The struggle to create perfect winged eyeliner is one that we all know well, and it can be especially tough for beginners. After all, there are so many pitfalls: If the brush is too bendy, you end up with a crooked line. If the formula's too runny, you end up with messy streaks. If the felt tip is too hard, you end up with patchy skips along your lashline. Finding the best liquid eyeliner is a little like being Goldilocks because you have to find the one that's just right.
And that's where we've got you covered: We've put together a little shopping guide of all the most easy-to-use and all-around best liquid eyeliners around, from drugstore aisle staples to luxury liners that are worth their weight in gold. Trust us, these liquid liners will render winged eyeliner anxiety a thing of the past.
Sometimes brush tips have a steeper learning curve than felt tips, but that most definitely isn't the case with this one. The brush tip is as fine as they come with just the right amount of bend to it to help you create that perfect, unwavering wing that hugs the lashline just so. It also helps that the formula is thin enough that it's got some glide to it, but not so thin that it's messy.
For true beginners, you can't go wrong with this Maybelline mainstay. It may not wear quite as long as some of the other liners in this list but it's so easy to work with. It's got a bendy felt tip that's a bit on the thicker side, as well as an opaque-in-one-stroke formula that paints on like a dream. You'll be well on your way to the winged liner of your dreams with this drugstore aisle gem.
As far as foolproof liquid eyeliners go, it doesn't get much more classic than Stila's near-magic pen. The waterproof formula will last through just about anything and the firm felt tip makes it easy to draw precise lines, whether you're going for something subtle or dramatic.
Some people prefer felt tips, others prefer brushes, but why not have your cake and eat it too? This dual-sided liner comes with a brush on one side, and the teeniest, most precise tip on the other. Both sides work equally well for painting on perfectly-flicked wings and having two options gives you an extra measure of control. It's pricey, sure, but with the aforementioned two tips and a formula that could last through a nuclear apocalypse, it might just be worth the splurge.
