Liquid Liner VS Pencil Liner | Which Should I Use?

Article was written by BFR's founder Leslie Munsell

When we do our makeup, we all want to maximize our eyes- they speak volumes
right? Nothing does this like eyeliner- it brings focus and definition to the eyes.
There are lots of different types eyeliner that work to achieve various looks so I’ll
give you my pros and cons of the two most popular. 

One thing that’s always essential- your formulas should be longwear and waterproof, they’ll then stay in place without smudging or smearing. Nothing is worse than looking in the mirror half way through your day (or date) and seeing poor eyeliner performance. Performance is everything! 

I also always look for cruelty free (no need to blind bunnies- and yes, it’s STILL happening) and paraben free. (An undesirable ingredient often used as a preservative.)

First, consider the look you’re going for before beginning to apply your liner. If you want a smooth, crisp clean line, like a cat eye, then a felt tip liquid is the best choice. If you want to blend and soften the line or create a smoldering smudgy, smoky eye, then a gel pencil liner that allows for blending is best. There are also gel liners in a pot that you apply with brush, but this requires an extra tool and I’m all for taking the quickest, easiest route for the best results.

PROS of PENCIL LINER

(I like a retractable as you never have to sharpen)
Easiest to apply- gel pencil liners go on so smoothly with no tugging on the delicate eye area. Beauty For Real 24-7 I-Line in Black Magic. Easy to blend- gel pencil liners allow 15 seconds to blend before setting for all day/all night wear.
Available in more colors- find a shade that contrasts your eye to bring out your eye color.

Beauty For Real 24-7 I-Line in Whiskey for blue and green eyes, Peacock for brown eyes will make your eye color stronger. A pencil is great blended as a base under shadows for more definition, color saturation and longer wear. Can be used on the water line.

PROS of LIQUID LINER

Can be tricky to apply but once you get the hang of it (practice makes perfect) liquid liners are magic for quick, longwearing definition. Felt tips are usually easier to apply than brush tip liquids. Try Finish Line 24-7 Liquid Liner.

Nothing else gives you the sharp, precise tip that allows you to get really specific when creating shapes and points (like the perfect cat eye) for instant dramatic flair.

Not to confuse things, but sometimes when drama is called for, I’ll create a smoky
eye blended out with a pencil liner and go back in with a liquid liner at the lash line
for extra intensity.

If you’ve always only used one type of eye liner, the choice is not either/or but having both in your make up bag to have fun and create new looks with.