Makeup

10 Worst Eyeliners

Even the cheapest of these smudging, bleeding, pain-inducing eyeliners (one costs a mere $1) aren't worth the money

September 7, 2011 | by Stephanie Shum | 80 COMMENTS

No. 5: L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Eyeliner Mistake-Proof Marker, $7.29 TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.8*
Why: Readers "like the name [of this liner], but would have liked it more if it was true." Readers find it to be "sloppy" and "definitely not as mistake-proof as the package claims." For one reader, "whether I use the thin or the thick end of the marker, I can't seem to get it right with this eyeliner." The results "look like you put [eyeliner] on during an earthquake" but "may work for those who want a thick line and the smoky look," says another. Others find this eyeliner "hard to remove from [their] eyes no matter how much makeup remover [is used]" and warn "don't try to do a touch up with this liner. It'll only wipe off the liner you had on before" and "is virtually impossible to remove without ruining your whole look."

Agree? Disagree? Write your review here.

*At time of publication

SEE NEXT PAGE: No. 4: Maybelline New York Ultra Liner Waterproof Liquid Liner, $7.10

7 of 11

products mentioned

Too Faced Lava Gloss

6.4

Physicians Formula Eye Definer Felt-Tip Eye Marker

6.4

E.L.F. Brightening Eye Liner

6.3

CoverGirl LineExact Liquid Liner

6.3

Lancome Le Stylo Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner

6.2

L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Mistake-Proof Marker...

5.6

Maybelline New York Ultra Liner Waterproof Liquid Liner

5.5

Stila Kajal Eye Liner

5.7

L'Oréal Paris HiP Studio Secrets Professional...

5.7

Wet n Wild IdolEyes Retractable Eye Pencil

3.5

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Havent tried any of these....

by andyv1217 Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 07:16PM Report as inappropriate

Don't care for how it makes my eyes look. I also tried a million times using on my waterline and it seems to collect quickly in the corners of my eyes. My eyes have a lot of water it seems.

by lori_testy Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 01:46PM Report as inappropriate

I disagree with the lava eyeliner from too faced. I actually do enjoy the product, I just feel as if it is overpriced.

by Misselizabeth Saturday, January 19, 2013 at 03:57PM Report as inappropriate

Glad to read this article as I'm looking for a new black eyeliner and had my eye on the Loreal marker - now I know not to get it. Will have to read the best of article now to start over!!

by CinnaBlaze Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 02:20PM Report as inappropriate

Nice info

by EricaF123 Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 07:04AM Report as inappropriate

The Maybelline Waterproof Liquid Liner is the absolute worst! The brush has feather-like bristles that makes it hard to use and the formula itself has a thin, runny consistency. A total waste of money.

by MizzPink Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 01:39PM Report as inappropriate

Wow, when it comes to the Elf eyeliner, i thought i was being too sensitive but it looks like others agreed with me! thanks!

by danny54f Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 03:10PM Report as inappropriate

Awesome idea for an article. Totally useful!

by KarasuSparkle Friday, October 5, 2012 at 01:22AM Report as inappropriate

Ugh the Physician's formula one is terrible!

by GingerDrink Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 03:17PM Report as inappropriate

Great! Now I know which ones to avoid!

by Snowwhitessecret Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at 02:15PM Report as inappropriate

I almost always wear eyeliner, and I use many different shades, depending on my mood. I like the soft pencils with a smudge-tip on the end, because I take medication that makes my hands shake, making liquid liner a no-no for me! If I paid $18 or more for a luxury brand of eyeliner and it sucked, I would be totally pissed! This was valuable information for an eyeliner addict like me!

by BengalsGal Sunday, September 2, 2012 at 10:01AM Report as inappropriate

Great info..I'm glad I've never tried one of these..

by reinavillamor Thursday, August 30, 2012 at 11:03PM Report as inappropriate

Good to hear the ratings on some of these eye liners although some of these have been okay for me..The others I have not tried and will steer clear! Thank you!

