Every Type of Eyeliner and How to Use Them

24.07.2026, 05:41 allure.com

It’s kind of amazing how the tiniest differences between the eyeliners in your makeup kit can completely alter not only your application experience but also your finished look. If you’ve ever attempted to fill in your waterline with a felt-tip liquid liner, you get it. Or maybe you don’t get it—and that’s okay, too. Eyeliner can be a wildly confusing category that leaves many of us too intimidated to try certain formulas or not make the most of the ones we regularly use.

Once you understand what each eyeliner format does best, it becomes less about perfect technique (though that doesn’t hurt) and more about choosing the right one for the look you want to create. To help break the eyeliner code, we turned to makeup artists who use all of these formulas professionally, so you can figure out how the different types fit into your personal makeup style, your skill level, and your comfort zone.

We’re getting to the bottom of the most malleable type of pencil, the longest-wearing way to tightline, the easiest way to achieve precise graphic looks, and more. Here’s exactly what every type of eyeliner does best and how to use them like a pro.

Raise your hand if traditional pencil eyeliner was your gateway into the world of eye makeup. I’m typing this sentence with one hand because I’m raising the other. It’s one of the most beginner-friendly formats because it offers control without demanding strict precision, which is why so many people keep using it decades beyond their earliest eyeliner attempts.

“A traditional pencil is usually a little firmer and more forgiving, which makes it great for beginners or anyone who wants soft definition without committing to a super-sharp line,” says Rose Siard, a Houston-based makeup artist, founder of Rose & Ben Beauty, and the Allure Readers’ Choice Award winner for favorite beauty creator. She favors the Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil because "it’s pigmented, blendable, and works really well when you want control without harshness."

Compared with softer formulas like kohl or gel (stay tuned for those), traditional pencils are firmer with a little more tug (a good one doesn’t have too much, though), which allows you to build intensity instead of instantly plopping on a bold stripe. Christian Briceno, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles, explains that this grip is exactly what makes them useful professionally: “I like that resistance because it lets me apply the definition gradually rather than deposit a heavy line all at once.”

Unlike liquid formulas, which have a more high-impact finish, traditional pencils tend to look more blended. Even a deep black pencil can feel softer and more natural because the pigment doesn’t sit as sharply on top of the skin.

Traditional pencil eyeliner is quite the multitasker. It’s ideal for everyday lash line definition, subtly filling gaps between lashes, softly extending the outer corner, or creating the first layer of a smoky eye—if you act fast. “While it is smudge-capable, you just need to be a bit quicker to do so, as it will dry down to lock into place,” says Steve Kassajikian, makeup artist and director of global artistry at Urban Decay.

Siard likes using these pencils to “lightly map out a wing” before committing to a stronger shape, while Briceno reaches for them when he wants definition that feels effortless rather than obviously drawn on. “This is also one of my favorite formulas for textured lids,” Briceno says. Because you can work in small sections and soften the line, you have more flexibility than you would with a fast-drying liquid.

The biggest mistake beginners make with pencil eyeliner is attempting to draw one flawless, uninterrupted stroke from the inner corner to the outer corner. “My biggest tip is to use short strokes instead of trying to draw one perfect line,” Siard says.

For a natural, lash-enhancing effect, Briceno suggests pressing the pencil directly into the roots of your lashes rather than drawing a thick line above them. Concentrate the deepest intensity at the outer third of the eye and gradually lighten the pressure as you move inward.

Both Siard and Briceno say that a pencil that feels a little too sharp can be softened a bit on the back of your hand. “You still get precision without the pencil scratching or catching,” says Briceno, who’s a fan of Mineral Fusion Eye Pencil for its balance of smoothness and control.

If a traditional pencil is your everyday definition tool, kohl and kajal, which have roots in ancient Egypt and are widely used in South Asia and the Middle East, are the pencils you reach for when you want your eyeliner to feel smokier and a little bit more dramatic. “Kohl is richer, softer, and more generous with pigment,” says Briceno. “It is designed to move, which is why it creates that smoked, slightly lived-in effect so well.”

Kohl and kajal pencils (kajal is the Hindustani word for kohl) are all about intentional smudging. “If you want to do a smoky eye, this would be your best bet,” says Tiesha Williams, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles. Their blendable creaminess is what makes them perfect for creating that blurred eyeliner look, but also why it calls for a lighter touch.

