EYELINER has the power to completely transform how your eyes look, whether that's a lengthening fox eye, a classic cat eye or some extra definition around the lash line.
There have been some iconic liner looks over the years that stretch as far back as the 1920s film star smudge to Audrey Hepburn's doe eye shape in the 1950s, the 1960s cat eye that is still hugely popular today and Amy Winehouse's bold, thick flick that became her trademark in the mid-2000s.
The type of eyeliner you use will be dependent on what kind of makeup you're creating. Want a smokey, elongated eye? Reach for your pencil liner. Prefer something sharper, firmer and more graphic? There's no better iteration than liquid liner.
Makeup artist, Monika Blunder says: "There are so many ways to wear liner. Step out of your comfort zone and experiment with new fun colours and finishes, like glitter. Or play around with the shape – you'd be surprised at how much you can change your eye shape with just a couple of lines."
But what should we expect going forward? Monica thinks we should all be practicing our natural liners.
She says: "I think a micro-wing will be popular this year. One of my favourite things lately has been a faint liner in brown to create a barely there wing on the outer corner of the eye."
Ruby Hammer MBE thinks we're ready to go big after two years of video calls. She says: "We're going to see more artistic statements and intricate designs with lines, especially as we are returning to concerts and festivals after two years of virtual zooms and working from home. We're ready to let loose, be unfiltered and individual again."
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1. Clé de Peau Beauté intensifying liquid eyeliner
- Clé de Peau Beauté intensifying liquid eyeliner, £42 from Harrods – buy here
This liquid eyeliner is makeup artist, Monika Blunder's favourite.
"It's double ended, so one side is tiny and perfect for an inner corner, and the other side is standard size to make lining your lash line a breeze," she says.
It's pricey at £42 but the diversity of the two nibs mean you can experiment with different shapes whether that's creating a graphic line under the bottom lashes with the smaller end or getting right into the top lash line to create the illusion of extra thick eyelashes.
It glides on gently and has staying power so you can rest assured it won't transfer on to the lid or bleed during the day come rain or shine.
2. Huda Beauty life liner quick 'n easy precision liquid liner
- Huda Beauty life liner quick 'n easy precision liquid liner £16 from Boots – buy here
Huda Kattan knows how to create makeup that works and the Life Liner is no exception.
It comes in the shape of a pen – as many liquid eyeliners now do – which makes it easier to securely guide the tip wherever you're drawing your line without veering off course.
It glides easily without feathering and dries down quickly to avoid smudging.
To use a liquid eyeliner, Ruby Hammer MBE says: "Following your natural eye shape, keep the liner close to the upper lash line and kick it upwards at the end to lift the eye up."
L'Oreal Paris superliner perfect slim eyeliner
- L'Oreal Paris superliner perfect slim eyeliner, £6.99 from Boots – buy here
If you want a high quality products with a high street price tag then look no further than L'Oreal Paris.
The brand is used on A-Listers around the world from awards shows to premieres (Andie McDowell and Eva Longoria wore L'Oreal Paris at the Cannes Film Festival) but has the extreme bonus of being very reasonable priced.
The superliner retails at the uber affordable £6.99 and easily creates asleek cat eye using the thin tip. The pen format means manoeuvring the liner is straightforward and allows you to get to the inner corner no problem.
4. Victoria Beckham Beauty satin kajal liner
- Victoria Beckham Beauty satin kajal liner, £22 from Victoria Beckham Beauty – buy here
Liquid eyeliner is a useful tool to create an immediately bold look, but opting for pencil opens up its own range of possibilities.
Monika loves this satin kajal liner from Victoria Beckham Beauty because of its creaminess and ability to stay put once it's dried down. It also comes in a eight beautiful shades from a sultry olive to a summery bronze.
When choosing a shade, Monika says, "You can either match your liner to your eye colour (one of my favourite tricks) or you can look at a colour wheel and find a complimentary colour to enhance your eyes."
5. Glossier pro tip
- Glossier pro tip, £15 from Glossier – buy here
The name gives a hint as to what’s in store. If you want a pro liner, then pick up the pro tip.
Packaged up as a pastel pink pen with a fibre tip, this liner is perfect for those that want an intermediary between the natural look of a pencil and the dramatic one of a liquid.
It needed a couple of applications to build up to a dark colour but with its flexible brush, it was an easy process and the product felt comfortable on the lid afterwards.
Vegan and cruelty-free, this pen liner is a perfect addition for those wanting to slowly build up their look – no drama.
