A reliable eyeliner pencil is a staple in any makeup collection. Whether you want to create a smoky cat eye, or darken the waterline for a thicker lash look, it can all be done with the perfect pencil. But what’s the best smudge-proof drugstore eyeliner pencil to choose when you’re looking for all day wear?
I polled my Instagram and YouTube audience to find out what they thought were the best smudge-proof eyeliner pencils at the drugstore, and tested them side by side in the video above. Keep reading for a rundown of how each did in 10+ hour wear tests.
L.A. Girl Ultimate Intense Stay Auto Liner
The L.A Girl Ultimate Intense Stay Eyeliner ($5.50) is a cruelty-free retractable eyeliner pencil with a very fine tip. The thinness makes it perfect for getting really close up against the lashes or in the waterline.
This liner has a super creamy formula that glides on both the lid and waterline with a lot of pigmentation. In my opinion, it’s the easiest to blend on this list and you have a lot of time to achieve a smoky look before it dries down.
Once it sets, it lasts. What I loved about this liner is that even when it faded on a particularly sweaty day, it stayed looking very evenly blended. It’s completely smudge-proof when dry, and during my waterproof test (shown in the video at the top of the page) it only faded slightly despite not having a water resistant claim.
On the waterline, the liner stays looking solid with only slight transfer to the bottom waterline after 11 hours.
I think this liner would be best for those with sensitive eyes that need a smooth formula that’s easy to blend.
Maybelline Color Tattoo Sharpenable Gel Eyeliner
The Maybelline Tattoo Studio Sharpenable Gel Eyeliner ($9.99) is for those who need something that will last no matter what. This liner is the most pigmented, and it also performed the best in the waterproof test.
This liner also has the largest shade range, including two multichromes, making it a great choice for people who want a pop of color that stays put.
The main downsides I found with the Tattoo Studio liner is that it can be a little harder to blend than the other liners on this list. You don’t have a lot of time before it sets into its smudge-proof finish, which can mean a patchy looking smoky liner. I also found it to be sheer-looking in the waterline and needed to be built up a lot, which could irritate sensitive eyes. This is probably due to the waterproof formula.
e.l.f. No Budge Retractable Eyeliner
If you need a waterproof formula but also want a little easier of a time blending, the cruelty free and vegan e.l.f. No Budge Retractable Liner ($5) is a great pick. Plus, the convenient twist-up pencil format means you don’t have to worry about finding a sharpener.
I would say that it’s the least pigmented black shade out of these four, though. It leans warm in undertone which takes away from achieving a rich black appearance. It’s more pigmented in the waterline than the Maybelline liner, but not as much as the L.A. girl liner.
Also, I’ve owned a few of these over the years and I do find them to dry out far before you’re done with the pencil. It always takes rubbing off the outer layer a bit to get it to glide like new again.
Despite being slightly less pigmented, once this liner sets, this e.l.f. liner barely fades and still looks smoothly blended at the end of the day. While it won’t smear, it will fade if you rub at it (as seen in the wear test) but it still punches well above its weight as a $5 liner.
essence Stay & Play Gel Eyeliner
Finally, my most used drugstore eyeliner pencil for the past several years has been the essence Stay & Play Gel Liner ($4.99). This is a vegan and cruelty free, super creamy and pigmented liner that applies smoothly and solidly on the lash line and waterline.
While the essence liner still looks totally decent at the end of the day, I just felt that it did fade the most. It also did the poorest in the waterproof test— despite have a waterproof claim. After testing all of these side by side, my old favorite was definitely dethroned.
With that said, it’s still a decent liner if you love the smoky look and don’t necessarily need something waterproof.
Final Takeaway
I found the L.A. Girl Ultimate Intense Stay Eyeliner to be the most well rounded pick that checked most of my boxes. It was pigmented and long lasting while being the easiest to blend, and its performance exceeds its claims.
Do you have a favorite drugstore eyeliner pencil?
– Miranda
