- White eyeliner is the best makeup product for creating brighter, bigger, wide-awake eye looks.
- The most common use of white eyeliner is on the waterline, although it can also be used to create artistic, graphic looks.
Who doesn’t want big, bright, beautiful doe eyes? One of the easiest techniques to highlight the eyes and look more awake is simply by using a white eyeliner, and the uses of white eyeliner don’t stop there.
There are many white eye pencils on the market, but we’ve made a list of the best white eyeliners to help you narrow down your decision. Also, we talk about the many uses of this simple makeup product and give some tips to help you pick the right option.
In this article:
- Our Picks of the Best White Eyeliners
- How to Choose the Best White Eyeliner for You?
- How to Use White Eyeliner?
Best White Eyeliners Overview
- Best Overall: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Yeyo
- Best Budget: NYX Professional Makeup Retractable White Eyeliner
- Best Pencil: MAC Eye Kohl in Fascinating
- Best Gel: Marc Jacobs Beauty Fineliner Ultra-Skinny Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in (Big)Eyes!
- Best Long-Lasting: Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Blanc Graphique
- Best Vegan: KVD Vegan Beauty Cake Pencil Eyeliner in White Out
- Best Liquid: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Snow
- Best for a Thin Line: Shiseido MicroLiner Ink White Eyeliner
- Best Pigmented: NARS High-Pigment Longwear Eyeliner in Santa Monica Boulevard
- Best Drugstore: L’Oréal Paris Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner
- Best Budget Liquid: ColourPop BFF Liquid Liner in Graceland
- Best Matte: Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Ink Eye Liner
- Best Waterproof: Lancôme Le Stylo Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Rose Blanche
- Best Gel Pencil: Maybelline TattoStudio Eyeliner Pencil
- Best for Smokey Eyes: Tom Ford Eye Kohl Intense in White Smoke
- Best Semi-Matte: Morphe Liquid Liner in Blanc Slate
- Best Two-in-One: Surratt Inner Light Baton Eyeliner & Eyeshadow in Perle
Our Picks of the Best White Eyeliners
From liquid eyeliner to eye pencils, below, we have rounded up the best white eyeliners for every makeup need and style.
This white eye pencil is not only award-winning but also vegan and cruelty-free. It gets rave reviews and has a waterproof formula. The Yeyo color – a metallic white – may not have the pigmentation of some of the other shades, so you may need to use a couple extra swipes when applying it to the waterline. In addition to the long-lasting color it provides, this white eyeliner is also super-hydrating thanks to the formula made of vitamin E, jojoba and cottonseed oils. You can get it from Sephora.
Don’t worry about having a sharpener – simply twist this white eyeliner for more product. Reviewers love NYX’s white eye pencil, saying it goes on silky and smooth without tugging and pulling. With high pigmentation, creamy texture, exceptional longevity, and waterproof formula, this eye pencil is perfect to use on the waterline. Not just that – it’s a steal priced at only $5.50. Find it online at Ulta, and Amazon!
MAC Eye Kohl is the best white eyeliner pencil for those looking for something blendable. If you love a product that is soft and can easily blend, this is the product for you. However, if a smudged look is not what you’re going for, you may look at other options that go on more precise and stay put. It can be picked up online at Nordstrom.
This fine-tipped white eyeliner is perfect for getting into the waterline and creating the big, bright eye illusion. Your mileage may vary on staying power when you wear it on the waterline, but it will glide on smooth. It’s a waterproof gel formula that is perfect for both lining and tightlining, promising lasting wear. Pick it up on Sephora!
This is one of the best white eyeliners on the market. Why? Because it is smudge-proof and waterproof with a soft silicone-based formula, allowing all-day wear. That means you don’t have to worry that your day will outlast your make-up. While it does have a higher price tag than some, the long-lasting quality makes up for the price. Get it directly from Chanel, or Nordstrom!
This formula has the best white eyeliner pigmentation compared to most on the market. One swipe gives bright, bold colors, and it lasts well on the waterline without smudging. This vegan white eye pencil is retractable, so no need to use a sharpener! Grab it online from Sephora!
Stila’s Snow is the best white liquid eyeliner on the market. The felt tip that appears marker-like allows for thin lines or bold strokes, and the formula is waterproof, so it won’t budge. If you are looking for a smudge-proof, long-lasting, and easy-to-use option, check this out at Ulta, or Amazon!
The MicroLiner is a retractable liner best for those looking for a long-lasting wear. This white eyeliner has the staying power to last all day without smudging or wearing. Another benefit of this liner is the ultra-fine tip allowing extra precise inky lines. Water-resistant, and weightless, it relies on a thermo-sensory technology that transforms the formula from solid to liquid upon skin contact for a flexible, matte line. You can grab it online at Sephora.
This white eye pencil used to be a favorite of many customers due to the pigmentation and long-lasting wear, however, recently, NARS has changed their design. Previously the pencil had been a twist-up, but now it requires sharpening, which is difficult since the pencil isn’t made out of wood, but rather plastic. Other than that, if you are looking for a matte-to-metallic rich color, this is the pencil to pick up. You can grab it online at Nordstrom.
Best white eyeliner for a drugstore brand goes to the Infallible Never Fail liner. This long-lasting formula goes on smooth and precise thanks to the built-in pencil sharpener. As an added bonus, it comes with a smudge tip to make a variety of looks. It delivers a highly pigmented matte white color that stays put for up to 16 hours. Pick it up online on Amazon!
