I Ranked the Best Drugstore Eyeliners from My Least to All-Time Faves (2024)

Before I became a beauty editor, resulting in owning a million and one products, I used to multi-task with just a few. Not only did it make things easier, but it also was quicker. This E.l.f. potted cream works both as an eyeliner and to fill in your brows. Yes, it's a cream, so it has great blendability. However, it's not too blendable where you'll have to worry about your eyebrows smearing. Give it a few minutes to dry down, and you'll be golden for the rest of the day. Seriously, once it sets, it won't budge.

• Type: Potted cream
• Shade(s): Three

Glowing Customer Review: "Once I figured out how to apply the E.l.f. and remove it properly (micellar water) it’s been a game-changer! It glides on smoothly, stays in place all day, and is extremely water-resistant."

A gel liner is great; it's not as dry as a pencil but not as buttery as a cream. This means you can get all that great blendability yet still be precise with your application. My favorite drugstore gel liner comes from ColourPop, which I would be remiss not to mention how stinkin' cute the packaging is. Another benefit of a gel formula? It glides so easily, so there's no tugging on the delicate skin around your eye.

• Type: Gel pencil
• Shade(s): 18

Glowing Customer Review: "I chose this because I wanted a smooth brown liner and it completely delivers. It goes on super easily without any pulling or tugging and looks nice and pigmented. Haven't had any breakage. It gives you a little while to work with it, correct, smudge, whatever, before setting."

If you wear bright, fun colors often or want to change up your makeup look after seeing some inspo online, eyeliner is the perfect place to experiment. With a vibrant color, you can be as subtle or loud as you want, depending on the eye look you do. As someone with brown eyes, I love to put a little bit of green on my lash line and sometimes even my waterline. (See: NYX Epic Wear Liner Stick in 03 All Time Olive.) I specifically love this formula from NYX due to the mix of shimmer and matte shades, super-pigmented formula, and all-day wear.

• Type: Gel pencil
• Shade(s): 33

Glowing Customer Review: "I had been looking for an olive green, cheaper equivalent to Urban Decay’s Stash. This is the best thing I’ve found so far. The quality of this is more like that of a more expensive brand. It glides on very smoothly. It doesn’t smear. It’s easily removed. It has a little shimmer effect, which is nice, and matches my deeper green eyes well. A great product for the price."

Milani—i.e., one of my favorite drugstore beauty brands with the best blushes ever—carries some of the longest-lasting liners I've tried. There's nothing worse than the dreaded raccoon eyes after a rain/snow/cry storm, and there's no affordable eyeliner that's held up quite as well as this Milani one. It also comes with a built-in sharpener, so every time you twist it up, it is a perfectly sharpened tip. Clutch, amirite?

• Type: Gel-like pencil
• Shade(s): Eight

Glowing Customer Review: "This eyeliner is the best I have ever used. It will not smudge or smear and I don't even have to re-apply. I can swim in it and it doesn't smear. Makes my smokey eyes pop and I get so many compliments on my eyes. It is better than the high-dollar eyeliner that breaks promises. If you want an eyeliner that you put it on your lower inside lid, and forget, this is the one for you. This will last your entire work day or a long night out. Heck, I went to a funeral and it didn't run or need re-applying. So how's that for a review!!! "

Lil fact: The skin around your eyes is one of the thinnest, most delicate areas on your face and body. This means that it can easily get irritated, it's prone to dehydration and dryness, and it's not unusual for it to be one of the first signs of aging. Fun, right?! Well, combo that with those who already have skin sensitivities, and finding makeup/skincare products that don't react can be a nightmare. The solution? This liquid eyeliner from Almay is hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and clean. In fact, it's ophthalmologist-tested, meaning it's approved for contact lens wearers as well.

• Type: Liquid
• Shade(s): Two

Glowing Customer Review: "This Almay liner is the ONLY liner that meets my two eyeliner requirements: doesn't make me look like I have bags under my eyes by the end of the day, and doesn't make my sensitive eyes red. The felt tip applicator makes it so easy to apply whether you want a very thin line, a thick line, or a tapered line."

Okay, very niche story: Last winter, I was skiing (for the first time, may I add), was all dressed and glammed up for the slopes, and I violently fell on my a$$ more than a few times. The result? Tears, frustration, and a promise to get full-blown lessons the next time. But you know what didn't fail me? This Lottie London eyeliner. Yup, my cat eye stayed just as sharp as when I put it on that morning. How's that for a review?

• Type: Liquid
• Shade(s): One

Glowing Customer Review: "I have zero dislikes for this product. It's a completely affordable eyeliner that really does what it advertises. It's smudge-proof, waterproof, and has that sharp point you need for sharp lines. The pigment is amazing, and so is the packaging."

