Best Liquid Eyeliner Buying Guide

Best Liquid Eyeliner Buying Guide

An eyeliner is a highly pigmented cosmetic product, applied around the contour of the eyes to give them definition. Eyeliners are probably the most basic of necessities when it comes to makeup products. There would be drab days when you won’t feel like putting any makeup at all and you would want to take a shortcut with just an eyeliner. A little stroke here and a little stroke there, and voila! You instantly look decent enough to be seen outside. So, yes, eyeliners are definitely makeup essentials.

Eyeliners have been with us since ancient times. Historical accounts would say various cosmetics were worn for protection from evil spirits. Those who wore dark linings around their eyes were said to be protected from the evil eye. Today, eyeliners are worn for aesthetic purposes. They are used to enhance the eyes by highlighting different features of the eyes. Depending how the eyeliner is worn, it serves to make the eye appear wider or smaller. By applying them on the base of the eyelashes, eyeliners can even make the lashes appear lush without putting any mascara on.​

It would be interesting to note that the modern usage of the eyeliner has gone beyond just defining the eyes. Eyeliners are being used to express different styles. Even the music industry got in on the trend and suddenly men were wearing eyeliners, too. They could be worn in many ways which could alter the shape of the eyes. Eyeliners could be drawn in various strokes to add a more dramatic effect to the eyes, the winged eye being one of the famous styles worn today. Being women, we are definitely for the dramatics. Simply put, we want attention. And attention is what we are going to get. Our weapon of choice? Liquid eyeliners.

Join us, as we talk about how to choose the best liquid eyeliner here at ParentsNeed HQ. We have outlined a buying guide for liquid eyeliners to help you select your ideal liquid eyeliner. Read on and find out what aspects of a good liquid eyeliner you should be on the lookout for. There are so many eyeliners to choose from, and we know it can get confusing. That’s what we are here for. We will be your voice of reason and we will try to keep you sane as you go through the very tough task of choosing the best liquid eyeliner for yourself. Before we dive into all the craze of liquid eyeliners, let us first familiarize ourselves with the general types of eyeliners.

What are the types of eyeliner?

Eyeliners come in various forms, and each form comes with its own features and drawbacks. These various forms have different textures and as a result, they produce different effects.

● Pencil Eyeliners​

Pencil eyeliners are pigmented waxy sticks, encased in wood, pretty much like an ordinary pencil, except pencil eyeliners are of course formulated for safe application on the linings of the eyes. Pencil eyeliners are best for newbies since they are very easy to apply. Their pencil-like structure makes it easy to maneuver and the waxy consistency of the eyeliner itself makes it easy to spread on the eyelids without pulling at the sensitive skin. They are the most popular form since they are the most versatile where hue is concerned. Pencil eyeliners come in various shades and it could be quite fun to experiment with these colours. Apart from its ease of application and portability, most people are fans of pencil eyeliners due to their affordability. Pencil eyeliners may range from firm to soft. Firm eyeliners last longer but soft eyeliners are much gentler to apply. Firm pencils are more crisp while soft pencils are more smudged.

Though easy to use, soft pencil eyeliners are prone to smudge as mentioned. They are almost always the culprits for having racoon eyes. Their tendency to smudge should not, however, be completely counted against pencil eyeliners, since sometimes, a smudged look may be desired as in the case of when you are going for the smoky-eyes look. Kohl eyeliners are perfect for the smudged effect since they are typically soft.​

● Powder Eyeliners

Powder eyeliners are used when smudgy or smoky eyes are intentionally desired. They provide a soft, blurry effect instead of crisp, well defined lines. They are usually applied using a thin, flat applicator brush. Most makeup artists use eye shadows or any other deeply pigmented, powdered cosmetics as powder eyeliners as well. Due to their powdery texture, this type of eyeliners are usually not long-lasting.

● Gel and Cream Eyeliners

These types of eyeliners have a very thick texture, making them extremely easy to apply. Gel and cream eyeliners offer the advantage of being smudge proof and being fade resistant, once it has dried and set. It has the ease of application of a pencil liner and the crisp effect of a liquid liner. The only drawback is that it takes of bit of time for it to completely dry. Gel and cream eyeliners usually come in a pot with a separate applicator brush, making them less portable than the other types. As with liquid eyeliners, getting the perfect look from gel and cream eyeliners would take practice.

● Liquid Eyeliners

Let’s now talk about the star of this buying guide. Liquid eyeliners are long-lasting, intensely pigmented, and very dramatic. They are the best tool to use if you want very crisp lines and very intricate details on your eyes. Liquid eyeliners, once dried, are very smudge proof so say goodbye to those racoon eyes. Instead, say hello to sexy cat eyes. Nothing can lift a pair of eyes as instant and dramatic as a liquid eyeliner. Intricately winged eyes can only be achieved by using liquid eyeliners. And let’s not forget about tight lining those waterlines. Nothing does the job better than these babies. Tight lining plays an essential part in the art of eyeliner. No one would care how crisp and intense your eyeliner makeup is, not when there is a strip of flesh showing, just beneath the base of your lashes, taunting and unforgiving as the world looks on. Tight line those waterlines!