by Lamexicana1 Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 08:01AM Report as inappropriate

I'm glad I've never tried any of these, especially the more expensive ones.

by thequietnoise Sunday, August 26, 2012 at 07:42PM Report as inappropriate

This article just saved me a few dollars. I'm always on the lookout for a good liner, but lately I'm unhappy with everything, but Bare Minerals.

by MissPoison Saturday, August 25, 2012 at 04:12AM Report as inappropriate

I am an eyeliner gal and actually like the type that has a brush and a small jar container. It smudges less once on and the drawback is a very limited color range. I am glad to hear about the wet and wild, as I like the regular pencils and never tried that type.

by evet Friday, August 24, 2012 at 05:49AM Report as inappropriate

I was in the store just the other day looking for a good liquid eye liner. I've been watching so many video tutorials about creating looks with liquid liner that I wanted to try one out for a day. I'm glad I didn't buy anything because a couple of the liners you mentioned in this article were some that I was considering. I hope there is an article about the best rated eye liners so that I can use that information to make a wise purchase in the near future. Thank you for the reviews - very helpful!

by flirtygirl214 Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 05:09PM Report as inappropriate

Great info I think I could have written the article caused I have tried lots and lots and more.

by Ydabney Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 11:14AM Report as inappropriate

This was very useful because i use eyeliner every day. Now i am more aware of what eyeliners i shouldnt use. BUT i use the Lancome Le Stylo Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner everyyyy dayyyy and it does not give me any issues. I have sensitive eyes and it has not given me issues. It last a long time too. I have used about 5 black eyeliners of the same one because i love it so much. It is pricey but definitely worth it !

by milenaa87 Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 03:08PM Report as inappropriate

I wear eyeliner from Walmart all the time and it works great

by mrscrowley29 Monday, July 9, 2012 at 11:40AM Report as inappropriate

Make Up For Ever eyeliners are the best!

by starla1971 Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 11:45PM Report as inappropriate

The comment below is actually mine, cancel was disabled but somehow still gets signed in. Any suggestions?

by evet Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 11:14AM Report as inappropriate

I have not tried this Wet and Wild eyeliner and tend to stay away from retractable, but some of theirs are not bad. I like the shimmer ones which stay better in my opinion, but I only have the silver and black. I have an old light purple and it is so soft-so I use it under my shadows and I get a great color .

by cancel Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 11:09AM Report as inappropriate

Second time I read this. Drugstore items are just that. Caveat emptor ... buyer beware!

by robyne00 Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 06:01PM Report as inappropriate

Agree with the ELF eyeliner. The Cover Girl liquid liner was easy for me. You just need to store it upside down to keep from drying out. I liked the Maybelline Ultra Liner. I used it daily and even used it for Halloween when I dressed up as Bride of Frankenstein to paint on the stitches.

by darkangel81 Monday, May 7, 2012 at 10:08AM Report as inappropriate

The poor reviews of the Stila and Lancome eyeliners surprised me. Always remember you get what you pay for!

by robyne00 Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 05:06PM Report as inappropriate

I actually prefer to use Avon eyeliner! It's great!

by CCochran Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at 01:21PM Report as inappropriate

I have found (for the most part) you get what you pay for when it applies (especially) to eyeliners! Mally Roncal makes wonderful high performance eyeliners that cost a bit more but are well worth it!

by powerwoman033 Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 04:48PM Report as inappropriate

This is very useful.

by heartMashimaro Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 03:06AM Report as inappropriate

