After Testing, We Found 10 Waterproof Eyeliners That Outlast Tears, Rain, and HIIT Workouts (2024)

TL;DR

Our Top Picks

Formula and Type: Waterproof liquid eyeliner pen | Color Range: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Easy to Remove: No

After performing well in our eyeliner test, Stila's Stay All Day formula is one of our favorites. It glides on smoothly, dries quickly, and won't smudge or run, no matter what you do. That's right: You can sweat, cry, and dance your heart out, and it won't budge. Reviews we read said that it lasts well on oily lids and watery eyes and even stays put through a red-eye flight. And we can attest to the fact that it stays where it’s supposed to—on your lids.

The fine felt tip is perfect for precise application, but unlike many other liquid liners, it can also be used to create thicker, more dramatic shapes. It also has the distinction of coming in 11 different shades, including a deep blue, vibrant green, and crisp white, to name a few—rare for a liquid formula.

Who It’s For

This one is a good product for anyone who wants an opaque, distinctive eyeliner. We think the black stands out the most, but the fact that it comes in 11 different shades makes it a versatile option, too.

Formula and Type: Waterproof crayon eyeliner | Color Range: 4 | Cruelty-Free: No | Easy to Remove: Yes

Eyeliner can be hard to apply, but not this one. Featuring a crayon that glides on smoothly, this one ensures that you don’t have to aggressively pull at your lid to create a straight line. Once on, it feels weightless, making it a particularly comfortable liner option. The one caveat: Even in the black shade, this liner is not 100% opaque, so keep in mind that it will require a second layer to get a bold, jet-black finish.

What makes this option stand out amongst other crayon liners on the market? It truly doesn’t budge when mixed with sweat or splashed with water. It stays put, yet it’s workable enough to touch up with micellar water should you want to create even sharper lines. If you prefer a more smudged end look, it also boasts a built-in sponge for blending it out immediately after application. Fast forward to the end of our five-hour wear test, and we were delighted to find that, despite its long-lasting nature, it was easy to fully remove with makeup remover. Fresh out of the shower, there wasn’t a trace of the liner left behind.

Who It’s For

We recommend this option for just about anyone looking for a quality waterproof liner. This creamy eyeliner is the perfect waterproof option for everything from coating the waterline to creating a dramatic cat eye.

Formula and Type: Waterproof liquid eyeliner pen | Color Range: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Easy to Remove: No

You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to add high-quality waterproof eyeliner to your makeup kit. The proof? This e.l.f. Cosmetics Intense H2O Proof Eyeliner Pen, which costs under $10 and outperforms many of the other liners we tried. It’s highly pigmented, built to last throughout the day, and comfortable throughout the entire duration of wear. It does take a touch longer to dry than other formulas, but not so long that you risk smudging it onto your upper lids before it sets. With so many things to love, it’s not perfect—it’s particularly difficult to remove. Rather than coming off entirely in one fell swoop, we found that it took quite a bit more rubbing to get rid of it completely.

Who It’s For

A good option for anyone on a budget, we highly recommend this liner, which can be found at almost any drugstore for just over five bucks.

Formula and Type: Waterproof gel pot eyeliner | Color Range: 4 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Easy to Remove: Yes

Many people assume that gel pot eyeliners are reserved for professional makeup artists and those with super steady hands. While this liner category typically does require a bit more precision, the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner boasts such a smooth application that even newbies can create a gorgeous lined look. Unlike many gel pot liners, this formula won’t clump up on your liner brush (though it’s worth noting the liner doesn’t come with a brush, so you’ll have to purchase your own). It glides on beautifully and dries down quickly, making the application process much more seamless.

One thing to note is that since this liner applies a bit lighter (which lends to its anti-clumping prowess), it’s slightly less pigmented than it seems in the pot. Still, it’s easy to layer, and doing so doesn’t result in a caked-on finish, so it’s not a major deterrent. As for removal, it came off easily—and entirely—with a cleansing balm, a major plus.

Who It’s For

If you prefer using a brush over a pencil, this is the formula for you. The eyeliner comes housed in a pot and can be effortlessly applied with a slender eyeliner brush.

Formula and Type: Waterproof liquid eyeliner pen | Color Range: 2 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Easy to Remove: Yes

Many people find that liquid eyeliner pens are the easiest option for creating fluid strokes ending in perfectly sharp wings—and with Fenty Beauty’s Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner, you can do just that. The free-flowing, fast-drying formula ensures an even line of opaque pigment that won’t drip, smudge, or smear during the application process. And, since it glides on so smoothly, it doesn’t require any pulling or tugging to evenly line your lids.

Once applied, this liner lives up to its name: It doesn’t budge—not when met with a sweaty HIIT class or when splashed post-workout. Still, it’s easy to remove when a cleanser is introduced. We tried to remove it in two different ways—with a cleansing balm and a makeup wipe—both fully removing every trace of pigment with ease.

Something to call out is that while it feels weightless upon application, after a few hours of wear, it does dry out a bit—but not so much that it cracks or feels uncomfortable. Beyond its formula, this waterproof liner is particularly convenient since the cap fits onto the end of the pen, so you don’t have to worry about it rolling off any surfaces (and potentially falling off your vanity or down your sink).

