Lip liner has the ability to convert an ordinary lip into one that makes you look twice in the mirror and has your friends wondering where you got your lip fillers. The greatest lip liner can also give you long-lasting color, prevent your preferred neutral or red lipstick from fading, and smooth and swell your lips, depending on the formula. Your calculator won’t deteriorate and smear over the day.
The sole issue? There are countless possibilities available. Therefore, I tried and evaluated a ton of formulas—from drugstore mainstays to indie upstarts—to help you find the ideal lip liner and was able to identify the top lip liner of 2023.
Best Lip Liners: Best Lip Liner for Deeper Skin Tones
The Lip Bar Straight Line Lip Liner
The Lip Bar’s goal is to produce inclusive shade ranges that cater to darker complexions so that no one is left out in the beauty aisle. Finding the appropriate lip liner for deeper skin tones can be challenging. Find your ideal neutral, bold, or bright lip color using their complexion assessment; each hue is vegan, cruelty-free, and incredibly moisturising.
Best Overall Lip Liner
Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Liner
Look no farther than this selection from Tarte if you want a creamy lip liner that applies easily and enables you to overline your lips with absolute precision. This is so forgiving that I’ve been known to use it in the backseat of a moving car. I also appreciate that it is a twist-up applicator rather than a conventional pencil that requires sharpening. (However, they also come with a sharpener in case the point becomes dull!) Davy suggests pressing the lip liner into your lips with your finger to help disperse and soften the edges for the most natural appearance.
Best Multitasking Lip Liner
Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil: Eye, Lip & Brow Pencil
Lover of monochromatic makeup, rejoice. With just one pencil, you can complete an entire look because these multifunctional liners are secure to use on your lips, brows, and eyes. The 18 tones of the intensely pigmented, non-drying matte solution range from vivid reds and purples to adaptable browns (FYI, the shade Anywhere). For a Hailey Bieber-inspired lip look, I adore using caffeine under clear lip gloss. Caffeine is a popular neutral choice among makeup artists.
Best Long-Wearing Lip Liner
Dior Contour Lip Liner
I wasn’t convinced that this lip liner would live up to its promise of being transfer-proof, but I’m delighted to report that it did—through a day’s worth of coffees, lunch, and even a round of drinks at happy hour. You may expect smudge-proof and transfer-proof wear after application, making it ideal for setting and forgetting during the day. Additionally, this long-wear composition feels soothing and hydrating on your lips because it contains nourishing shea butter and floral extracts, unlike some long-wear formulas that can be irritating and drying.
Best Lip Liner with Brush
Makeup by Mario Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil
Yes, other lip liners also come with brushes, but in my opinion, this one is far better. The lip brush is generous because it is bigger than the majority of brushes available and really enables you to perfect your liner after applying it.