Really wish I had read this article before I spent the money on the Physicians Formula felt tip eye liner. The reviewers echoed every single problem I had when trying to use this product. Its way too rough, sketchy on color, and picks up every single bit of the eye shadow that it comes in contact with!! I have been using Wet n Wild Mega Liner in black lately and it has been so much easier to use than the other, which is sad when you think of the cost difference. I also had bad results with the Elf eye liner that was mentioned in this article as well. It is like trying to line your eyes with a Crayola crayon, except I think the crayon would have more pigment. However, the Elf felt tip eye liner that I tried for $1 has been pretty good so far the times I have used it. Its not my favorite eye liner but it has beat the Physician's Formula one hands down, which makes the price an even sweeter deal!!

by jslate304 Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 11:14PM Report as inappropriate

It's nice to know other people have a hard time finding a descent eyeliner awell.

by Coffee_Black Friday, January 27, 2012 at 06:51AM Report as inappropriate

I haven't bought eyeliner for over 3-4 years, and the eyes are really the only thing i play with on my face. I 've been using eyeshadows only lately. I hate how pencils crumb and break, and you have to sharpen them, or the retractable ones are smear off my eyes so easily. Plus they don't glide on nicely. I've tried a liquid liner one, the Covergirl Lineexact liquid liner (the one rated in this article.) I didn't have the dry marker problem, I had the it's too runny problem. it's too liquidy so a lot of times it gives me an uneven line and i end up with a thicker line than I wanted. So I keep this liner in my purse for emergencies since it so petite

by Minibear Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 02:30PM Report as inappropriate

ive tried a rimmel one and it was okay but it didnt last at all!maybe like 2 hours

by kitten94 Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 05:39PM Report as inappropriate

Lovely articles! Thanks for the warning xD

by Sprinklesugars Monday, December 26, 2011 at 04:32PM Report as inappropriate

I absolutely agree that it’s a horrible liner. The liquid that does come out reminds me of water color paint. It’s so watered down and the lines are super smudged.

by Amsters73 Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 02:03PM Report as inappropriate

great article, always good to know what to avoid!

by RaraGiggles89 Friday, December 16, 2011 at 06:05AM Report as inappropriate

Now I won't waste my money, thanks for the warning

by andie Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 10:18PM Report as inappropriate

I won't be wasting money on any of these now

by kmb1129 Monday, November 28, 2011 at 10:06PM Report as inappropriate

I won't buy any of these

by MysticMeercat Thursday, November 24, 2011 at 07:16PM Report as inappropriate

Good to know.

by krycekov Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 08:37AM Report as inappropriate

thanks for the heads up

by Nicole2814 Friday, November 18, 2011 at 09:05PM Report as inappropriate

The toki doki eye perfecto eyeliner works wonders, 18 dollars but worth every penny

by makayla_baca Friday, November 18, 2011 at 01:19PM Report as inappropriate

I haven't tried most of these eyeliners, but I know the elf one is not that great.

by MissXu Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 07:44PM Report as inappropriate

I buy $1 drugstore eyeliners for costume makeup (I need like a billion different colors) and they're actually pretty good, I've used a couple

by naughtnone Monday, November 14, 2011 at 12:48PM Report as inappropriate

What?! I love the Mayelline Ultra Liner! It can work wonders.

by illora_boulley Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 08:19PM Report as inappropriate

I'm surprised that CoverGirl LineExact Liquid Liner is on this list honestly! I have oily lids, so it's rare to find eyeliners that actually stick. I got this eyeliner in black one time, and it just STAYED.

by dyan_lisondra Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 06:07PM Report as inappropriate

I tried the Physicians Formula felt tip eyeliner. It wasn't that bad, but it dried up SO quickly, it was ridiculous.

by liliofthevalley Sunday, October 16, 2011 at 10:06AM Report as inappropriate

never tried any of these.

by tiffany_gallehugh Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at 11:23AM Report as inappropriate

never tried any of these

by shell1375 Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at 11:08AM Report as inappropriate

not tried any of these.

by sandyc Friday, September 30, 2011 at 03:49PM Report as inappropriate

So, where is a list of the best eyeliners?

by tyla_devonna_runkel Monday, September 26, 2011 at 11:41PM Report as inappropriate

