- Liquid eyeliner can rank high on the list of "scary beauty products," mostly because of how finicky it can be and how easily it can smudge or run down your face.
- The $4 is positively foolproof, which is why it's our top pick in the liquid liner category.
There's a joke that tends to circulate among those who are more than a little beauty-obsessed - the later we are to leave our apartments, the more complicated of a liquid eyeliner look we decide to wear.
It's funn, but sad, because liquid eyeliner can really be a pain in the butt, which is the major reason why most makeup novices shy away from it.
But not all liquid eyeliners are as scary as they're made out to be. In fact, liquid eyeliners have advanced by leaps and bounds over the past few years. Gone are the days of flimsy paintbrush-like applicators and runny pigments. Now, the majority of liners come with marker-like tips, making it much easier to create clean, crisp lines. The formulations are much sturdier, which means no runny black tears À la Lauren Conrad on "The Hills."
All that said, there are a few tricks you want to keep in mind when it comes to working with liquids. The most important? Don't try to make one, clean line in one swipe - it's pretty much impossible. Instead, apply your line in short strokes, and go slowly. This is a marathon - not a sprint.
Another tip? If you're creating a cat-eye with liquid eyeliner, apply to each eye in tandem, not one at a time. So draw the flick on each eye to make sure they're even, and then fill in each line over the lid. That way, it's easier to fix if things get messed up.
But all of these tips are totally worthless if you don't have the right liner in your makeup bag. So which one reigns supreme? Read on for our top picks in every category. But remember these two things - practice makes perfect, and don't attempt liquid liner if you're in a rush.
Here are the best liquid eyeliners you can buy:
- The best liquid eyeliner overall: $4
- The best liquid eyeliner for newbies: $4
- The best liquid eyeliner for pros: $4
- The best innovative liquid eyeliner: $4
- The best drugstore liquid eyeliner: $4
Updated 6/25/19 by Jada Wong: Updated copy, formatting, links, and prices.
Keep reading to learn more about our picks.
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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the $4 team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.