18 best lip liners that shape and define for a smudge-free pout

It was an incredibly tough choice, but with the discount, Huda is our best pick. Firstly, we do prefer the twist-up options to the classic pencils, for ease of use – if you’ve ever been on holiday and found a blunt lip pencil in your make-up bag with no sharpener in sight, you’ll know it’s a bummer. Secondly, it has a very strong pigment, is easy to apply and has little to no transfer, while lasting a good seven to nine hours. It’s slightly larger than some other options, which made it easier to hold, and it even had a handy mini sharpener in its base to keep that tip nice and pointy. With lip balm layered on top, it was a real standout star, and soybean and licorice helped keep the pout nice and plump.

At just £1, this Essence lip liner is an absolute bargain. Cheap and cheerful, it ticked every box for a fuss-free lip liner. However, in a classic pencil format, it does need to be sharpened every now and again.

In a medium softness, it was easy to apply and left quite a precise line, but we did go over it a couple of times to get a stronger pigment, which lasted for around four hours before we needed to re-apply. Although it has an impressive 28 shades, we would love to see the colour range expand into some brighter tones, so everyone can benefit from such a bargain.

A classic pencil, this liner was on the firmer side than some of our other options, meaning it gave a very crisp, fine line when kept sharp. Thanks to quite a long tip, it can also be used to quickly colour full lips when pressed on its side. The pigment can’t be faulted, as one layer was enough to give a great pop of colour.

With avocado oil and hyaluronic acid, it wasn’t drying and had a silky finish our tester fell in love with, while smoothing out the fine lip lines for a fuller-looking pout too. It didn’t last quite as long as some of the other options, but our tester got a good four hours’ worth of full colour before having to top up.

Overlining lips can go one of two ways: you’ll either end up with a plump pout ready to rival any Kardashian, or be left with a clown-like grin – may the odds be in your favour for the former. Luckily, this Mac liner can help. Ultra-precise, its thin pencil tip can cover any area, whether that’s your actual lip or around the edge, to give a seamless colour that blends and pops. The pigment is incredibly strong and, even though it did transfer, it stayed strong and vibrant all day.

At just £2, we were blown away with this lip pencil. The pigment is fantastic, it’s easy to apply and can give a crisp, fine line as well as filling in. Infused with nourishing vitamin E and coconut oil, it’s not drying and leaves a shiny finish that would rival any lipstick. It does transfer, so be sure to top up at around three to four hours. But, for anyone after a bold red on a budget, this may be the one for you.

Our tester was very sceptical of this colour, usually opting for pale pinks or light-skin nudes, but this really surprised us. With pinky undertones, it’s not your regular brown lip colour and can flatter a whole range of skin tones, making it quite the versatile pick. More like a lipstick, it is soft, so doesn’t create the crispest line, but does keep its point quite well and gives a great shiny finish that feels hydrating. It does transfer, but due to the strong pigment, the colour lasted for hours even if its shine was dulled.

You may not have heard of Il Makiage, but this is your nudge to take a look at the relatively new brand. While this lip liner may not have all the handy extras that drew us to the other options – sharpeners, twist-ups or fancy application brushes – it expertly nails the classic lip pencil in such a way we didn’t need anything else.

The key reason this stole our hearts was the fact it wasn’t as drying as the other options, thanks to jojoba wax and vitamin E. It’s incredibly pigmented, meaning only one swipe was needed to get a great colour, and it has no transfer, even when in contact with water so you can eat drink and be merry while knowing your pout is perfect.

Chanel beauty is a long-standing favourite for a little luxury that makes a make-up bag all the more luxurious. Coming in at £22, this is the most expensive option on the list – paired with Dior – but, comes with a logo-emblazoned sharpener and a mini application brush to sweeten the deal.

Cotton seed derivatives and jojoba seed oil make for a smooth and nourishing formula that melts onto the lips and leaves it with a slightly tacky semi-matte finish that wasn’t in the least bit drying. But, due to the softness, it does need to be sharpened regularly, which is no problem, thanks to a sharpener being a handy little extra. Lasting all day, we had no complaints but, compared with Dior, it’s a difficult choice.

Bucking convention, we just tested the refill of this lip liner, forgoing the case to get a tiny, micro-purse-sized liner that really can be taken anywhere. With more of a soft crayon consistency, it acted like an incredibly thin lipstick, hydrating and nourishing the lips with a shiny healthy finish. Super pigmented, it was hard to fault, but we would certainly opt to use it alone rather than under a lipstick, as it may start to feel a little heavy with too many thick products on top. It didn’t last as long as some of the other options, but it’s no hassle to take it with you to top up.