Who It’s For

A great choice for anyone who’s partial to winged eyeliner, this pen-like eyeliner helps achieve swift strokes.

Formula and Type: Waterproof pencil eyeliner | Color Range: 8 shades, 3 finishes | Cruelty-Free: No | Easy to Remove: Yes

Despite being a pencil, this formula is creamy and applies easily without any serious tugging, which is what makes it one of our favorites of the bunch. We also love that the formula is available in a variety of neutral shades, ranging from black and brown to copper and navy. However, it’s worth noting that the pigmentation level depends on the color chosen; where the black shade is opaque in a single swipe, the purple option requires multiple layers for substantial color payoff.

Nevertheless, this remains a comfortable, long-lasting option worth perusing. Just keep in mind that (like most eyeliner pencils) although it’s easy to remove, it often leaves a slight trace of color along your lash line, so you might need to follow up your regular makeup remover with an additional swipe of micellar water.

Who It’s For

If you prefer a pencil eyeliner above all other formulas, the Lancôme Drama Liqui-Pencil is the way to go.

Formula and Type: Waterproof liquid eyeliner pen | Color Range: 2 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Easy to Remove: Yes

Beloved by hundreds of shoppers for its luxe-quality formula, Covergirl’s Exhibitionist Lash Enhancing Liquid Eyeliner is a fantastic drugstore option for those hoping for sharp, dark lines that last. The inky formula is highly pigmented and dries almost immediately. Once dry, it won’t budge from sweat or blinking. It performs so well that you might find it an acceptable price to pay for an affordable long-lasting-but-easy-to-remove waterproof eyeliner.

Who It’s For

If you have oily eyelids, look to this formula that lasts all day long, even when it comes in contact with sweat, water, or slippery skin. Given that it contains BHT, it may not be great for pregnant people.

Formula and Type: Waterproof liquid eyeliner pen | Color Range: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Easy to Remove: Yes

This top-rated liquid eyeliner pen is a dream for creating wings. It delivers opaque color in a single swipe, and thanks to its sharp tip, it makes creating equally-as-sharp wings a breeze. Something to note: It fades and slightly cracks during sweaty workouts and smears when splashed with water (or simply touched). But considering how easy it makes it to create even, opaque cat eyes, we’re still big fans—we’ll just be sure to apply eye makeup primer before going in with this liner next time.

Who It’s For

Because it can achieve a super precise cat eye in seconds, we love this one for anyone who has a flair for the dramatic. However, since it smudged during a HIIT workout when we tried it, we’d save this one for fancier events and moments when you won’t be absolutely drenched in sweat.

Formula and Type: Waterproof eyeliner pencil | Color Range: 34 shades, 2 finishes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Easy to Remove: Yes

The formula comes in an impressive 34 different shades, including matte and glitter finishes. While the level of pigment opacity varies from color to color, no matter which hue you choose, you can expect a very creamy application (which, admittedly, can make drawing on crisp lines more of a challenge). Luckily, a couple of layers and a touchup with micellar water can easily address both of those concerns. Speaking of micellar water, this liner stays put through sweat and water (though not with physical touches), but it’s easy to remove with cleansing balm and micellar water alike.

Who It’s For

Whether Euphoria has you daydreaming about creative eye makeup looks or you’re simply a big fan of color, Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil is a great option.

Formula and Type: Waterproof liquid eyeliner pen | Color Range: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Easy to Remove: Yes

If you love the idea of wings but are just beginning to break ground on creating dramatic eye makeup looks, you need an eyeliner that provides the most precision possible—and trust us; this is it. The Haus Labs Micro-Tip Eye-Lie-Ner features the teeniest, tiniest tip that, yes, requires multiple strokes to coat the entire lash line but also makes creating small wings (as well as bigger, bolder designs) easier than ever. Once it’s applied and dried (which doesn’t take long at all), it’s built to last. You can expect very minimal fading through sweat, rain, and shower splashes—but once met with a cleansing balm, however, it rinses right away.

Who It’s For

As you may have guessed, we’d suggest this one for beginners, or anyone who has a hard time achieving precision or a super-straight line.

FAQ

• What should I do if I get a waterproof eyeliner in my eye?

  Anytime you get anything in your eye, you should promptly flush it out with water. If your eye still feels irritated or looks inflamed after doing so, call your physician for directions on the next steps.

• What should I do if I get a waterproof eyeliner on my eyelid?

  So long as it’s an easy-to-remove waterproof eyeliner (like the ones in our top tier), a quick swipe of micellar water will do the trick. Simply dip a cotton swab into micellar water and swipe it across the liner error.

• What cleansers work best for removing waterproof eyeliner?

  Based on our research, we found that makeup-melting cleansing balms and micellar water worked the best for removing waterproof eyeliner. As convenient as makeup wipes may seem, they typically require more rubbing to remove, so they’re best avoided. Whatever cleanser you choose, just make sure it’s safe for your eyes.