11 Best Tightlining Eyeliner You Must Try: My Reviews

(Last Updated On: July 2, 2019)

You know how it always seemed that everyone is simply born with double the amount of eyelashes than what you have and they always look so full and dramatic when wearing mascara? Well, the good news is most of the time, it’s simply the work of some skillful make up tricks!

One of those little tricks people and makeup artists use to fake full, bold, but natural looking lashes is using tightlining eyeliner. And pulling it off is actually way easier than trying to pronounce it. What’re the best eyeliners for tightlining? Read on to find out.

Best Eyeliners for Tightlining

Brand My RatingWaterproof?Formula
Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Check Price 4.9YesVibrant, smudge and fade proof. Transfer free!
Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Check Price 4.8YesEyeliner cake. Glides on smoothly. Transfer and smudge free
Shiseido The Makeup Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil Check Price 4.8YesSmudge proof and long lasting all day. Intense color payoff.
Butter London Wink Pencil Check Price 4.8YesCreamy & soft. Amazing color payoff.
Pure Ziva Pressed Powder Cake Eyeliner Eyeshadow Check Price 4.5YesPigmented eyeliner pressed powder cake
Julep Pencil Long Lasting Tightline Eyeliner Check Price 4.7YesCreamy Pencil, Long Lasting formula
Jane Iredale Pencil Check Price 4.7YesNatural pigment. Shea butter & vitamins
It Cosmetics 3 in 1 Check Price 4.5Yes3 in 1 formula
Kajal by Vasanti Check Price 4.6YesDramatic, long lasting. Easy glide. Intense color definition.
Lancome Paris Le Crayon Kohl Check Price 4.5YesEasy to blend for a natural look. Creamy. Glides on easily.
L'oreal Paris Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner Check Price 4.2YesMechanical pencil. 16hr wear. Creamy, long lasting.

11 Best Tightlining Eyeliner Review

Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof

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This is an amazing color-rich, vibrant, and easy-to-use tightlining liner from Stila with great staying powers. It’s highly pigmented, waterproof and glides on easily with no tugging or pulling to deliver really intense, vibrant color. Available in in an array of matte, shimmer and pop hues.

 

Why It’s So Popular:

  • Soft and creamy with a velvety texture
  • Doesn’t fade out throughout the day
  • Doesn’t flake
  • Doesn’t crack
  • Doesn’t fallout
  • Vibrant, color rich
  • Available in an array of matte, shimmer and pop hues
  • Easy to apply
  • Waterproof

Keep In Mind:

  • The stick is soft, a lot of pressure can ruin it and mush it

 


Butter London Wink Pencil

butter london-min

 

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This Butter London pencil is available in six bold shades and promises an extra soft formula. It glides onto your eyelids effortlessly and stays put for hours on end.

Which is exactly what it does, and will work perfectly for those oily lids since it’s waterproof. This tightlining pencil comes with a drier, semi-matte finish, great for those that don’t like the creamy finishes.

Why It’s So Popular:

  • Really dense
  • Stays put all day
  • Soft formula
  • Glides on effortlessly
  • High-intensity color
  • Easy to blend
  • The shades are great
  • Leaves a nice soft effect
  • Great for oily eyelids
  • Semi-matte finish

Keep In Mind:

  • Needs to be sharpened quite often
  • Not creamy
  • Not glossy
  • Doesn’t come off easily

Julep Pencil Long Lasting Tightline Eyeliner

rsz_julep-min

 

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This waterproof tightlining pencil eyeliner by Julep is so easy to use and simply glides effortlessly, without tugging. It’s intense, sets really fast and it stays put for more than 10 hours. It basically delivers everything that a good gel eyeliner will, just easier to use than gels.

Why It’s So Popular:

  • Good for sensitive eyes
  • Glides on smoothly
  • Easy to smudge or blend if it’s done immediately
  • Sets quickly
  • Easy to apply
  • Stays put all day
  • The pencil is easy to hold
  • Lasts long

Keep In Mind:

  • Not for dramatic looks
  • Might need to reapply for long days

Jane Iredale Pencil

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I love the different colors this Jane Iredale tightlining pencil comes in. This Jane Iredale eyeliner is a mineral-based eyeliner pencil with a soft formula, that will not tug at delicate skin. It is made with conditioning oils and waxes and can be used anywhere on the face (some shades look great on the lips, like the ‘taupe’ one).

Why It’s So Popular:

  • Glides on smoothly
  • Doesn’t smudge or wear off
  • Gives a great, rich colour
  • Lasts long
  • Contains conditioning oils and waxes
  • Suitable for delicate eyes and skin
  • Lasts long
  • Easy to remove

Keep In Mind:

  • Might need to reapply it after few hours
  • Can be difficult for sharpening, breaks easily
  • Might need to use an eye primer for the liner to last longer

 


Pure Ziva Matte Navy Blue Wet Dry Pressed Powder Cake Eyeliner Eyeshadow

rsz_pure_ziva-min

 

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This best eyeliner for tightlining comes in a compact dry form. It looks really similar to pressed eyeshadow, but is much more pigmented upon activation. It is really easy to apply, great for tightlining and dries without flaking, leaving a clean and stable line that will not smudge. In order to activate it – wet your eyeliner brush and dip it into the eyeliner or just add a few drops of water to the liner. I love that it’s one of the best eyeliner to tightline with.