Priced at only $8, the BFF Liquid Liner is a great option for those who want a liquid white eyeliner on a budget. While people rave about the pigmentation and staying ability, be warned some say the felt tip applicator dries out after a few months. It’s available online at Ulta.
Make Up For Ever advertises this white eyeliner stays on for 24 hours. Fans of this waterproof liquid liner say it’s the best white eyeliner because of the high pigmentation payoff. Due to the intensity of the color and its liquid formula, it is great for white makeup accents and wings, rather than on the waterline. You can find it online at Sephora.
Great color payoff and easy application make this white eye pencil a favorite by many. This is the best waterproof eyeliner able to stay on during rain, through tears, or even a hard workout. It’s also water-resistant and long-lasting, allowing both precise and smudged lines due to the smudger tip. Get it directly from Lancôme!
This white eyeliner is the winner because the formula is long-lasting with up to 36 hours of wear, glides on smoothly as butter, and has an affordable price point at $8.99. This bold color is sure to make your eyes pop. It’s a gel pencil that delivers ultra-precise lines. Pick it up online on Amazon, or Ulta!
Tom Ford’s white eyeliner has a rich color payoff and all-day staying power. Keep in mind, Tom Ford’s iconic look is a smudgy smokey eye, so while this white pencil does last all day, it can be smudged easily during application. You can find it for sale at Net-a-Porter.
The Morphe liquid white eyeliner applies well over eyeshadow and has a smooth application. It delivers a semi-matte color that’s waterproof, long-lasting, smudge-, flake-, and transfer-proof. However, it is important to note that some customers have had issues with flakiness during the day. Pick it up from Ulta!
A 2-in-1 product, this is the best space-saving white eyeliner. Formulated specifically to work on the waterline to eliminate redness and brighten up the eye, this product reduces signs of fatigue while giving instant radiance to the eyes. While one end is a creamy waterline pencil liner, the other one is a shimmering powder eyeshadow you can use on the brow bone, inner corners of the eyes, and the lash line to create brightening, light-reflecting looks. Grab it at Nordstrom!
How to Choose the Best White Eyeliner for You?
From liquid liners, retractable, and original pencil liners to matte and glossy finishes, it can be hard to know which white eyeliner is best for you. But never fear, we are here to help!
There are four major types of white eyeliner that we will break down for this article:
- Liquid Liner: Liquid liners are great for getting precise, sharp lines, especially for styles like winged lines. Liquid white eyeliners shouldn’t be used at the waterline but are great for a stylish white graphic liner, rather than the traditional black one, for a unique look. As an extra perk, liquid liners are typically long-lasting and waterproof.
- Retractable/ Twistable Pencil: A great option for the waterline, retractable white eye pencils self-sharpen. They are plastic and typically have an area to twist at the bottom of the product, which raises up more product.
- Original Pencil: Original white pencil eyeliners are a classic that requires sharpening after a few wears. Textures of the original eye pencils are typically smooth, but not too creamy because they have to hold up to being sharpened.
- Gel Liner: This type of white eyeliner either comes in a small jar that requires a makeup brush for application or is a pencil eyeliner with a gel texture. If you are dealing with the former, it’s great for creating some artistic looks but doesn’t work on the waterline.
Luckily there are only two major shades to consider when purchasing your white eyeliner.
- Matte White: The majority of white eye pencils on the market, and on our list, are going to be matte white. Matte white is perfect on the waterline and looks great for most makeup styles. It also is an excellent choice for making your eyes look bigger.
- Glossy or Frosted White: There are a few white eyeliners on the market that have some sparkle, shimmer, and shine to them. These are a great choice for a night on the town, as they are more glamorous than the matte white. However, they typically won’t be utilized for an everyday look.
How to Use White Eyeliner?
There are a few options on placement when using white eyeliner. The most popular way is to make your eyes look bigger and brighter by using white eyeliner on your lower waterline (this is the space on your eyelid above your lower lash line and closest to your eyeball). This widens the appearance of the eyes and also make you look more awake! It is important to note that while some product may get into the eye, most reputable brands are safe for the eyes if small amounts transfer.
If you’ve never used liner in your waterline, it can seem overwhelming, but it is actually a very simple technique. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
- After applying eyeshadow, but before mascara, gently pull down on your lower lid with your finger to expose the waterline more.
- Hold the white eyeliner gently in your other hand and start applying the eye pencil from the outer into the inner corner. You may need to do a couple of strokes to get the best pigmentation and take breaks to blink as needed.
- Clean up the line with a Q-tip if required, and finish off with mascara.
Here are a few more ways to try out white eyeliner:
- White eyeliner can also be used to create a wing or around the eyelashes for a fun and dazzling unexpected look.
- Double up and layer your usual black liner with a white liner on top, best achieved with liquid eyeliners.
- Another fun look is to use white eyeliner as a brightening and highlighting product by using it in the inner corner of the eye and along the underneath of the brow.
- Applying white eye pencil in a swipe above the crease allows for an avant-garde look.
- Out of primer? You can even use white eyeliner on your lid to replace your eyeshadow primer and make your eyeshadow looks brighter and bolder.
Voila! You’re done. With these simple application techniques and our tips for finding the best white eyeliner, you will have brighter eyes in no time!
Photos via @pinkishpiendel, Instagram