9 Best Eyeliners, No Contest, Including Pencil and Liquid

It wasn’t until I began writing this article that I realised quite how divisive a beauty product eyeliner was. For every member of the Who What Wear UK team who shared with me a gushing review of their favourite formula, there were two who seemed wary to admit that they rarely used eyeliner, didn’t feel confident in applying it or, in one case, had never worn it in their life. Not that there’s anything wrong with these admissions—after all, the great thing about makeup is that you can easily adapt it to suit your beauty taste, skill level and style. However, what it did reveal to me is that eyeliner is perhaps misunderstood.

My interest piqued, I decided to chat to an expert on all-things eyeliner, makeup artist, Ruby Hammer, for her hot take. A stalwart in the beauty industry, Hammer’s not only worked on some of the most famous faces, including Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, but she also launched her eponymous makeup line in 2019. A line which includes one of the best liquid eyeliners I’ve ever used.

“Eyeliner has never gone out of fashion,” explains Hammer when I quiz her on eyeliner’s popularity over the years. “There are always just different ones to choose from depending on your look and the trends.”

“All eyeliners, liquid pencil or gel, give definition and more drama and strength to the eyes,” she continues, “A liquid liner gives the most intense definition, whether applied thickly or as a kitten wing, while pencils work for more subtle looks or for easy blending to enable a smokey eye.”