Why It’s So Popular:

  • Good for sensitive eyes
  • No flaking
  • Not runny
  • Easy to apply
  • Very rich color
  • Won’t smear
  • Easy to remove
  • Lasts all day, no need to reapply
  • You can adjust the intensity with adding more or less water

Keep In Mind:

  • Not waterproof
  • Requires a steady hand
  • You need an eyeliner brush

Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eyeliner

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A favorite of mine, this eyeliner cake is truly smudge free and doesn’t transfer. Choose from 6 different shades. The formula is very smooth and long lasting. I only apply it once and it stays on throughout the whole day. If you wear contact lens, this is suitable as well. Dermtalogist approved!


It Cosmetics 3 in 1 Eyeliner, Mascara, Primer

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This is a unique 3 in 1 product that gives you the illusion of full preppy lashes! It’s a mascara, primer and eyeliner all in 1 convenient product. It’s very effective for getting to the very root of your lashes and filling in any spare spots along your lash line.


Kajal Waterline Eyeliner by Vasanti Intense Black

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Canada-made and great for sensitive eyes. It’s durable, long lasting yet very comfortable to wear. I love the matte finish with a velvet sheen. This eyeliner is vegan-friendly, gluten and paraben free. It’s free from nasty chemicals and so easy to glide on!


Shiseido The Makeup Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil

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The color payoff on this one is intense and gorgeous. I love that it’s smudge proof and durable, lasting all throughout the day. The creamy formula means it glides on smoothly and easily.


Lancome Paris Le Crayon Kohl

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This pencil goes on so smoothly. No, you won’t have to physically pull up your eyelid! Easy to blend and long lasting, this is another popular pick to consider.


L’oreal Paris Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner

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Long lasting up to 16 hours! That’s pretty impressive. This mechanical pencil has a rich formula that’s easy to blend and apply. It even comes with a sharpener and smudger built in so you don’t have to reach separately for other tools.


What is Tightlining?

Sounds like a technique that will take ages to master, but actually it’s pretty easy. Professional makeup artists have been using eyeliners for decades now. It’s a way of using eyeliner in a way that will make your eyes pop and your eye makeup look more dramatic.

Basically, it’s the technique of drawing eyeliner on the waterline of your eyes, inside the lash line. It’s really easy to do and instantly adds definition and structure to your looks.

It does this by visually filling in the little gaps in the lash line, while creating a contrast with the iris. The best part is is that it doesn’t look too made up, if you do it properly, people won’t be able to notice that you even have eyeliner applied at all.

It works for all eye shapes, but will definitely work amazing with hooded eyes and eyes that look too made up when wearing a regular, thick eyeliner.eyeliner for tightline review

Why You Should Add Tightlining to Your Makeup Routine?

Here are the reasons why you’d want to try the best eyeliner to tightline:

  • You want a bold, yet natural look
    The reason it’s called an invisible eyeliner is that it mimics the natural area of darkness, making it a great option for those favoring a natural look.
  • If you want to update your daytime look by not make it look too done
    It will make your eyes look fresh and pop out, but will not look ‘too much’, since it can’t really be spotted and looks naturally.
  • If you want to define your lower lashes
    You can define your whole eyes, including lower eyelashes, by maintaining an effortless look.
  • If regular eyeliner is just not enough for you
    If you’re looking for an extra dramatic look, than you can pair it with your regular eyeliner application, great option for nights out.

How To Tightline Your Eyes

tightlining

 

So now that you decided you want to try it, we can move on to – how to achieve it:

  1. Clear all makeup residue on your eyes
  2. Pick a good eyeliner. Below are 5 great options that you can try, but if you go on choosing an eyeliner yourself, make sure it’s not liquid. Liquid eyeliners do not dry quickly enough and can leak into your eyes and cause irritation.
  3. If you’re using a pencil eyeliner, make sure you sharpen it every time you use it. It’s easier to use it and will protect you from infections by removing bacteria.
  4. Tilt your head back, look up and hold your eyelashes in place on the brow bone.
  5. Trace your upper waterline back and forth 3-4 times with your eyeliner, and do not blink while doing it.
  6. Using the same eyeliner, dot the spaces between your lashes.
  7. If you feel super dramatic, run your eyeliner near the base of your lower eyelashes. Be careful, this can make your eyes look less natural and smaller.

Conclusion

Best eyeliners for Tightlining is probably the easiest way I’ve found on making my eyelashes look so full, yet natural and not too overdone. Just make sure you choose the best eyeliner for tightlining for the technique to make the process even easier. It also helps to learn how to use a tightline eyeliner properly!

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