Liquid, Gel, and Pencils—the Best Drugstore Eyeliners Start at Just $4 (2025)

Our Top Picks

Formula and Type: Felt-tip liquid liner | Color Range: Brown, black | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Waterproof: Yes

L'Oréal's Flash Cat Eyeliner was the star performer in our testing—the liquid liner stayed on point from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. without budging. The super precise tip makes getting a sharp, crisp wing a breeze, and the deep pigment payoff means one coat is all you need. If you're a cat eye newbie, don't sweat it—this liner comes with a handy stencil cap to help you nail the wing every single time. It dries down to a gorgeous matte finish in just seven seconds and comes off in a cinch with a cleansing balm and some micellar water.

Taylor, tester with combination skin: "This liner really impressed me with its longevity over the course of a full workday and night out, and didn't fade or transfer onto my eyelids like many liners do when balmy weather enters the equation."

Formula and Type: Liquid felt-tip | Color Range: Black, dark chocolate, graham cracker, lil toasty, marshmallow, milk chocolate | Finish: Shiny | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Waterproof: Yes

The slim, flexible brush tip on this Nyx liner made it an absolute dream for creating precise cat eyes. "I was amazed at how easy it was to apply NYX's Epic Ink Liner without much error,” said one tester. “Thanks to its flexible precision tip, it glided over my trembling lash line with ease, and not even my unsteady hand could make it veer too far from the curve of my lid."

The super-pigmented black liquid only needed one coat to deliver stunning results. Just keep in mind it does take a little while to fully dry—around 20 seconds—so it's not ideal for rushed mornings. Once set, though, this liner stayed put all day with just a tiny bit of fading after nine hours. Removal was simple with a micellar water-soaked cotton round.

Formula and Type: Classic eyeliner pencil | Color Range: Black, brown, and various colors | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Waterproof: Yes

Yes, it's another pick from Nyx, but if you prefer a pencil liner, this one won't disappoint. It comes in a whopping 24 shades, so we love it for adding that pop of color to a more monochromatic look. Our tester said it took about two to three swipes to get to her desired pigment, but after that, it stayed bright and present all day. And since it's so inexpensive, you can pick up several shades and mix things up from day to night (yes, it can even do no-makeup makeup). It is somewhat drier, so it can be a bit tricky to blend or smoke out, but we love everything else about it.

Formula and Type: Liquid | Color Range: Black, brown | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: No | Waterproof: Yes

Applying liquid eyeliner can be intimidating if you're new to liner or don't have a steady hand, but this one from Maybelline, as the name suggests, makes it easy. Our tester was able to achieve a "flawless wing" with minimal effort, thanks to the pen's fine flex-tip, which was made for precision. She'd even recommend it for tightlining. The formula can spread a little during application, but our tester says it's easy enough to fix with a fingernail. The liner stayed put all day in high humidity, and the color was as bold at the end of the night as it was when she first applied.

Formula and Type: Twist-up gel crayon | Color Range: Blackest black, black, brown, deep ocean, and more | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: No | Waterproof: Yes

If you’re planning to laugh, sweat, cry, or dive into a pool with eyeliner on, look no further than Rimmel’s Exaggerate Eye Definer. “I visited a friend with a pool and dove in headfirst while wearing the shade Deep Ocean,” said our tester Taylor. “I was super impressed with this liner’s staying power—it even lasted longer than my trusty waterproof mascara.”

Unsurprisingly, though, it was difficult to remove. Both removal methods were a bust, though we'd argue that might be a good thing if you’re looking for the best and most effective waterproof liner. And with nine available shades, there’s something for everyone.

Formula and Type: Liquid liner with a felt tip brush | Color Range: Black, dark brown, voltage blue, electric purple | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: No | Waterproof: No

The pigment and applicator tip of this pick from Wet n Wild were both major standouts in our testing. The brush is precise and thin, making it easy to get a sharp wing. The four shades are very opaque, pigmented, and vibrant. However, we were slightly disappointed with how long this one took to dry: 32 seconds. We recommend keeping your eyes closed until dry to avoid any transfer.

However, once it dried, this liner had serious staying power. “I wore this liner on a night out on one of the hottest, most humid nights in New York City, and it did its job,” said one tester. “It remained intact all night and didn’t move at all, which was great but also made me wonder how easy the removal process would be.” However, to her surprise, both micellar water and cleansing balm removed the pigment no problem

Formula and Type: Mechanical pencil | Color Range: 12 neutral to vivid shades | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: No | Waterproof: Yes

This Nyx pencil is perhaps the easiest to apply thanks to its creamy, skip-resistant formula, which is what you want for a waterline liner. Our tester achieved her ideal pigment after one swipe, so she didn't have to be too rough with that more sensitive area of her eye. "It was a rich chocolate brown color that I think complements every eye color and skin tone and adds a nice depth without being as intense as a black eyeliner," she said.

It transferred and faded slightly throughout the day, but that's to be expected on the waterline, which is moister than the eyelid. We love the retractable pencil, but do wish it stayed a bit sharper over time.

Formula and Type: Creamy, shiny pencil | Color Range: Black noir, matte nude, cobalt blue, sage gold, black blue, black cocoa, and more | Finish: Matte and shimmery options | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Waterproof: Yes

Add some color to your life with this formula from Pixi by Petra. All 18 hues are extremely silky and opaque—plus, the collection has a handful of matte and shimmer options to create an array of looks.While testing, we found the shimmer shades in this line are very hard to remove and require some scrubbing. The mattes were a bit easier but still left some staining behind. However, we still thought the pencil liner wore so well that the long-lasting formula was worth it. “While wearing the purple shade to a dinner party, after lots of laughs and some potential rubbing, there was still no smudging or raccoon eyes,” said one tester.

FAQ

• What should I do if I get a drugstore eyeliner formula in my eye?

  If you get any product in your eyes, you may experience some burning or a slight temporary blurring of vision. According to Connecticut-based dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohara, make sure to flush out your eye with cool water right away. If your eyes continue to feel irritated, we recommend seeking medical attention.

• Can I use a drugstore eyeliner to fill in my eyebrows?

  We say yes—and Carrillo agrees. “Sometimes, backstage at fashion shows, products get pulled from us, so we have no choice but to use eyeliner for brow fill-in,” he said. In other words, it’s safe, so if the color is a match, go for it.