incredibly close race for best overall, but two factors set Stila’s classic liquid liner apart: ease of use and longevity. This liner features a thin, short felt tip that’s strikingly similar to a marker's, helping alleviate some of the pitfalls that can come with liquid liner. The felt material is stiff enough that you don’t need to use much force to get consistent color; instead, you can focus on tailoring the line width to your liking.
While other brushes were longer and had more precise tips, they required far more expertise to get right. What this liner lacks in ultra-precision, it makes up for in ease of use. As for longevity, once this liner sets, it’s not going anywhere. Bias agrees; it’s a staple in her kit: "I know it won’t move, even under hot lights or through long red-carpet days."
Shades: 2
What I Like: Quick-dry formula; Easy marker-like tip; Beginner-friendly
What I Don't Like: Slight bleeding
Customer Review: "This liner is the longest-lasting I've ever tried. Case in point: It sat through a full commute (and back), a very sweaty workout, an eight-hour workday, and lots of face kisses from my puppy." — Dani Hardman, Contributing Beauty Writer
Contributing writer Dani Hardman wearing the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner.
Celebrity makeup artist Kelli Anne Sewell counts Too Faced’s Better Than Sex Liquid Eyeliner among her favorites. “It doesn’t dry down quickly, causing a tug or pulling motion when layering,” she says. “Instead, it’s silky smooth and allows you to build in small strokes.” That’s particularly helpful given the liner’s ultra-thin, precise tip, which lets users get their desired liner width down to the millimeter. And while other liquid liners can run too light or too orange-y in a brown shade, this one is a true deep chocolate tone.
Shades: 2
What I Love: Ultra-precise tip; Smooth glide
What I Don't: The tip may fray over time
Customer Review: "I absolutely love this shade of brown for fall and winter months, it's a true chocolate. I also love using this specific liner when I want the sharpest wing possible." — Dani Hardman, Contributing Beauty Writer
Dani Hardman wearing the Too Faced Better Than Sex Liquid Liner.
When it comes to shade options, NYX’s Epic Ink Liquid Liner is truly unmatched. It offers nine different colors, plus six glitter metallic shades (though at a slightly higher price). The brush tip is flexible yet sturdy enough to allow precise control from any angle, helping you keep a steady hand. Makeup artist Lauren Stein also praises it, highlighting the rich pigment and budget-friendly price.
Shades: 9
What I Love: Expansive shade range; Wallet-friendly price; Fine tip
What I Don't: Very liquid-y
Customer Review: "I particularly like the three brown shades, which make it easy to find your ideal match. Plus, the product itself is incredibly user-friendly—20 minutes after my initial application, I decided I wanted to beef up the line a bit and had no issues layering it on top of the already-dried liner." — Dani Hardman, Contributing Beauty Writer
Dani Hardman wears the deep brown shade of the NYX Epic Ink Liquid Eyeliner.
MAC’s high-performing Brushstroke 24-Hour Liner lives up to its name with an impressive wear time. And it doesn’t just simply last—it avoids smudges, transfer, and even sweat. Bias especially loves the brush: “The precision brush tip lets me sculpt a fine flick or build thickness,” depending on a client’s preference, she says.
Shades: 2
What I Love: Flexible, tapered brush; Long-wearing; Smudge-proof
What I Don't: Limited shade range
Customer Review: "I must admit, it has one of the thinnest tips of the liners I tested, despite maintaining a relatively standard brush length. It also holds up through cries, rain, and sweat." — Dani Hardman, Contributing Beauty Writer
Hardman wears MAC's BrushStroke Liquid Liner through a workout class without any budging.
From the moment the brush touched my eye, I knew Valentino’s V-Liner was packing on the pigment. It took the least effort to use—even the slightest tap of the brush against the skin delivers a perfectly uninterrupted flow of product. It makes it easy to get an ultra-thin, exact swipe of product in seconds. Sewell is also a fan, noting that it’s particularly great for building up the liner on her hooded eyes.
Shades: 1
What I Love: High color payoff; Easy to use
What I Don't: Limited shade range; expensive
Customer Review: "I can't get over how rich the shades of this liner are—it makes it so easy to deliver the right amount of color payoff on the first go-around." — Dani Hardman, Contributing Beauty Writer
Hardman was most impressed by Valentino V-Liner's bold pigment.
What Should I Look for in Liquid Eyeliners?
Bias puts it best: “What keeps a liner in my makeup bag comes down to three things: precision, pigment, and wear.” Let’s break it down.
- Precision: The key to a wearable, everyday liquid liner is keeping it close to the lash line and gradually building up the liner as you see fit. Plus, you’ll need a sharp, precise edge to create a wing. In this case, look for a felt or brush tip that comes to a small, definitive point. Keep in mind the brush length as well—some people find that a longer brush helps them maintain a light touch. Meanwhile, a shorter brush tip is often easier for beginners.
- Pigment: Are you aiming for a bold, black line? Maybe you’re after a more muted brown flick? Or perhaps you want something bright or even sparkly? Once you figure out exactly what you want in terms of color, you'll need a liquid liner that actually delivers. Poor pigmentation can lead to streaky lines and fading flicks.
- Wear: Of course, you'll want a liner that lasts all day and looks just as good at 5 pm as it did at 8 am. Find something that’s long-lasting, non-drying, and slightly creamy.
Why Would I Use Liquid Liner Over Other Types?
Liquid liner, especially those with structured felt tips, allows for clean, precise lines that are simply unmatched by other liner options. Liquid creates crisper lines and more detailed, specific liner looks. Liquid liners also glide across the skin more easily than other types of liner—pencils and shadows tend to drag along the lid, resulting in uneven lines.
How Do You Apply Liquid Eyeliner?
Before you start, rest your dominant elbow on a flat surface. This helps steady your hand and gives you more control over the liner. If necessary, gently pull your eyelid taut with your other hand, being careful not to tug. It's best to begin your liner in the middle of your eye—it’s just easier—placing it as close to the lash line as possible. Then, use the tip of your liner to draw an ultra-thin line toward the outer corner of your eye. Repeat the process in the inner corner. Remember to keep the line thinner at the start and gradually thicker toward the outer corner. When you reach the end of your eye, flick the liner outward at a slight angle toward the end of your brow to create a wing. A quick tip: I like to use the tip of my liner as a guide and stamp it along the lash line to create a mostly straight, even line.
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
Meet the Experts
Ashley Bias is a celebrity makeup artist based in the Bay Area.
Kelli Anne Sewell is a celebrity makeup artist based in New York and the founder of Makeup by Kelli Anne.
Lauren Stein is a makeup artist based in New York.
