The 10 Best Smudge-Proof Eyeliners

Ever since I first started wearing makeup, I’ve been using eyeliner. A look was never complete until I’d applied a thick wing of jet-black liquid eyeliner to the corner of my eyes, which gradually became thinner and neater over time. For me, it’s like a piece of the puzzle is missing until I’ve added my corner flicks, and even as I type this now, I’m rocking my trusty Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal Liner in Cocoa (as now I generally opt to wear a brown kohl formula).

Eyeliner has been used throughout the generations to define eras and icons. It’s become synonymous with legends like Cleopatra, Twiggy, Boy George, Amy Winehouse and Grace Jones and can be dated back to Ancient India and Egypt. “Eyeliner transcends any decade and any makeup trend,” explains celebrity makeup artist Neil Young. “It always gives a look a modern and contemporary take on beauty. There’s something very cool, fresh and modern about an eyeliner, whether it fits the eye perfectly or it’s more graphic. It also provides the perfect back drop for mascara so it will always give the lashes a lot more depth and gives the eye more structure.”

Whatever colour or finish you prefer, a good eyeliner can enhance the shape of your eyes and provide balance and symmetry. “It really is such a powerful product,” says makeup artist Jo Baker, who knows a thing or two about creating a double tap-worthy look––she just created the most incredible 1960’s-inspired smokey winged liner on Daisy Edgar-Jones (see above). “Eyeliner is the LBD of the makeup world, and it can be used to suit any mood and occasion.”