Pencil vs Gel vs Liquid Eyeliner: Key Differences

Pencil vs gel vs liquid eyeliner is really a question about the kind of line you want. All three define the eyes, but they differ in how sharp the line is, how long you have to correct it and how long it stays. Many people end up owning two: one soft, one precise.

The three types at a glance

Pencil eyeliner

Pencils come as wooden sharpen-up pencils or twist-up sticks.

• Kohl pencils are soft and smudge easily. They are good for smoky looks.
• Long-wear and waterproof pencils glide on and then set.
• Good for: a quick line along the lashes, a softly smudged look, practicing shapes.
• Tips: warm the tip on the back of your hand, draw in short strokes, and set with a matching eyeshadow to make it last.

Gel eyeliner

Gel liner comes in a small pot, or as a gel pencil.

• Texture: creamy and highly pigmented.
• Good for: wings, bold lines and looks that need to last all day.
• Tips: wipe excess off the brush, use the flat side of an angled brush to stamp the line on, and close the pot firmly, because gel dries out. Wash the brush after each use.

Liquid eyeliner

Liquid liner comes with a fine brush tip or a felt-tip pen.

• Finish: the sharpest and most opaque, from matte to glossy.
• Good for: precise wings and thin, clean lines.
• Tips: steady your elbow, draw short dashes and join them, and store pens tip-down so that the tip stays wet.

How to Apply Winged Eyeliner for Beginners shows how to draw a wing with any of them.

Which should you choose?

• You are new to eyeliner: a soft pencil.
• You want a smoky, lived-in look: a kohl pencil, smudged. See Smoky Eye Makeup: A Simple Step-by-Step Tutorial.
• You want a sharp wing: a liquid pen, or gel with an angled brush.
• Your liner smudges on oily lids: a waterproof gel or liquid.
• Your eyes water or you wear contact lenses: a long-wear formula, kept on the skin outside the lash line.
• You have little time: a twist-up pencil.

Colors

Black gives the most contrast. Brown is softer for daytime and for fair coloring. Navy, plum and deep green add color without looking bright. A nude or cream pencil on the lower inner rim is sometimes used to make eyes look more open, though any product placed inside the lash line needs extra care, as explained below.

Other formats

• Cake liner is a pressed powder used with a damp brush. It is easy to build.
• Eyeshadow as liner gives the softest effect and suits beginners.
• Liner stamps and stencils help with wings but suit some eye shapes better than others.

Safety and hygiene

• Keep eyeliner on the skin outside the lash line where possible. Lining the inner rim places product close to the eye and can let bacteria in.
• Sharpen pencils regularly. It gives a fresh surface.
• Never share eyeliner.
• Do not add water or saliva to a dried-out liner. Replace it.
• Be cautious with traditional kohl, kajal or surma bought from unregulated sources. Some have been found to contain lead.
• Stop using any product that causes redness, itching or swelling.

Liquid and gel liners generally last three to six months once opened. Pencils last longer, because sharpening removes the surface. Makeup Hygiene: How to Store and Handle Products covers storage and hygiene for all makeup.

Removing it

Long-wear and waterproof formulas need an oil-based or dual-phase remover. Press a soaked pad on the closed eye for a few seconds before wiping. See How to Remove Eye Makeup Gently. For a first complete eye look, see Eye Makeup for Beginners: Easy Steps to Follow.

Related on ArniSun

• How to Apply Winged Eyeliner for Beginners
• Eye Makeup for Beginners: Easy Steps to Follow
• Smoky Eye Makeup: A Simple Step-by-Step Tutorial
• How to Remove Eye Makeup Gently
• Makeup Hygiene: How to Store and Handle Products

Sources and further reading

• US Food and Drug Administration: Eye cosmetic safety