The 16 Best Lip Liners for Defined, Plump-Looking Lips (We Swear By Them) (2024)

Our Top Picks

Number of Shades: 23 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Out of all the lip liners we tested, we’re crowning this one our favorite. It’s also a favorite of celebrity makeup artist Kelli Anne Sewell—she loves the shade Travis for a cool nude that works on a range of skin tones. It’s available in a wide range of colors that includes a host of nude options as well as fun pops of color. Each liner comes with a sharpener and the somewhat stiff formula is conducive to getting it sharp for the ultimate precision. It boasts an opaque color payoff that’s buildable and it layers beautifully under lipstick, lip balm, and lip gloss.

The formula strikes the ideal balance between creamy and stiff. It’s not so creamy that it slips and slides around, preventing you from lining your lips with accuracy, but it’s not so stiff that it skips or tugs on your lips. It’s easy to apply, prevents lipstick from bleeding, and stays put nicely. It’s not as long-wearing as some options on this list, as it will fade while eating and drinking, but it also doesn’t have the heaviness that some waterproof and budge-proof options do. It’s a fantastic product all around, and given that anyone can find a shade (or several) that works for them, we can’t recommend it enough.

Number of Shades: 19 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat is really as good as people say it is. With a creamy (but not overly creamy) consistency, it glides effortlessly onto your lips, creating soft definition and a beautiful base for lipstick or lip gloss. It has a natural matte finish that never looks or feels heavy or dry, and once it sets, it lasts nicely for a few hours without needing to touch up. We also appreciate that it comes in tons of gorgeous shades, though we do wish the brand would expand the neutral offering—most shades in the range lean very pink or red.

If you’re looking for an easy-to-work-with formula that’s comfortable and wears well throughout the day, this one is a great choice.

Read our full review: I Tried Charlotte Tilbury's Lip Cheat Lip Liner And Instantly Fell In Love

Number of Shades: 8 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re looking for a lip pencil at a super affordable price, we recommend this one from Milani. It has a stiff—but not overly dry—formula that makes it easy to sharpen to a fine point. Because it’s not too soft or creamy, you can use pressure while applying it without worrying that the tip will break off or the pencil will slip while you’re lining your lips.

Once applied, it sets down to a completely matte finish that locks in place and won't budge (unless you’re eating and drinking). We do wish it came in more shades, especially nudes, but if you find a color that speaks to you, we think you’ll be pleased with the performance.

Number of Shades: 7 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Victoria Beckham’s products are stunning and luxurious, so if you’re in the market to splurge on a high-end lip liner, this one is a great option. It offers an easy-to-use formula that’s neither too creamy nor too dry which allows for controlled application. The pencil is stiff enough to sharpen to a fine point, though it’s not so dry or chalky that it skips on the lips.

It has buildable pigmentation that looks natural with one layer and more full-glam with two layers, and we appreciated that it faded gradually and evenly throughout the day. Our one con with this one is that it only comes in seven shades, but if you can find a shade you love, we think it’s worth the splurge.

Number of Shades: 42 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

ColourPop’s range of liner colors is truly something to behold. Available in a whopping 42 shades, this formula is soft, creamy, and incredibly easy to swipe on. It’s a bit too soft to get super-precise, thin lines, but it’s excellent for casual makeup looks and re-applying throughout the day thanks to the malleable formula.

We did find that it faded significantly while eating and drinking, but because it’s so effortless to apply, we didn’t mind touching it up. We love that colors are fully opaque and the finish is a soft matte. Whether you’re looking for your go-to nude or you want to experiment with color without splurging on a pricey product, this is a great option to consider.

Number of Shades: 21 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Eating and drinking will cause almost all lip products to fade at least a little bit, that’s just the reality. However, out of all the options we tested, this one held up the best during meals and throughout the day. In addition to its impressive wear, we loved that the creamy formula was easy to apply and didn’t make the lips feel dry. We also didn’t experience any bleeding or feathering with this one.

It’s available in 21 shades that offer impressive color payoff, and we appreciate that the formula is buildable. It’s not ideal for super-precise application due to the creamy formula, but it’s a great option if you’re looking for something with longevity.

Number of Shades: 10 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This is one of our favorite everyday lip liners to just throw in your bag and go. It comes in 10 neutral shades that range in depth and undertone, and the soft, smooth formula is effortless to apply. Once it sets, it wears nicely for a few hours without needing to touch up.

We love that it’s a twist-up pencil so it’s great for using on the go since you don’t need to sharpen it, though because of this, the tip is dull and not ideal for creating sharp lines. The opposite end of the pencil comes with a mini sharpener, but it’s so small that it’s a bit finicky and hard to use.

Number of Shades: 22 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We love this lip liner from Anastasia Beverly Hills and highly recommend it, especially if you like contouring your lips or using a liner to give you some serious definition. It has a stiff formula that can be sharpened to a very fine point, and because it’s not too soft, the fine point doesn’t flatten right as you begin using it. But don’t worry, the formula isn’t drying and doesn’t drag on your lips—it somehow remains very smooth and easy to apply.

It gives an opaque color payoff in one or two swipes, and the thin formula layers seamlessly underneath lipstick or your go-to gloss. We wish it was a bit more long-wearing—it does fade significantly when eating and drinking—but we feel the pros far outweigh the cons.

Number of Shades: 19 | Cruelty-Free: No

The drugstore is home to some great lip products, and this is one of them. Available in 19 shades—an impressive range, especially for a drugstore product—it offers rich color payoff, a smooth and creamy formula, and impressive transfer resistance. It’s a narrow, twist-up pencil that creates decent precision, and it has a small sharpener on the opposite end of the pencil.

