The best white eyeliner holds the key to a retro, mod look or brighter, perkier eyes.
There are a lot of white eyeliners available, some are pricey and some are bargains from the drugstore, but where do you start? Right here. Below, we list out top picks:
- Best Overall: Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Chroma Stix
- Best Budget: Essence Kajal Eye Pencil
- Best Liquid: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in White
- Best Gel: Morphe 2 Always Online Gel Eyeliner
- Best Fast-Drying: Lime Crime Venus Pigmented Liquid Liner
- Best for Waterline: Tarte Fake Awake Eyeliner
- Best Shimmery: Fenty Beauty Flypencil Longwear Pencil Eyeliner in Bad Bride
- Best Fine-Tipped: ColourPop BFF Ultra Fine Liquid Liner
- Best Drugstore: Maybelline New York Tattoo Studio Waterproof Eyeliner in Polished White
- Best Pearlescent: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil
- Best Long-Wear: NYX Professional Makeup Retractable Eyeliner in White
- Best Brightening: Makeup By Mario Master Mattes Brightening Eye Pencil
- Best Shadow Stick: About-Face Shadowstick
- Best Nude: Charlotte Tilbury Rock N Kohl Liquid Eye Pencil in Eye Cheat
- Best Kohl Eyeliner: r.e.m. beauty At The Borderline Kohl Eyeliner Pencil
White eyeliner is not particularly novel, but the multipurpose cosmetic is currently popular. You can apply it to your upper or lower waterline to enlarge your eyes or use a liquid formula to give your eyes the appearance of having wings.
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Best White Eyeliner Reviews in 2023
Best Overall: Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Chroma Stix
What We Like
- Highly pigmented
- Long-lasting
- Waterproof
What We Don’t Like
- Contains PEGs
Although most people concur that Anastasia Beverly Hills is the king of eyebrow products, the company also holds the throne in the long-wear eyeliner market. Even in the white shade, this twist-up pencil is extremely pigmented and provides professional-level results for up to eight hours.
The waterproof formula applies oh-so-smoothly and resists fading, smearing, and smearing throughout the day. Want something a little more understated for your tear ducts or waterline? Pick the apricot nude color.
Best Budget: Essence Kajal Eye Pencil
What We Like
- Affordable
- User-friendly
- Long-lasting
What We Don’t Like
- May smudge on oily skin
You won’t be disappointed if you’re on a tight budget with this eye pencil. Remember that oilier skin types are more likely to experience smudging with the white shade because of how smoothly and pigmented it applies.
Best Liquid: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in White
What We Like
- Award-winning product
- Precision tip
- Dries quickly
What We Don’t Like
- Hard to remove
Stila is the best option if you prefer liquid liners. Thanks to its ultra-fine, marker-like tip and smooth-gliding formula that dries quickly without smudging, this award-winning product is easier to use than most in its category.
Best Gel: Morphe 2 Always Online Gel Eyeliner
What We Like
- Affordable
- Long-lasting
- Transfer-proof
What We Don’t Like
- Nothing
We also enjoy Morphe 2. While being creamy and blendable, this twist-up gel eyeliner is also durable. Additionally, it is waterproof, so you won’t have to worry for up to eight hours about smears or transfers.
Best Fast-Drying: Lime Crime Venus Pigmented Liquid Liner
What We Like
- Highly pigmented
- Long-lasting
- Transfer-resistant
What We Don’t Like
- Not beginner-friendly
“I recommend a long-lasting liquid formula that won’t flake, like Lime Crime Venus,” says Dorman’s Baby’s Breath shade dries incredibly quickly without transferring and has an ultra-matte finish in a true white.
Best for Waterline: Tarte Fake Awake Eyeliner
What We Like
- Dual-ended
- Makes eyes look bigger
- Neutralizes redness
What We Don’t Like
- Not long-lasting
To help make your eyes appear larger, apply white eyeliner along the waterline. In light of this, Tarte Fake Awake is a matte neutralizer that brightens the whites of your eyes while also balancing out redness.
Best Shimmery: Fenty Beauty Flypencil Longwear Pencil Eyeliner in Bad Bride
What We Like
- Goes on smooth
- Long-lasting
- Water-resistant
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey
Choose Fenty’s Flypencil if you’re in the mood for something a little more posh. A very pigmented white with a hint of silver glitter is the Bad Bride shade.
Additionally, the twist-up design is simple to use and the gel-like formula glides without pulling or dragging on your lids.
Best Fine-Tipped: ColourPop BFF Ultra Fine Liquid Liner
What We Like
- Affordable
- Highly pigmented
- Transfer-resistant
What We Don’t Like
- Hard to remove
White eyeliner can be used as a backdrop for jewels à la Euphoria-style eye makeup.
If you like this look, ColourPop BFF is, well, your new best friend. It’s got an ultra-fine felt tip for easy lines, dots, and wings, and you can expect intense pigmentation in a single swipe.