It’s worth noting that when you buy a kajal or kohl pencil in the US, you’re not using the actual ingredient kohl. “Actual kohl is banned because of high heavy metal levels,” says cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos, who adds that it’s unsafe in the eye area. “But the use as a marketing term ‘kohl’ is okay as long as no actual kohl is used.” So when you’re using a kajal or kohl pencil, it’s been formulated to mimic the smudginess of the traditional crushed minerals, unlike other formulas that set more quickly.

Kohl and kajal pencils are made for looks that don’t require a perfectly crisp edge. Use it to create a smoky eye, as Williams mentioned, create a smudged wing, or even add a wash of color across the lid. Pressed between the upper lashes, it can also make lashes appear fuller without leaving an obvious line.

Unlike liquid liner that announces exactly where the line begins and ends, kohl and kajal create dimension that feels more diffused. Briceno loves Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner when he wants the eyes to feel “sensual rather than precise” because the formula gives you time to shape and smoke it without feeling greasy or unstable.

Victoria Beckham Beauty

Nordstrom

Bluemercury

Because kohl formulas are softer, resist the urge to press hard. “Be gentle when using kohl because the creamy, buttery texture makes it delicate and easy to break during application,” says Williams, who likes to use Black Radiance Eye Appeal Blending Kohl because its built-in smudger tip makes it easy to create a smoldering effect. Instead, build the intensity in layers, starting at the outer corner, where you want the most depth, and blend inward. Applying too much product across the entire eye at once can make the shape harder to control.

For the waterline, Briceno recommends applying one layer and letting the eye blink before adding more. That allows the pigment to transfer subtly into the lashes for a softer, more natural-looking finish.

Think of a gel pencil as the middle ground between a traditional pencil and a liquid liner, combining convenience with staying power. “A gel pencil gives you the ease of a pencil with more payoff and wear time,” says Siard. “It usually glides on creamier, then sets, so you get a little playtime before it locks in.”

“Gels are more versatile as, unlike liquid, they don’t require as steady a hand and can be blurred and smudged or sharp and graphic,” says Kassajikian, who adds that they’re generally waterproof. Although it can feel soft like kohl and kajal, which are designed to stay smudgeable, gel pencil typically dries down and holds its shape after you’ve blended it (if that’s what you choose to do).

Gel pencils are truly do-it-alls, ideal when you want any kind of definition that’s built to last. Williams particularly loves them for applications where durability matters, such as bridal makeup or television and film. “These are great for those waterproof-necessary moments,” she says.

They’re especially useful for tightlining, lining the waterline, creating smoky eyes that won’t disappear halfway through the day, and adding intensity along the lash line. Briceno says gel pencils are also a foolproof way to introduce color. “Navy, bronze, aubergine, or forest green can be worked into the lashes and still read as almost neutral,” he says.

Urban Decay

Amazon

Ulta Beauty

Sephora

Gel pencils give you a limited window of time to blend, and once they set, they’re staying put. “Work in small sections. Gel pencils can set quickly, so line, blend, then move on,” Siard advises. If you want a softer finish, smudge immediately with a small brush before the formula dries. Siard really appreciates the Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Stick Retractable Liner for this: It wears beautifully once it sets, but it’s still incredibly easy to work with during application, thanks in part to its built-in brush. For a sharper wing, however, Siard suggests using a bent liner brush like her own Rose and Ben Beauty E26 to refine the outer edge.

You may already know how clutch gel pencils come in for lasting waterline coverage, but for even more long-wearing intensity, Briceno suggests gently blotting away excess moisture with a clean cotton swab before applying the liner. The pigment will apply more evenly and usually last longer. He loves Lancôme Drama Liqui-Pencil for this purpose, saying, “I especially like it on the waterline and through the outer lashes, where I want strong pigment without forcing the eye into a hard graphic shape.”

“Gel pot liners are creamy and highly pigmented, with a formula that glides on smoothly for easy, precise application with a brush,” says Brenda Orduno, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist and senior product developer at Beauty Creations Cosmetics. The format gives you the clean, bold finish of a liq