GET FREE SAMPLES

sign up for our newsletter to get free sample alerts

We Found It! A Truly Waterproof Eyeliner

We splashed, we rubbed, we wiped, and one waterproof eyeliner came out on top. It's so waterproof, it's practically permanent
Photo 1/5
The Lineup
1) Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in Dark Grey, $18 -- A creamy liner that glides on easily for rich, super-pigmented color.

2) Essence Stays No Matter What Waterproof Eyeliner Pen, $1.99 -- Like a felt-tip marker for your eyes.

3) Cargo Swimmables Eye Pencil in Charcoal, $19 for 4 -- A mini pencil with sparkly specks, and it comes in a kit of four.

4) Sephora Contour Eye Pencil 12HR Wear in Cappuccino, $9 -- A basic pencil in a golden brown shade.

5) Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick, $28 -- This is a chubby crayon-like shadow has a lot of slip. The darker shades can easily double as liner.

Photo 2/5
Test 1
I put my hand under running water for 10 seconds.

All the liners passed the test except the Essence marker (2), which ran all over the place. I was really pulling for this one, but the liquid-y formula just didn't last.

Photo 3/5
Test 2
This time, I put my hand under running water for 10 seconds and wiped it a few times with my other hand.

The Cargo (3) and Sephora (4) pencils smudged. Surprisingly, the Essence marker (2) looked better after Test 2 than it did after Test 1.

Photo 4/5
Test 3
I took a makeup-removing towelette and wiped it over my hand one time.

Cargo (3) and Sephora (4) completely disappeared. Bobbi Brown (5) started to break down, as did the edges of Make Up For Ever (1).

Photo 5/5
Test 4
This time, I scrubbed with the towelette (see the weird veins on my hand from all the rubbing? Nice!).

Here, you can still see a trace of that Essence marker (2), but Make Up For Ever (1) is the clear winner. It's beyond waterproof -- it's practically permanent.

It's summer -- primetime for swimming and sweating. If you're like us, it also means your eyeliner takes a hike on your face, dripping and smudging in places it was never intended to wander. So, you look for a waterproof eyeliner. But here's the thing about finding the perfect one: the only way to find out if it actually works is to buy it and try it. And if it doesn't? Sorry, sucker. Add it to the pile of other products with broken promises.

That's why we're here. We put five waterproof eyeliners to the test to save you the time and money. Flip through our swatches to see which liner took home top honors.
BY DAWN DAVIS | JUN 27, 2013 | SHARES
VIEW COMMENTS
Full Site | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
TotalBeauty is a property of Evolve Media Holdings, LLC. © 2024 All Rights Reserved. | Affiliate Disclosure: Evolve Media Holdings, LLC, and its owned and operated subsidiaries may receive a small commission from the proceeds of any product(s) sold through affiliate and direct partner links.