Best Drugstore: Maybelline New York Tattoo Studio Waterproof Eyeliner in Polished White
What We Like
- Affordable
- Waterproof
- Long-lasting
What We Don’t Like
- Prone to smudging
We’re all about Maybelline TattooStudio, a drugstore brand. With no smudging, fading, or smearing for up to 36 hours, this waterproof eyeliner delivers results that seem permanent, as the name suggests.
Best Pearlescent: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil
What We Like
- Award-winning product
- Waterproof
- Long-lasting
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey
This eyeliner’s award-winning Yeyo shade, which is metallic and shimmery, creates a gorgeous pearlescent effect. The waterproof gel’s ultra-smooth application and all-day (or night) wear are qualities we appreciate.
Best Long-Wear: NYX Professional Makeup Retractable Eyeliner in White
What We Like
- Affordable
- Smudge-proof
- Humidity-resistant
What We Don’t Like
- Hard to remove
This retractable eyeliner claims to endure for hours on end without smudging or transferring, holding up in warm, muggy environments. In essence, it persists for however long you want it to and might even fight you off when you finally try to take it off.
Best Brightening: Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Brightening Eye Pencil
What We Like
- Versatile
- Universally flattering
- Makes eyes look bigger
What We Don’t Like
- Requires sharpening
This Makeup By Mario naked eye pencil is another item we adore. It’s a go-to for enhancing the appearance of your eyes without overtly changing their color.
It can be applied to the waterline, tear ducts, inner eye rims, or beneath the brow bone for a lifted, highlighted appearance.
Best Shadow Stick: About-Face Shadowstick
What We Like
- Highly pigmented
- Blendable
- Versatile
What We Don’t Like
- Sells out quickly
- Contains BHT
The multipurpose eye product you didn’t know you needed is this hybrid liner-shadow from Halsey’s cosmetics line About-Face. It lasts for at least 10 hours, blends seamlessly, and offers impressive pigment in a single stroke.
Best Nude: Charlotte Tilbury Rock N Kohl Liquid Eye Pencil in Eye Cheat
What We Like
- Universally flattering
- Makes eyes look bigger
- Long-lasting
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey
- Contains PEGs
Use eyeliner that is either the same shade as your waterline naturally or just a touch brighter for a bare-skin but better look. For the appearance of wider, brighter eyes that last for up to 14 hours, we like Charlotte Tilbury’s Eye Cheat shade.
Best Kohl Eyeliner: R.e.m. Beauty at the Borderline Kohl Eyeliner Pencil
What We Like
- Intensely pigmented
What We Don’t Like
- None
There are only three colors available for this kohl liner from Ariana Grande’s cosmetics line—black, brown, and white—and they’re all must-haves.
What Does White Eyeliner Do?
White eyeliner can make your eyes appear bigger and more wide-awake when it is used along the waterline. If you’re using the liner to impart this effect, make sure you’re working with a soft formula to prevent any pulling, tugging, or scratching at the sensitive area.
White eyeliner can also be applied as a graphic effect along your upper lashes to make them stand out or as a base for eyeshadow to give bright and neon shades a truer color payoff.
Read More: How to Use White Eyeliner to Make Eyes Bigger?
What to Look for in White Eyeliner
Color Payoff
Delina Medhin, a makeup artist, advises using eyeliner that is either slightly brighter or matches the color of your waterline naturally.
This might entail sticking to your natural skin tone for fair skin tones, while darker skin tones might favor a nude or neutral shade. For a more natural appearance, being naked can also look great. The eyeliner will pop more, however, the whiter it is, regardless of your skin tone. So choose wisely.
Staying Power
Do you need something that won’t break or get wet?
Or do you prefer a creamier formula that won’t run out too quickly so you can get through the day? Whichever you choose, most products clearly state their level of water resistance and durability so you can choose what will work best for you.
Ingredients
Not all eyeliners are created equal. Look for products that are safe to use and prioritize those that aren’t made with animal testing in mind.
Make sure your eyeliner has been dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested for safety with contacts and non-irritating properties if you have sensitive skin or eyes.
Consistency
The functions of gel, liquid, and cream eyeliner formulations vary. While cream and kohl formulas blend subtly for a natural look, liquids can be great for drawing precise lines but are frequently too difficult for the waterline.
Gel eyeliners frequently perform better when smudging and producing smoky eyes. For beginners, we suggest gel for its ease of application because it only takes a little bit of experimentation to understand the differences between the types.
Final Verdict on Best White Eyeliner
The Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Chroma Stix in the shade White is our top pick; it’s a twist-up pencil with incredibly pigmented, easily applied, smudge-proof results.
Fenty Beauty Flypencil Longwear Pencil Eyeliner in Bad Bride is a great choice if you want to add some sparkle.
FAQs
Is White Eyeliner in Style 2023?
You can also use white for more whimsical eyeliner looks—the white dot trend was even one of Google’s top trending searches for 2023.
How Do Asians Use White Eyeliner?
You can use the white eyeliner to line your waterline to instantly lift your eyes and make them appear bigger.
Why Should I Use White Eyeliner?
White eyeliner is a makeup artist trick for brightening up the face and making your eyes look bigger and more awake, particularly when used on the bottom waterline.