NYX: a brand so good it's listed twice! (Hi, I'm available for all your taglines, pls, and thanks.) There is nothing in the drugstore quite as classic as the brand's lip liners and eyeliners. For five dollars, you'll get this classic pencil liner that has the blendability and longevity of much more expensive competitors. I particularly love that it will last you SO long—just sharpen it, and you're good to go! Take it from me: I've had mine for too long to remember, and I still use my little nub day-to-day.

• Type: Pencil
• Shade(s): 31

Glowing Customer Review: "This is a great crayon eyeliner. It is applied very smoothly and is creamy and not dry. You have to get a really good sharpener. Had never tried the brand before- I'm a believer."

'Member when I mentioned that my day-to-day involves a low-key smokey eye? This CG eyeliner is the secret to my perfectly diffused signature look (ahem, srry, I may be biased). The magic behind said formula is the super creamy formula that can be blended super easily with the included smudge sponge. I'm able to get that really soft blend without any rough tugging. Bonus points because even though it's indeed creamy, it still doesn't crease on my oily eyelids.

• Type: Creamy pencil
• Shade(s): Two

Glowing Customer Review: "This pencil, which allows for a very fine point if wanted, is invaluable. It does not run or smudge, even if one tends to have oily eyelids. This all speaks to why CG perfect blend pencil is exceptional, even compared to much more expensive eyeliners."

Rimmel has always been an O.G. when it comes to great drugstore makeup, but I particularly like its retractable eyeliner. The super-pigmented black shade has great color payoff, you can totally blend it in with the included smudger before it dries down, and once it does, it's there to stay. But my favorite part is the super thin and precise tip that makes any attempt at a winged liner so.much.freaking.easier. Plus, the pointed tip stays, well, pointed thanks to the retractable design that keeps it protected when you're not using it, or if you like me, throw it in your bag.

• Type: Pencil
• Shade(s): Six

Glowing Customer Review: "Nice and smooth, creamy without slipping off, and long-lasting. I use this on my waterline and above my eyes before powdering over it with same-color eyeshadow. Quick and easy smokey eye that lasts ALL day but washes off easily with soap and water. It doesn't break off every time you spin up more like some, either. Smooth and no dragging. All the good stuff for an affordable price."

Want to hear the ultimate test of eyeliner longevity? Simone Biles winning her three (three!) gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics with her eyeliner *perfectly* intact after performing some of the most intense and incredible gymnastic routines ever seen. The GOAT in question (other than Simone, ofc) is this wet n wild Breakup Proof Liquid Eyeliner that she wore in her "get ready with me" TikTok vid before her all-around finals. 'Nuff said.

• Type: Liquid
• Shade(s): One

Glowing Customer Review: "I have tried so many high-quality waterproof eyeliners in my day but this one here is exactly what I need, IT DOES NOT RUN! At least for me it doesn't, I get into beach water with this and the eyeliner is still in place and I don't look like The Walking Dead, it easily comes off with makeup remover, and you can't beat the price:)"

Finding an eyeliner for your waterline is pretty tricky. It's applied right near your literal eyeball, so it has to be waterproof, safe for eyes, and glide on seamlessly. See? Tough task. This one from Julep Beauty, however, checks all the boxes. The formulation is blended with a number of different waxes that are okay to use around your eyes and blend like a dream. It also provides a great color payoff, so it'll stay vibrant and last all day long despite being placed near your eyes.

• Type: Gel pencil
• Shade(s): 37
  

Glowing Customer Review: "I love this product! I am new to eyeliner really, and haven’t used it in a long time. Such a pretty color and really easy to apply. Stays all day, even on your waterline, and doesn’t flake!! Can go softer or more bold depending on what you want. I really like it."

The trickiest part of eyeliner can be getting a straight, even line that is similar on both eyes. As they say, an artist is only as good as their brush, or in my terms, your cat eye is only as good as your eyeliner, and this one from L'Oréal does the damn job. This cult-favorite affordable liner is known for its precise brush-like pointed tip that aids you in creating the perfect wing every time. And no, I'm not exaggerating; it has a detachable cat eye stencil on the cap, so there's seriously no struggle every morning.

• Type: Liquid
• Shade(s): One

Glowing Customer Review: "I love cat eyes, but have always had a hard time doing them since I have a slightly hooded eye. I've tried stamps, as well as stencils from other brands -- but this is honestly the only thing that has ever worked for me! On my first try, I got perfect wings! I think what makes this so great is that the material of the stencil is very thin, so it conforms to your face easily. It's also a more subtle cat eye, so you just fill in the shape and then add the line across your top lid after lifting the stencil away. The liner itself is also bold and really lasts. (It's even a bit hard to remove!)"