EYELINER
Eyeliners of all kinds do need a steady (and light) hand plus patience – and practice! Oh, and a fine brush for the liquid type; most come with an inbuilt one of some kind but if not a teeny paintbrush is good. Our tip: do master the art of getting the liner as close to the lash line as possible – because that’s what makes eyes look larger and lashes appear longer. We also know plenty of women who are expert at a cat-flick and love these pen-style or liquid liners. Our testers all tried versions in black and found a good number of ones they liked. NB some people (make-up artists and others) like to apply liner inside the waterline; please note that ophthalmic experts advise strongly against this.
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD Suqqu Gel Eyeliner Pencil (02)
This Japanese brand has romped off with a (make-up) bag full of Awards this year and now a Gold for this soft-textured eyeliner that promises to glide over the delicate skin around your eyes. One end is a very fine, twist out nib, which makes Flicks simple. The other end is a smudger to blend in if you wish. Jam-packed with pigment, it promises to last the day out and it’s water and oil-resistant. Five classic colours: Black, Dark Brown – which our testers received, Navy, Light Brown and Smoky Gray.
£20 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. Really loved this product! Went on really smoothly and was easy to use with the nice fine tip. Used for both a finer line and thicker one – both gave good results. Easy to remove with normal cleansing method. Lovely deep brown colour and I would buy’ • ‘This went on very smoothly with no dragging. It was easy to draw a thick line but I found a thin more difficult. I was very impressed with how long this product lasted and I was complimented on its staying power. I would buy’ • ‘The tip itself is extremely fine and you only need to twist up a very small amount. I found it easier to apply compared to my usual eyeliner, which is a very soft texture and can look messy. Due to its fine tip it was easier to get a finer line but it could be built up to make a thicker line or a very precise flick. Colleagues complimented me on my eye make -up. It gives a very neat and defined look. It removed very easily with my eye make up remover. Didn't have to rub at all. It lasts ages as you only twist up a tiny amount each time. Perfect for very precise application. Love that it doesn't smudge. No sharpening required’ • ‘
I liked the way this felt tip dispensed the product. There was certainly no drag and it was gentler on my crêpey eyelids than my old crayons. The nib is very fine so it was a doddle to apply the eyeliner precisely. It gave a smooth fine line (as long as my hands were steady!!!) and it was also great at giving a very natural effect by just dotting into the lash line - something I prefer when I'm not doing a full made up look. I am out of practice using eyeliner so producing a thicker line and / or cat-flick took some getting used to. However, with practice this liner produced great effects. It was easy to produce as delicate or dramatic effect as anyone could wish. Also there was a little bit of play -time available to correct mistakes with a Q-tip before the eyeliner really set’ • ‘My husband has said a couple of times that I look less tired. He frequently says I look tired if I'm not wearing makeup but I'm not really a fan of loads of makeup unless I'm going out. I've learned over the years how to do a quick no make-up look with minimal makeup. This eyeliner worked well on my no-makeup days when I just use a touch of mascara and a nude lip. The extra bit of definition in my lash line really made me look more awake and yet I don't look as if I'm wearing a ton of product. This is a keeper for me and I recommend anyone else struggling with eyeliner to try this one’ • ‘This eyeliner has such staying power I was really concerned that I would have trouble removing it when it was time to remove my makeup. However I found that using my usual balm first cleanser it came off easily despite being waterproof. I didn't even have to resort to a separate eye make up remover as I have to do sometimes for things like waterproof mascara.’
£20 - click to buy
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD delilah Cosmetics Eye Line Long Wear Retractable Pencil (Coal)
From Bronze in Beauty Bible Awards 2022, this waterproof eyeliner has whizzed up to Gold this time round. With a built in sharpener – simply pull out the cap at the other end so you can achieve precision application every time - the texture is soft and creamy and promises to last without smudging or fading for up to 12 hours (though not all our testers would agree). It’s vegan friendly and paraben-free. Available in two colours, Twig – a warm brown – and Coal – which our testers trialled. NB one said it was a really soft dark grey rather than ultra black.
