I’ve Tried The Best Lip Liners for Every Budget and Skin Tone
According to a shopping writer.
For the perfect lip look, you’ll need to find the best lip liner on the market — well, that’s easier said than done. The quest to find one that matches your natural lip shade or even your favorite lipstick can be just as hard as matching your foundation or finding a sunscreen that doesn’t leave a white cast. Luckily for you, I’ve been testing all of the above and, of course, lip liners, too, so you know you can trust me. Bookmarking every lip-liner and lip-gloss pairing I see on TikTok, I have worn them through meals, masking, and daily shenanigans. Here are the ones that go on easily, rarely need to be reapplied, and almost never have to be sharpened.
SO, YOU NEED A NEW LIP LINER?
➼ Our top picks
➼ More tried-and-true options
➼ Our experts
Our Top Picks:
The Best Liner and Lip Pairing
Fara Homidi Smudge & Contour Lip Pencil
Type: Pencil | Colors: 6
Outside of the fun bright-blue packaging, this is a very good liner and probably one of my favorites. The shade Riche is the perfect nude and has a smooth matte, but not flat, finish. The brand takes some of the guesswork out of lip-liner and lipstick combinations. I recommend splurging on the lip compact, which includes a moisturizing primer and pigmented lip color that pairs perfectly with the liner shades.
The Best Nude Shades
Iconic London Fuller Pout Sculpting Lip Liner
Type: Pencil | Colors: 5
By far my favorite range of pink and brown nudes. The sculpting liner is perfect for shaping the lip or adding color all over. It comes equipped with a smudging brush on one end, but I find it easier to blend with my fingers or just by rubbing my lips together. I keep at least one of these liners in my bag.
The Best Luxe Liner
Isamaya Spur Stick Lip Liner
Type: Twist up liner | Colors: 3
When it comes to lip liners, makeup artists really get it, and this one from Isamaya Ffrench’s line is no exception. The liner has a superthin tip, making it easy to line the lips precisely and allowing the formula to apply without dragging. I find this is best for a more dramatic lip line, but there are more subdued shades if you prefer a different look.
The Best Multitasking Liner
Tower 28 Beauty OneLiner Lip Liner + Eyeliner + Cheek Pencil
Type: Pencil | Colors: 3
Since it’s an all-purpose product, the formula is smooth, creamy, and very easy to blend. The shade range is small but full of shades you wouldn’t mind putting on other parts of your face, including pinky nude, taupe, and chocolate brown.
The Best Liner and Lipstick
Haus Labs By Lady Gaga Le Monster Lip Crayon Vegan Lipstick and Lip Liner
Type: Crayon | Colors: 17
While this chunky liner is easy to pair with the brand’s lip glaze, it also works really well on its own. It’s on the thicker side with a precise pointy tip to help you shape your lips and fill them in. The formula is lightweight and semi-matte without looking or feeling too dry.
The Best Natural Liner
Kevyn Aucoin Unforgettable Lip Definer
Type: Pencil | Colors: 5
This is the best “your lips but better” option, with five nude shades that will flatter any skin tone and make it easy to line (or overline!) your lips. There’s also a brush on one end to help you blend out the liner for the most natural look.
More Tried-and-True Options:
The Drugstore Favorite
NYX Slim Lip Pencil Creamy Long-Lasting Lip Liner
Type: Pencil | Colors: 24
NYX’s affordable pencils are just as good as M.A.C’s, and the brand may even have a dupe of your favorite shade. As the name suggests, this one is long wearing and easy to blend, and NYX probably has one of the best shade ranges out there, with nearly 30 to choose from.
The Fan Favorite
M.A.C Lip Liner in Cork
Type: Pencil | Colors: 19
Ask anyone what lip liner they like and they’ll probably pull a gently used M.A.C Cork out of their bag. Cork is a muted brown that fits most skin tones, and the formula blends easily and lasts all day. M.A.C also offers a range of liner colors, from very muted browns to bright, pigmented pinks and reds.
The Cult-Favorite Liner
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner in Pillow Talk
Type: Pencil | Colors: 19
This velvety liner is another fan favorite. Pillow Talk is the viral pink-nude shade that fits most skin tones, but there are a handful of other shades to shop, from rich browns to berry pinks. It’s likely you’ll find a “your-lips-but-better nude,” and if you do, this is probably one of the best for overlining and wearing all over.
Another Good Drugstore Option
Milani Color Statement Lip Liner - All Natural
Type: Pencil | Colors: 8
If you don’t want to spend a lot, you don’t have to. At just under $10, this is a good, easy-to-use, classic pencil liner. It comes in a couple of long-wearing shades, including one reviewers say is close match to Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk.
The Most Underrated Liner
Sephora Collection Lip Liner To Go
Type: Pencil | Colors: 2
Sephora’s underrated in-house line offers one of the best affordable liners. These creamy, pigmented liners are about half the size of a regular one but are good for stashing in your purse or grabbing last-minute before a trip. The shade range is lacking, but Sephora does offer full-size liners in more colors; they’ll just set you back a bit more.
The Best Liner Under $5
Wet n Wild Perfect Pout Gel Lip Liner
Type: Gel | Colors: 5
I’d argue that Wet n Wild is one of the most underrated drugstore brands; the now-discontinued Megalast Lip Color was one of the best lipsticks I’ve ever tried. However, this liner is pretty good too. If you’re over pencil liners (and having to find a sharpener), this is a great option.
The Best Shade Range
ColourPop Long-Lasting Lippie Pencil
Type: Pencil | Colors: 47
Long before ColourPop made its way into stores, I was compiling lists of its vast collection of viral liners and lip colors to buy online. Like NYX, the brand has a solid range of colors to choose from on its site and even more lipsticks and glosses to pair with them. Retailers like Ulta have a good amount of nude shades. At just under $7, it’s an easy-to-blend, creamy formula, and if you’re willing to spend a little more, you can buy every shade for just under $100. The only caveat is I find it difficult to sharpen.
The One We’ve Been Waiting For
Ami Colé Soft Shape Waterproof Lip Liner
Type: Pencil | Colors: 5
Anyone who has used the brand’s cult-favorite lip-treatment oils has been asking — well, begging — the brand to introduce lip liners to pair with the glossy lip formulas. Now they’re here. Available in five shades, the pigmented, precise, and waterproof pencils are perfect for sharp lines and blend out just as easily.
The One That’s Back and Brand-New
Kosas Hotliner Hyaluronic Acid Contouring Lip Liner
Type: Pencil | Colors: 8
A favorite of fashion writer Asia Milia Ware. Back by popular demand, these easy-to-use lip liners have been reformulated to be super creamy and moisturize your lips. They also come with a smudger and a sharpener for the most precise application.
The All-over Lip Liner
Ilia Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon
Type: Pencil | Colors: 12
Ilia’s newest launch is likely to become another cult-favorite product. The thick crayon is moisturizing, pigmented, and long-lasting. It lasted me through most of a work dinner without reapplying or smudging everywhere. The only issue you’ll likely have is having to buy a new, larger pencil sharpener to keep it in shape.