6. Rare Beauty perfect strokes matte liquid liner
- Rare Beauty perfect strokes matte liquid liner, £17 from Space NK – buy here
When Rare Beauty launched earlier this year it took the beauty world by storm. It's not often that a celebrity-founded beauty brand is as universally loved as Selena Gomez' brand by the media and social media alike.
The cream packaging is chic and the ultra thin nib keeps your lines sharp and precise without bleeding into the lid or smudging.
It's super black and dries down matte for the ultimate chic eye makeup. Plus it's waterproof which is handy if you like wearing a cat eye on holiday and fancy a dip in the pool.
The brush is flexible and made from 800 vegan bristles and the thickness of the line depends on how much pressure you use. Want to see the liner in action on Selena Gomez herself? Head to her go-to makeup artist, Hung Vango's, Instagram.
7. Ruby Hammer precision liquid liner
- Ruby Hammer precision liquid liner, £19 from Ruby Hammer – buy here
Ruby Hammer MBE has been around the block – anyone remember Ruby and Millie? – so she was only ever going to create an eyeliner that worked.
"Eyeliner is one of my essentials to define and add impact to any eye look. I love pencils and liquid liner; liquid liners are dramatic by nature so once you get the hang of using them, they're great," she says.
This liner has a flexible, tapered nib to make drawing smooth, uninterrupted lines a doddle. The pen shape means the liner is easier to control and the liner itself doesn't dry out a crack so will stay looking fresh all day.
It's also vegan and cruelty free – tick and tick.
8. NYX Professional Makeup epic ink liner black
- NYX Professional Makeup epic ink liner black, £9 from Cult Beauty – buy here
NYX very rarely misses and has an entire range of makeup that's in equal parts high quality and affordable – including this liquid liner.
The best thing about this liner is how black and pigmented it is because you can draw your feminine flick or graphic lines without having to go back and top up on the colour.
The £9 beauty hero is also waterproof and doesn't snag or catch so you'll always get a smooth line, whatever shape you fancy.
9. Deck of Scarlet dual drama liquid eyeliner
- Deck of Scarlet dual drama liquid eyeliner, £25 from Deck of Scarlet – buy here
Launched in the UK this year, Deck of Scarlet is the brand to go to for a holographic hit.
Available in four chrome colours, these might seem a little out there but Ruby Hammer MBE thinks anyone can pull off whatever colours they choose.
She says: "I think anybody can wear any colour, depending on the texture and the level of confidence."
Despite being chrome textured, these dual ended liquid liners also have a black liquid liner which can be worn alone if you fancy playing it a little safer.
These are amazing for creating standout eye looks and as Ruby says, "Only you know how bold you can go."
10. Jones Road the best pencil
- Jones Road the best pencil, £20 from Jones Road Beauty – buy here
You may have heard of Jones Road from the viral video of TikToker Meredith Duxbury slathering the brand's super lightweight What The Foundation all over her face.
That TikTok threw Jones Road in to the spotlight, but the relatively new brand was created by American makeup artist, Bobbi Brown, with the ethos of 'the world doesn't need more beauty products, it needs better beauty products'.
And, based on this pencil eyeliner loved by Monika, it's doing just that.
Monika suggests using this pencil for a softer, diffused look, especially if you're creating an eye makeup for everyday wear.
11. IT Cosmetics superhero line
- IT Cosmetics superhero line, £21 from Space NK – buy here
This liquid liner from IT Cosmetics is a winner. Intensely black and easy to apply, the ultra-thin nib makes creating a flawless flick simple.
Like its other products – think the Your Skin But Better Foundation which merges skincare and makeup – it blends an eyelash serum with the liner so your lashes are getting a little extra TLC while you're applying your makeup.
It's a little bit more expensive than some of the other liners on this list – only a little – but it does have that extra lash lengthening benefit which is a bonus.
12. Jillian Dempsey khol eyeliner
- Jillian Dempsey khol eyeliner, £16.89 from Jillian Dempsey – buy here
Another must-have of Monika's, the Jillian Dempsey Khol Eyeliner is creamy enough to blend with the sponge on the other end (or your own blending brush) but once it dries down it doesn't budge.
If you're a Grey's Anatomy fan and the name Dempsey sounds familiar then you may have put two and two together that Patrick Dempsey aka McDreamy is Jillian Dempsey's husband. It doesn't affect the quality of the liner but is a fun fact all the same.
Speaking of this kohl liner, it comes in four shades – jet black, rich brown, deep burgundy and black sapphire – and blends nicely along the lash line or waterline, easily smoking out for a sexy, sultry eye makeup.
And it's reasonably priced at £16.89 which is always a bonus.
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