£20 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. I would definitely buy this product! My husband asked if I had a new look! And a friend admired my make-up so I'll take those. This is a soft-tipped, sort of felt pen style liner. It goes on smoothly as long as you are careful (!) and feels gentle and soft on the skin. It didn't drag my eyelids, which are a little crêpey these days. Only a light touch was needed to get colour and product around the eye. This was a soft dark grey, which gave a slightly more dramatic effect but not too much which is a better look for me. The soft tip made it quite easy to apply and I had fun trying out a few new looks and in fact was very pleased that a slightly thicker line with a little flick (that took a while to get right!!) looked pretty good. I did quite a few practice runs but it was so nice and soft to use it was easy to get a good result. I could quickly smudge it if I did that immediately after applying which gave a softer look. Also if you make a mistake it can often be put right with a cotton bud. I liked this eye liner a lot and will continue to use it. Had fun with this! ’ • ‘This applies so smoothly! I was honestly surprised at how effortlessly this glided across the skin. I used it both on the waterline to tightline the eyes but also along the lash line as well. It was super soft and only needed one application along the length of the eye rather than a couple like my usual pencil’ • ‘This liner comes in a retractable case which has a built in sharpener in the end. The pencil itself is very soft and applies effortlessly with no dragging or catching at all; it glides along the lashline depositing a good amount of pigment as it goes. Ideal for tightlining the waterline or along the lash line this is a nice deep black colour. When used directly onto the skin it can be smudged to create a less defined more smoky line. This liner has great staying power - I'd apply at 7:30am do a full days work and at 9pm my liner still looked perfect with no smudging or flaking unlike my usual product. This would be great to use for a special occasion like a wedding where you want your make- up to look flawless all day and into the evening. I really liked this product and will definitely be repurchasing when this runs out.’
£20 - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) Collection Fast Stroke Longwear Liner (Black)
Three highly pigmented shade options here – Black, Waterproof Black and Brown– which the brand promises won’t flake or smudge and will last 14 hours but is easy to remove. The applicator – a recent tweak to the liner – is ‘ultra fine’ (ultra’s the word with this product) for subtle lines or dramatic flicks. It’s vegan, too. This is a British brand, established in 1987, dedicated to producing ‘quality cosmetics at an affordable price’. And this is indeed a real Beauty Steal, which really impressed our testers.
£3.99 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. I am hopeless with liquid eyeliner, every one I've tried I just can't apply right, I either apply it in the wrong place, find it hard to get both eyes even, so I've given up on it and use a proper pencil eyeliner, usually in brown to achieve a smoky eye. I'd love to just outline my upper lashes to really open up my eyes, but never could achieve it, or make it look half decent! Until I got this, A M A Z I N G! It is brilliant; on first attempt I got the look I wanted, so much more flattering than my pencil eyeliners, and a more modern look. I think it is the applicator that makes it so easy to apply, and get the look you want, you literally don't have to press down, you just have to have a very light touch, it gives a thin line, which is very easy to draw on your lash line. It doesn't smudge at all; in fact it looked just as good at 5 pm this evening when I removed my makeup as it did at 8 am upon first application. It really doesn't look anything special in its packaging, it looks cheap and cheerful yet it's brilliant’ • ‘I liked it that much I took a selfie with me wearing the eyeliner and my daughter said your makeup looks nice, so I call that a compliment and I'm going to use the selfie as a profile pic! ’ • ‘For the most part I use pencil liners as I like to spend as little time as possible most days getting ready. That said, I had no problem using this liquid liner. The applicator is very slim and pencil like and easy to use, even when in a hurry. For the first week I aced all my attempts to draw fine lines. I failed miserably the second week and couldn't draw a straight line at all. Fortunately, all my mistakes were easily rectified. I tried wiping it away with my fingers but this just smudged it - fine if a smudged line is the look your seeking but not so good for me as I really wanted a fine line. That said, I could simply wipe away my mistakes with a clean tissue and the problem was no more. I could then carry on with no problem. Really very easy and stress free. I tried building up the lines to achieve a thicker look and this was easy too’ • ‘The bonus was how easy it was to remove it at the end of the day. You don't really need any special eye make-up removers; I just used my regular facial wash or micellar cleaner/pad. It comes off first time. Despite the ease with which it comes off, it actually stayed on during hard gym sessions and even after swimming. Fab. Looking forward to trying it in other colours. Highly recommended.’
