Smooth Black Eyeliner That Won’t Skip or Smudge

If you prefer a bold winged black eyeliner look, a reliable, black eyeliner is necessary to have in your arsenal. Eyeliner is one of the most difficult makeup tools to apply, but it looks so amazing when you’ve done it perfectly. It’s also one of the most versatile tools in your makeup bag. You can go from day to night easily, and black eyeliner defines your eyes, pulling your entire look together. You need to have a steady hand, and one false move and your eyeliner looks like a wobbly caterpillar. Those problems occur even with a good eyeliner. Or, on the other hand, maybe you actively avoid experimenting with eyeliner because you get frustrated when your eyeliner tugs or skips, leaving you with road divider-looking lines. 

We know your struggle, so we found the best black eyeliner that is easy to apply and accurate. Save yourself time getting ready with the reliable eyeliners we selected. The eyeliners below are from reputable brands—one even run by an international pop star who knows a thing or two about winged eyeliner—and are liquid liners or soft pencils. You won’t give yourself an eye injury, like you might if you’re trying to press a hard pencil onto your lash line. These eyeliners are all long-lasting and claim to last as long as your night does, essentially. Two of our options are even cruelty-free.