If you’re bored with your basic black eyeliner, colored eyeliner is a great way to add a playful touch to your makeup look. Whether you want to make a statement with bold and bright hues or add a subtle hint of color to your look, there is colored eyeliner out there for everyone. From sunshine yellow to vivid pink and electric blue, you can choose from a variety of shades and formulas.
What to consider while shopping for colored eyeliner
Formula
Colored eyeliners come in four formulations. You’ll have to decide on the right formula for your desired look and skill level.
- Liquid eyeliner: Liquid eyeliners are designed with intense, vivid color in mind, which makes them ideal for creating bold and dramatic looks. While they can be tricky to master, they offer the most precision and help you create well-defined sharp lines.
- Pencil eyeliner: Perhaps the easiest to use, pencil eyeliners are perfect for subtler looks and are a great option for those new to eyeliner. Their creamy formula makes them easy to blend to create everything from soft definition to an intense smoky eye.
- Gel eyeliner: Gel eyeliners are particularly high in wax content, which means they are fantastic at staying put. They usually come in little pots with thin, angled brushes and can be used to create both solid lines and a smudged smoky eye.
- Felt tip eyeliner: If you want to achieve the effect of a liquid eyeliner with the ease of pencil eyeliner, a felt tip eyeliner is just what you need. The fine tip makes it easy to draw precise lines and the shape of the pen makes it easy to use, even for beginners.
Pigment and texture
The best-colored eyeliners are pigmented, smooth and long-wearing. If you’re going for a pop of color, look for a formula with an opaque pigment that doesn’t streak and stays put throughout the day. You may also want to consider the eyeliner’s texture and pick out a product that seamlessly glides onto the skin. With a creamy texture, you will avoid any rough tugging at the lid.
Best colored eyeliners
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil
If you’re looking for an eyeliner that glides like a dream, look no further than this cult-favorite pencil from Urban Decay. Made with 50% hydrating ingredients, including jojoba oil, vitamin E and cottonseed oil, this pencil nourishes the skin and delivers rich, high-impact color at the same time.
Stila Stay All Day ArtiStix Graphic Liner
These shimmery sticks from Stila have the same magical staying powers as the brand’s bestselling liquid liner. The handy pencil is not only waterproof and long-wearing but also doubles as an eyeshadow. The formula goes on smoothly and the color payoff is brilliant. These are sold in 12 vibrant colors.
Bring a touch of couture to every look with this luxe liquid liner. It comes in a range of 14 stunning shades in matte, satin and pearly finishes. The pen has an ultra-flexible felt tip that’s incredibly easy to control. Plus, it’s waterproof and lasts all day without moving or transferring.
Fenty Beauty Flypencil Longwear Pencil Eyeliner
When it comes to bold, eye-popping colors, leave it to Fenty Beauty to truly deliver. The Flypencil boasts a hyper-pigmented formula that’s available in a range of 12 matte, glitter, metallic and shimmer shades. Its twist-up design is easy to use and the buttery formula glides on effortlessly.
Maybelline TattooStudio Gel Pencil Eyeliner
If you’re looking for a drugstore-colored eyeliner, you can’t go wrong with this pencil from Maybelline. Its gel tip has a remarkably smooth glide that doesn’t pull or tug on the skin and delivers uniform pigment in just a single swipe. These come in nine metallic and shimmery shades.
NYX Professional Makeup Vivid Brights Longwear Liquid Liner
Another budget-friendly option that’s great for those wanting to test out a new color is this liquid liner from NYX. Available in nine vivid shades, its super-saturated formula glides on without skipping or tugging to deliver a bold, matte finish. Once it sets, it won’t budge or fade until you want it to.
Unleash your inner graphic artist with these waterproof gel pencils that come in a rainbow of colors, from bright lilac to a golden brown shimmer. They not only apply smoothly but are also super creamy and blendable. The high-definition shades go on completely opaque and stay put for up to 24 hours.
This gel liner is perfect for those who’re looking for smudge-proof, pigmented and easy application. Its creamy formula packs a mighty punch of color in just one swipe and lasts all day without fading or creasing. Since it’s both sweat and waterproof, it’s ideal for oily eyelids. It comes in 25 shades.
Haus Labs Optic Intensity Eco Gel Eyeliner Pencil
From burnt orange to rose gold to metallic silver, this gel liner from Lady Gaga’s makeup line comes in a variety of fun shades. Both creamy and color-packed, the formula applies flawlessly and is waterproof, transfer-proof and long-wearing. It’s also packed with skin-loving ingredients like argan oil and vitamin E.
BareMinerals Mineralist Lasting Eyeliner
This clean and vegan eyeliner delivers rich, vibrant color that doesn’t smudge, flake or budge easily. Its formula includes ingredients like aloe, avocado oil and mineral-based pigments to soothe and nourish the skin. It’s also made without any parabens, talc, PEG or synthetics. It comes in eight beautiful hues.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