£3.99 - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) Boots UK 17. Ink Legend Tattoo Eyeliner
The finest of tips here for this liquid eyeliner in a range of intense colours, including Blue, Silver and White: our Beauty Bible testers trialled Black. It promises to stay put all day without a smudge in sight! Another Beauty Steal here, coming in at under a fiver.
£4.50 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘I do love this one because of the brush; it’s super thin so you can get a lovely sharp wing and get close to the inner eye with no issues. The brush is like a felt tip, almost plastic like, which means it hold its shape very well, when dipping in and out of the bottle. There are no flyaway bristles or bent bristles that can affect when applying, so this is great. The brush does not drag and the liner applies very smoothly. It’s very easy to get a precision finish with the lovely sharp tip. You can get both a thicker line if you wish. You do have to dip back in to the bottle per eye and if you want a thicker liner then you will have to go back into the bottle at least once to get the desired thickness and pigment’ • ‘loved that it was a very saturated black which I liked (much better than my usual). It didn't smudge during the day but was still easy to remove. I normally prefer felt tip liners but will continue using. I used micellar to remove it with no issues. Overall I was impressed’ • ‘I have no complaints, I would buy this again! It's a good black eye liner, which creates a nice sharp win. I used false eyelashes and as the glue was translucent I used this to go over it, which gave the glue a good black colour - great! ’ • ‘Great results! Easier for a finer line, but could also build up. Really pleasantly surprised by this product! Only downside is how hard it is to remove, so doesn't quite trump my Collection fave’ • ‘The eyeliner was a great quality product. It takes a steady hand to use and would be best suited to people whom like a winged eye. I would recommend it to someone younger who uses eyeliner for flicks etc.’
£4.50 - click to buy
BRONZE AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) PIXI Endless Silky Eye Pen (Black Noir)
About 30 ‘jewel-toned’ pencils in this iconic range, which promise to be waterproof, super-long-wear, no smudge and no budge. The silky bit comes from the glide on action, combining the concentrated colour of a liquid eyeliner in an easy to apply pencil. There are no mineral oils or preservatives in the formula. Pixi was founded over two decades ago by make-up artist and product developer Petra Strand, also a mother of four. The boutique in London’s Soho is one of Team BB’s favourite places to go foraging for new make-up. Fair to say, however, that this was very popular with most testers – with three giving it full marks - but a couple were not impressed. On the whole, testers found it was best for thicker lines.
£12 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. A game changer for me, made a huge difference to how I looked, and I got lots of compliments. It was easy to use. Although I’m not exactly an expert I was pleased with the results as a fairly thick line’ • ‘Nice and creamy, applied really well, didn't drag and could be precise if I wanted. Excellent results with a thick or thin line. This sharpens better than my usual eyeliner, without crumbling or breaking. I love how it just glides on with no effort required. Compliments from my husband!’ • ‘Great eyeliner which I highly recommend. I was complimented on my appearance. This glides on easily with minimal effort and no dragging. This was very easy to apply precisely and stayed in place all day with no smudging or flaking. As it’s waterproof, it needs a dedicated eye make-up remover, or balm/oil cleanser to remove’ • ‘This is a great product if you want long lasting dark eyeliner that you can use for a variety of eye line styles. It doesn’t flake or smudge once on. It dries quickly, but not so quick that if you wanted a smudged effect you couldn’t get one. It worked well with eye shadow as well. The only downside for me is the need to keep sharpening it (I prefer a twist eyeliner) and if you want a smooth precise line, it needs to be kept very sharp’ • ‘When it first goes on you can smudge it if you want. As soon as it dries it goes nowhere. It also doesn’t flake at all’ • ‘The packaging looked appealing, the pencil was jet black and the nip quite soft, easy to apply for a statement look, stayed on all day evening for my gym session at the end of the day. Washed off easily with a good cleanser.’
£12 - click to buy