10 Best Eyeliners for Beginners 2023 | UK Makeup Artist Reviewed

If you’re only just starting out with eyeliner, you’ll probably take a while experimenting to achieve your desired effect. In order to create the subtle or dramatic look you want, it’s best to chose a product you can apply comfortably and easily. Here are some of the most common type of liners: 

• Pencil Liners: Work well for achieving a simple, neat line along your eyelid, or for smudging a little to give a smoky-eyed look when you’re a complete beginner. The effect will depend on how sharp or blunt your eyeliner pencil is, so consider experimenting with different tips to discover what works (and looks) best for you.

• Liquid Liners: One of the benefits of this kind of product is its staying power and overall dramatic effect. A liquid liner is best suited to creating clear, dark, sharp lines and flicks, so it’s great for beginners who want a dramatic look. When choosing a liquid liner, consider the nib. A product with a fine-tipped brush will make subtle and elegant results, while an application brush with a hard tip will also help improve your precision. 

• Felt Tip Liners: For a product that combines the sharp lines and depth of colour afforded by liquid liners with the simplicity of a pencil, try a felt tip style eyeliner. These smart tubes of colour act like a kind of makeup marker pen, providing a luxurious liquid line you can apply just as you would a pencil liner. As well as being weighty and comfortable to hold, the fine tip makes it perfect for drawing a sharp, quick line mistake-free, perfect if you want to create a glamorous cat-eye flick. 

• Gel Type: A bit like liquid eyeliner, a gel liner is also painted on, so controlling the brush may be a challenge for eyeliner newbies. One benefit of gel liner is that it’s extremely easy to blend, so you don’t need a rigidly straight line. This type of liner will create a smoky effect rather than a sharp, sleek line. 
  

Further enhance your eyes by using an eyeshadow palette and volumising mascara 

If you choose a non-waterproof liner, it will come off nice and easily, letting you make endless mistakes without staining half your face. Additionally, it can be removed without tugging or pulling harshly at your skin. The downside is that once it’s on, it will be more likely to smudge and move around your skin.

Waterproof eyeliner will withstand a morning swim, rainstorms, and even just the moment you absent-mindedly rub your newly-lined peepers. If you want a long-lasting look, this is the best option; just keep some effective makeup remover to hand while you experiment with cat flicks for the first time.

Make removing tough eye makeup easy with an eye makeup remover. 

Do you wear contacts? Great news – nowadays, more and more makeup brands are putting their products through tests to make them safe and suitable for contact lens wearers. This is especially relevant for contacts-wearing liner newbies, as your eyes may not be used to these products, particularly if you're applying them directly onto your lash or water line. Look for eyeliners that are ophthalmologist-tested to ensure minimal irritation!