I've used the Lancome one before. I had some of the same complaints as the other women who have reviewed it. I switched to Revlon Color Stay Eyeliner and it not only works better, but it's also a fraction of the price!

by KMiye Monday, September 26, 2011 at 02:53PM Report as inappropriate

hmmm.. never used an eyeliner before... this is an eye-opener for me!

by teema Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 08:21PM Report as inappropriate

While the eyeliners are not very good, I admit, I disagree with those who claim ELF is an awful brand, because really, many of their products are quite good - especially for the price!

by katiespeaking Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 01:06PM Report as inappropriate

Ive used the ELF eye liner. It was so bad, and i ended up tossing it out.

by gaej19 Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 08:42AM Report as inappropriate

I will be avoiding these, thanks.

by Mysterylady Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 03:44PM Report as inappropriate

N.Y.C eyeliner isn't bad. I have tried eyeliner rom the body shop and that worked very well. I never had smudges. Clinique is also a great brand!

by murph2mr Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 12:35PM Report as inappropriate

never tried any of these eyeliners dont think i will now.

by sandyc Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 03:23PM Report as inappropriate

I'm always looking for a cheaper brand of what I use, but it seems nothing in the drugstore seems to work, my favorite eyeliner is by MAC thier black eyeliner, works so well, you can put it on your waterline, top and bottom, and it stays put all day, it's one thing I don't have to re apply

by patty_marthconnell Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 12:18PM Report as inappropriate

I try and use mineral makeup. I like to apply it with a small brush.

by muellsrus Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 06:09PM Report as inappropriate

Add to this list Bonne Belle's Eye Definer and GoverGirl's self sharpening eyeliner.

by CliniqueLover Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 04:49PM Report as inappropriate

Never tried any of these :)

by selma Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 11:47AM Report as inappropriate

ELF is not good at all

by LittleBunny Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 11:47AM Report as inappropriate

agreed awful

by aguifra14 Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 04:08PM Report as inappropriate

ELF has the worst eyeliner ever. EVER

by bonjournikkie Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 01:51PM Report as inappropriate

I agree with the covergirl eye liner

by porsha_coleman_mcdaniels Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 01:56AM Report as inappropriate

I've tried a few of these and I can agree. Also, anything that's a pen tip automatically is rejected by me. Hate it!

by volta Friday, September 9, 2011 at 11:25PM Report as inappropriate

The Stila kajal was smudge city on me. Just terrible. Bonne Bell's eyeliner is pretty awful too.

by LipglossandSpandex Friday, September 9, 2011 at 10:59PM Report as inappropriate

sad about too faced I was going to try that

by Bon_Bon Friday, September 9, 2011 at 08:54PM Report as inappropriate

Totally agree about the CoverGirl one! It's just plain awful. How this product is still on the market is beyond me.

by olga_cirlugea Friday, September 9, 2011 at 04:26PM Report as inappropriate

Totally agree about the CoverGirl one! It's just plain awful.

by olga_cirlugea Friday, September 9, 2011 at 04:21PM Report as inappropriate

Thanks for the tips. I guess I will stick with Urban Decay - either the pencils or their gel, both are easy to use,color is true, they LAST and wear well but come off easy when i want them too.

by Agrimony Friday, September 9, 2011 at 02:00PM Report as inappropriate

I love Revlon Colorstay eyeliner.

by QuicksilverQueen.com Friday, September 9, 2011 at 01:51PM Report as inappropriate

I agree that the CoverGirl Line Exact liquid liner is bad...it was SO hard to get the gel out!

by vfalkow Friday, September 9, 2011 at 01:49PM Report as inappropriate

I've tried some of these and I couldn't agree more. They were very disappointing. I was surprised to see some of the brands like lacome and too faced on here. Very interesting.

by stephgal Friday, September 9, 2011 at 01:00PM Report as inappropriate