It feels comfortable on the lips and we were impressed that there was very little transfer when eating and drinking. We did find that the color faded after just a few hours, but given the affordability, impressive shade range, and comfortable texture, it’s not a dealbreaker for us.

Number of Shades: 24 | Cruelty-Free: No

If you’re looking for a lip liner that will withstand mealtime (when most lip products rub off), look no further than this one from Pat McGrath Labs. It offers a one-swipe color payoff, a smooth texture that glides on like butter, and a transfer-resistant formula that truly stays in place. It’s creamy but not too soft, making it possible to achieve crisp lines, and we give it bonus points for coming with a sharpener.

While we love that the formula is offered in 24 shades, we find that a lot of the neutral shades lean very warm in tone, so we wish the brand would expand the neutral offering. But if you enjoy the color options, you’ll be quite pleased with the performance.

Number of Shades: 28 | Cruelty-Free: No

MAC lip liners have been a staple for many years, and while we think some more recent formulas are better for everyday wear, thanks to softer, more forgiving textures, this iconic pencil is excellent for pairing with bold lipstick. The texture is pretty stiff and a bit dry which does a nice job of preventing your lipstick from feathering or bleeding outside of your lip lines. It also grips the product nicely, enhancing the longevity of your lip color.

Not only is it primed for extending the wear of your lipstick, but the stiff formula is also ideal for creating precise lines—if you’ve been wanting to sport a chic red lip, pair it with this liner from MAC.

Number of Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Those looking to achieve a plumper-looking lips sans lip injections should try pairing this lip liner with a lip-plumping gloss. The liner calls on capsicum fruit (bell pepper) extract to plump the lips and create a tingling sensation. During testing, we found that it actually did give our lips a subtly more full appearance.

Aside from the plumping component, we enjoyed that the formula was smooth and creamy and lasted beautifully while eating and drinking. It offers full opacity in one swipe and layers nicely underneath lipstick and lip gloss. We wish the shade range was more expansive and we think the tingling sensation could be a bit too intense for some people, but if you like to feel a product “working” and plumping is your goal, we highly recommend giving this one a go.

Number of Shades: 3 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Multi-purpose beauty products are great for those who prefer maintaining a minimalist beauty routine. This lip liner from Tower 28 is also suitable for use on the eyes and cheeks, so we think it’s the perfect linter to have in your bag. The formula is soft and hydrating thanks to shea butter and marula oil, and we loved how pigmented it was and how smoothly it applied. Because it’s a pretty creamy pencil, it’s not great for precision, but it’s awesome for creating soft definition on the face. It has a soft matte finish and wears nicely for a couple of hours before needing to re-apply. Our biggest con with this one is that it only comes in three shades—we’d love to see the brand expand upon the color selection.

Number of Shades: 5 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Sometimes the beauty industry can feel like a revolving door of the same old products. That’s why we love to see brands get truly innovative, and Sacheu did that with this cool lip liner stain. It comes in what looks like a lip gloss tube with a doe-foot applicator. However, you apply it to the outline of your clean, exfoliated lips (or all over for a uniform stain), let it dry for up to 20 minutes, and then gently peel it off with your fingertips to reveal the stain.

It works as promised—we found the application process to be relatively simple, though it’s not ideal for precise application since it’s not actually a pencil. The formula is tacky as you apply it, so it can get a bit messy, but we think with some practice most people could master it. Once we peeled away the product, we were left with a nice stain that lasted for about five hours. It’s a fun and different product that would be nice for special occasions when you have the time to apply it and want a stain, though it’s not ideal for everyday use since the entire process is a bit time-consuming.

Number of Shades: 9 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Though twist-up pencils aren’t ideal for creating crisp lines because they are not easy (sometimes even impossible) to sharpen, they are great for keeping on you since they don’t require a sharpener. We were impressed by how well this one performed. The texture is creamy and smooth—it glided on effortlessly, creating an even and soft-looking line.

It didn’t bleed or feather throughout the day, and we appreciated that it faded very gracefully without getting patchy. It took about five minutes to fully set down, but once it did, it was pretty transfer-resistant. And although there are only 10 shades in the line, there are nice options for a wide range of skin tones.

Number of Shades: 11 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

A lot of lip liners can feel stiff, heavy, or drying on the lips, but this one from Tarte is nothing of the sort. It boasts a silky-smooth formula that feels subtly hydrating, thanks to the inclusion of maracuja (passionfruit), hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E in the formula.

It offers a one-swipe color payoff, glides onto the lips with ease, and remains comfortable all day long. It did transfer significantly while eating and drinking, but because it’s so weightless and smooth, it’s painless to re-apply. And we found that it lasted well with minimal fading when we weren’t eating and drinking.

FAQ

• How do you apply lip liner?

  “Prior to lining your lips, I would do your full face of makeup while you have on a lip conditioning mask,” says Sewell. “A mask will help plump and hydrate your lips before applying the product. Right before you do your lips, I would wipe off the mask to ensure they're dry—that way the lip liner will adhere better to the lips. Then, accent the outer edges of the lips, or for a more long-lasting look, outline the entire lip before adding any other [lip] products.”

• How do you make your lip liner last?

  Mellinger says to look for formulas that claim to be long-wearing and waterproof as those tend to have better longevity. Sewell adds that your prep can also help increase the wear. She advises making sure there’s no lip balm residue left on your lips (they should be dry to the touch) and then adding a layer of translucent powder to your lips before applying the liner.

• How do you achieve a fuller-looking lip with lip liner?

  If you’re looking to achieve fuller-looking lips, Mellinger suggests overdrawing just the center of your lips and then tapering that line into your natural lip line towards the corners. “This gives just enough depth without it looking over the top,” she says.