The Only Waterproof Eyeliners You'll Ever Need

(Image credit: Getty/Rosdiana Ciaravolo)

By Maya Allen , Taylore Glynn 2021-04-23T15:33:31Z

Before you yell at me for working out with makeup on, I know, I know, I shouldn’t have. But I’m busy, okay, and usually am running—damn near breathless—to my evening sessions with seconds to spare before the doors close on me, because I’m a working woman. And my work, blessedly, is all about beauty. My desk might as well be a mini beauty closet. It’s overflowing with beauty products I’ve filed under “need to try ASAP” and “need you next to me at all times.” I always leave with a new product on my face.

Take the new Marc Jacobs Fineliner Ultra-Skinny Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner, for example. I was wearing it when I left for my intense Flywheel Sports class that I was running late for, per usual. With no time to take my makeup off, I sweated it out with this liner still on. I walked out of the class expecting it to be smeared, faded, and barely-there. To my surprise, the liner was still as vibrant as ever.

But you can never have too many always-there, never-smears eyeliners. So I've included a list of beauty editor-approved waterproof eyeliners at various textures and price points that will outlast anything. And no, not the waterproof formulas that suck the moisture from your lids and then require a sander to buff off, but silky, easy-to-wear formulas that feel like normal eyeliner, except, well, better.

For A Pop of Pastel

Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Mist Me

Sometimes bright liners can get lost behind lashes, but this pencil is so pigmented that it pops in a major way—and stays like that all day (and night). It comes in dozens of other shades, too, if you want a more traditional darker liner.

For A True Black

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner

This one is an editor favorite for good reason. It's inky onyx pops on every skin tone, and it stays put forever. Okay, not forever, but pretty damn close.

For A Cat Eye

Benefit Cosmetics Roller Liner Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

If you're going for a Mad Men vibe on Saturday night, reach for this inky option. It's jet black, precise, and won't budge no matter how much dancing you do.

For A Soft Look

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner

Yes, the whole pot-and-brush combo can feel like a feat reserved only for makeup artists and the Kardashians. But trust me when I say a brush is surprisingly easier to control than a stiff pencil tip if a minimal look is what you're going for. Plus, this formula is incredibly pigmented, meaning even the thinnest of lines will read like a statement.

For Travel

Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Liner in French Navy

A twist-up top and built in liner makes this liner a look in a tube. If you're feeling bold, try a floating line. This formula isn't going anywhere, no matter how oily your lids.

For Grown-Up Glitter

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Woodstock

Some shimmery eyeshadows can cause fallout after a couple hours, but this unbudgeable option makes a bold, sparkly shade stay put all day and night.

For Precision

Charlotte Tilbury Feline Flick V2 Eyeliner

The tip on this liquid option makes application almost too easy. Tightline right up against the lashes for imperceptible definition, or wing it out for some drama.

For A Bold Wing

PAT McGRATH LABS Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner

Filling in a major cat eye can often reveal liner's patchy coverage, but this inky fluid is blacker than black and its payoff is the best in the biz.

For A Natural Look

ILIA Clean Line Gel Liner in Dusk

A simple defining smudge of brown into the waterline can change the game when it comes to no makeup-makeup days, and this one's gel texture makes it glide on like butter.

For Intense Color

Maybelline New York Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner

This formula has highly concentrated pigments suspended in a clear gel base, which makes the color crazy intense and durable. You're going to need to double cleanse this one off, and we mean that as high praise.

For Versatility

Danessa Myricks Waterproof Cushion Color

Technically this is a multi-use product, but this pot contains super-pigmented formula that can create sharp lines and pretty smudges with a few strokes.

For Experimentation

Diorshow On Stage Liquid Eyeliner in Matte Pop Green

Ok, if you don't think you can pull off liner this bright, I'm here to tell you you can. Use the precision tip to make baby wing (this fluid flows really easily, in the best way) and you've got a runway-ready makeup situation on your hands.

For 24-Hour Wear

Make Up For Ever Aqua Resist Color Pencil Eyeliner

You can get a lot done in 24 hours, all while wearing this bad boy, because that's how long this formula lasts. And its built in sharpener makes it easy to bring on-the-go.

Tarte Tarteist Double Take Eyeliner

Meet the best of both worlds: This dual-ended eyeliner has a clay-based pencil tip on one end for a smudgy, softer look, and a satin-finish felt tip on the other end for a cleaner, more precise finish. Regardless of the side you choose, you’ll get budge-proof lines for 12 hours straight.