So yes, liquid eyeliners are the most dramatic. They are also the most difficult to apply in the sense that it takes practice to perfectly draw the lines. It would take a bit of getting used to before you will be able to perfect those winged eyes. Liquid eyeliners are applied using applicator brushes with very fine tips. Sometimes they come with angled, finely pointed felt tips. These very fine tips are what renders the lines crisp and delineated.​

When is a liquid eyeliner appropriate?

As we have mentioned, liquid eyeliners are unparalleled at giving the most crisp lines and dramatic effects. Its longevity makes it the best option for evening events, stage events where heavy makeup is required to be worn and expected to stay, your everyday catwalk, or for when you’re up for some fun as it can be worn in many an outrageous ways.

How do you choose the best liquid eyeliner for yourself?

● Choose a shade

Determine the shade that best compliments your eyes. A number of shades for eyeliners are already out in the market. We have come a long way from black. Though, admittedly, black will never lose its seriously sexy appeal. With that said, you may want to consider other hues. Gray, brown, and plum work well to give you a softer look without losing much of the dramatic effect. Neutral colors are always your best bet for everyday use, especially for regular use when going to work. Blue and violet shades are perfect for evening events, especially when paired with brilliantly hued eyeshadows. White eyeliners, on the other hand, make the eyes appear wider and more innocent, when lined along the lower lid’s inner edge. White liquid eyeliners are quite rare, though, and they are most often found in pencil form. Outrageous shades like orange or red are commonly used for the theatrics. For a quick guide:

● Determine which finish you would prefer

Though most eyeliners have matte finishes, there are options for glossy and glitter finishes. Matte eyeliners are best for regular use, they are subtle but they get the job done. If you’re feeling like you need extra attention, then glossy and glitter eyeliners might just give you the right amount of fix that you are looking for.

● Decide whether you need your liquid eyeliner to be long-lasting

While most liquid eyeliners are naturally long-lasting, owing to their formulation, there are brands out in the market that offer further longevity. Some brands promise as long as up to 24 hours. But do you really need your eyeliner to stay on that long? If not then you would be better off with a medium lasting eyeliner without having to burn extra cash for a feature you don’t really need.

● Do you want your liquid eyeliner to be smudge free and waterproof?

An easy answer would be yes.. But do you, really? There are some eye effects that would be best pulled off with smudgy eyeliners, but yes, you are right. Liquid eyeliners are better off being smudge free and waterproof. If you want smudgy, smoky eyes, it is best to get a pencil eyeliner, instead.

● Choose a liquid eyeliner that comes with a user friendly applicator

Using a liquid eyeliner is an art, and you would definitely need the right paint brush to create your masterpiece. You should be able to properly apply the liquid eyeliner on your eyes without bending over backwards.

● Choose a liquid eyeliner that has an eye friendly formulation

What you are dealing here with is something that you will put in a close proximity with your eyes.Your eyes! Choose an eyeliner with no fragrance and unnecessary ingredients that may only serve to irritate your eyes. A well formulated liquid eyeliner will not tug on the skin during application and will, thus, be gentle on your sensitive skin.

● Set a working budget

With the growing number of available products offering outrageous features that seem all too good and all too unnecessary, it’s quite easy to lose your ground… and your money, as well. Be careful not to get overly excited and stop yourself from spending money on a product that is not well worth it. Compare a number of brands and pit their prices together. Pick the one that fits most of your requirements and one that is well within your budget.

Final points to keep in mind

● Get the look right. Now that you have chosen the best liquid eyeliner for yourself, it’s equally important to know how to use it. There are video tutorials on applying liquid eyeliners, it wouldn’t hurt to check them out.

● Tightline those waterlines. We can’t hammer this one home enough. Nailing this one will solidify your feline status in the world of cat eye masters.​

● Learn how to care and properly store your liquid eyeliners. This will ensure longer shelf life for your liquid eyeliners. You wouldn’t want to go shopping for another one too soon. It would b a waste of time, effort and money.​

● Keep it to yourself. For hygienic and health purposes, do not share your liquid eyeliners especially if the applicator is built in. Just don’t.​

● Practice makes stunning eyes. Anyone can wear liquid eyeliners, with due practice of course.​

Our Recommendation

We here at ParentsNeed HQ have gone on ahead and listed our Top 5 Best Liquid Eyeliner in order to help you get a head start. Find out why Charlotte Tilbury’s The Feline Flick Quick Fine Line Shodo Pen topped the list and what made it our number one choice here. Now ladies, are we ready to rule the world?