Very few people would probably opt to wear a full block white lip like our tester here, but to truly show you the effects of this liner in the same way as the others, we had to do it. White lip liner can actually be used like white eyeliner to make the lips look bigger.

Some say applying it to the cupid’s bow and the centre of the bottom lip can help draw the mouth out for a fuller-looking pout. It also can give lipstick a stronger pop. Of course, NYX has a huge range of other shades to try, and although it looks like a classic pencil, this is actually a handy twist-up with jojoba oil and vitamin E for added nourishment. So, if white isn’t the shade for you, we’d still encourage you to take a peek at the others.

Incredibly thin, this lip liner is expertly precise, but it did snap a couple of times, so be sure to be gentle. In a twist-up style, there’s no need for a sharpener, but don’t take it too high, or you’ll increase the risk of breakage. Super pigmented, our tester was incredibly impressed with the colour, but due to the size of this lip liner, we would recommend it for lining only, rather than colouring the full lips. Used alone, it lasted us a good six hours before needing to re-apply, and when paired with the matching Maybelline colour sensational matte lipstick (£7.99, Boots.com), we’re sure it would be a regular go-to.

Yes, we have been sneaky here, naming Dior the best designer lip liner and Chanel the best luxury lip liner, but there’s next to nothing between the two, meaning it comes down to personal brand preference.

Clearly, the two luxury labels are paying close attention to each other, as these products are the same price, and both have a logo sharpener and applicator brush included.

Looking at Dior specifically, the soft crayon-like liner uses peony and pomegranate flower extracts and shea butter to give it a creamy formula that lasted all day. Easy to apply, it had a little bit of a firmer shape than its neighbour, but we would recommend regular sharpening to keep it crisp and clean.

More like a lip stain with an ultra-precise applicator, this lip liner certainly stands out from the crowd. Instead of a pencil, this liner is more like a felt tip, with a tiny round ball-point tip to draw around the edges of the mouth as well as colour in. But, you wouldn’t want to make a mistake when putting this on, as it lasted all day, just as a stain would, and there’s not really any way to get it off except to wait for it to fade. At less than £3, it’s a real bargain, and we’re sure to wear it when we’re just after a little bit of colour that we don’t have to think about maintaining.

Whereas 17. (£2, Boots.com) was a young and vibrant red, this Illamasqua option is its grown-up sister. More muted in tone, it’s a much heavier pencil, meaning it takes time and precision to drag it across the mouth, which gave us a much cleaner and sharper line.

Semi-matte in finish, the pigment was incredibly vibrant, and it wasn’t drying at all. With little transfer, it lasted for around six hours. As a trick to save time, if looking to flood the lips with colour, fill the bottom lip and just smack them together, et voila! You’ll have a perfect pout in seconds.

The lipstick OG Charlotte Tilbury had to feature highly on this list. Fans of the brand are pretty loyal, usually stocking up on lip liners, lipsticks, lip glosses and even eyeshadows in their favourite colour, and it’s easy to see why. Again, it’s a classic pencil, so needs a sharpener, but giving a strong, long-lasting colour with little transfer, it’s a well-loved classic for a reason.

Shooting to fame a couple of years ago, thanks to Kylie Jenner’s make-up artist naming it the best lip liner ever, Morphe’s sweet tea liner has racked up a large fan club.

A classic pencil, it’s super soft and easy to apply but needs regular sharpening to get those clean and crisp lines. Matte but not drying, our tester was impressed with the formula, and little transfer meant it lasted a good number of hours too. The kicker with this one is that it’s hard to get hold of. Despite having a huge number of shades, they’re often sold out, so it’s a real grab ’em while you can scenario, which for us lazy girls often means we’re probably going without.

Mac is one of the most famous make-up brands in the world, adored by make-up artists and beauty lovers alike, so it’s unsurprising that this liner is up there with the best.

The hardest pencil of the bunch, this classic lip liner draws a great line, giving crisp and clean angles every time (so long as you keep it sharp). Make a mistake though, and you’ll have to start over, as its pigment is so strong it does stain the lips (or face, if you really go off track). This also means it lasts an incredibly long time, with little transfer, just be sure to have the oil-based remover on hand for when you want to take it off.

The majority of people would use a lip liner as a base for their lipstick, and while we’ve shown images of what all these lip liners look like as a full lip colour for ease of demonstrating the finish and pigments, it is good to remember you can use a lipstick on top too. Coming in a kit, including a lip liner and liquid lipstick, this Makeup Revolution option is a one-stop shop for your lip-colouring needs. At £6, it’s certainly a bargain and, although there are, of course, other lip kits out there, for a liner-lipstick duo it did the job, was easy to apply and lasted a couple of hours before wearing off.