Favorite Eye Liners

My Favorite Eye Liners

Of all the makeup products that I own, the item that I tend to vary least on a day to day basis is eye liner.  While I have quite a few to choose from, I always find myself reaching for the same five or six depending on what the rest of my eye makeup looks like.

I figure that if I keep reaching for the same several liners, they must be my favorites, right?

You'll notice two things about my list: 1) They're all pencils.  After nearly 15 years of wearing makeup on a daily basis, I'm still spastic when it comes to putting liner on.  I can't do liquid liner to save my life and gel/cream products are tricky as well.  Pencils just seem to work the best for me.  2) There's no black among them.  While there are a few black liners that I'd recommend, I'm not a fan of the way it looks with my fair skin.  I'll wear for some nights out, but I don't often use black liner during the day.

Bare Minerals Round the Clock Waterproof Liner in Noon

BE Liner in Noon

BE Noon Liner swatch

This is a nice, dark navy shade that I typically use as my alternative to a black liner.  The formula is smooth and creamy, and holds up pretty well throughout the day.

MAC Eye Kohl in Phone Number 

MAC Eye Kohl in Phone Number

MAC Phone Number Eye Kohl swatch

This is another nice alternative to black liner because it's a dark charcoal gray.  It does a great job making my lashes look thicker and defining my eyes, but it looks much less harsh on fair skin than black.  I will say that this liner does tend to fade more quickly than waterproof formulas, but I can usually get at least 6 hours of wear out of it.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner in Deep Bronze

Tarte Amazonian Clay Liner in Deep Bronze

Tarte Deep Bronze Liner swatch

I tend to wear brown liner quite a bit because it helps bring out my blue eyes - but of all the brown liners I have, Tarte's Deep Bronze is my favorite.  As its name implies, it's a warm, bronze-y shade with a slightly metallic finish.  I love the Amazonian Clay Liner formula - it wears like iron.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Rockstar

Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil in Rockstar

Urban Decay Rockstar 24/7 Pencil swatch

It's funny but for as much talk as there is about UD's 24/7 Pencils being long-lasting liners, I don't find that this formula lasts particularly long on me.  I often find that it's faded by the end of the day, actually. Still, I enjoy these pencils because I love how creamy and smooth they are - it make the application a breeze, even for a liner-challenged spaz like me.  While UD makes a ton of gorgeous shades, Rockstar is my favorite because it's a beautiful deep, deep purple that actually looks great with my blue eyes.  And because it's such a dark color, it almost functions as a neutral liner - though it still adds that little pop of something that turns a bland eye look into something special.  Love this liner to death!

Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Starfish

Stila Smudge Stick in Starfish

Stila Starfish Smudge Stick swatch

Of all the waterproof, long-lasting liners on the market, I have to say that Stila's Smudge Stick formula works the best for me - it's the only one that stays in place on my waterline actually. Starfish is my favorite shade because it's a really unique greenish-gray color that works with a lot of neutral looks.  However, if you're in the market for black liner, the Stila Smudge Stick in Sting Ray can't be beat.  Rich black that doesn't budge ever.

L'Oreal HIP Color Chrome Eyeliner in Blue Spark

L'Oreal HIP Liner in Blue Spark

 

L'Oreal HIP Blue Spark Liner swatch

You may have noticed that all of the other liners on my list aren't particularly colorful.  I typically leave the color to my shadow and use dark or neutral liners that can just help thicken my lashline.  However, when I want to add a bold pop of color, this L'Oreal HIP liner is the one I always grab for.  Blue is my favorite color, and this shade is just stunning.  Bright and metallic and just delicious.  And I think it picks up the darker blue tones in my eye rather nicely.  I'm not sure if this shade is still available, but the formula is really nice so you might want to check out the other colors.  

What are your favorite liners?  Do you tend to wear the same few everyday?  Are you a fan of black liner?