Due to the success of the budget mascara post we thought we would do a review on some of the best budget liquid eyeliners (I am rarely without mine, in fact I can’t remember the last time I didn’t wear it.)
It seems that liquid liner in general is big beauty news in the last few years, feline-flicks, 60s-esque thick lines worn with falsies, super-thin lines to just enhance the overall volume of your flutter – the list of looks you can achieve is endless.
I have always been faithful to Lancome Artliner over the years, it’s easy to apply, doesn’t flake and the colour pay off is a decent rich black. But there is no denying it’s pricey (I swear it used to be £15 and now it’s like £20) and many cheaper brands are certainly giving the likes of Lancome a run for their money.
Rimmel ScandalEyes £5.49
This is the only “pen” that made the grade, which is a shame, I just find the brush-in-pot design applies better, all pens I try run out half way through application or you have to shake them/turn them at funny angles in order for the liquid to disperse. Who has the time to faff about with that?
This one seems to be fairly ok and doesn’t smudge, it’s also easy to control if you want a thinner line.
You can purchase Rimmel ScandalEyes at feelunique
Natural Collection £1.99
This was actually recommended by a reader on the aforementioned mascara feature and is the cheapest of the bunch. I like that the brush is super thin so it’s easy to create a natural look but it does take time to dry – and if you have the time then I’d say for under two quid give it a go.
Natural Collection is available exclusively at Boots
Rimmel Exaggerate £5.29
This is probably my favourite, I like the rich black almost matt finish and it’s easy to control such a short wand.
I do find it fades towards the end of the day but you can easily touch up without any major difficulty.
Rimmel Exaggerate can be found at Superdrug.
Limited Collection £4.00
As well as black this also comes in a kind of shimmery gun metal grey which is super pretty, another longer-drying formulation but when it has shouldn’t migrate.
I would suggest swiping the brush on the inner edge of the pot before applying as it can get a wee bit overloaded.
Limited Collection is available exclusively at Marks and Spencers
Miss Sporty Studio Lash £2.79
I actually really like this somewhat ‘longer’ brush, I find the design lends itself well to creating a cute flick (should you want one.)
The finish is also pleasingly black and considering it’s so cheap, doesn’t smudge or crack.
You can find Miss Sporty at Superdrug
Would I swap my beloved Lancome for any of the above? Hmmm, the jury’s out – although I have been reaching for the Rimmel Exaggerate for standard “work” days as it’s so quick to apply and reasonably priced.
Do let us know if you use any of the products we’ve mentioned or what budget eyeliner floats your boat.
I just yesterday bought artliner but i can’t see much difference between the finish of that and rimmel exaggerate, think I will stick to rimmel in future! For pens, the only good one I’ve found is l’oreal super liner is fab but you don’t seem to get very much
I’m a massive fan of Rimmel these days, keen to try Scandaleyes, I’m better with a pen than a brush!
I have always stuck with Boots No 7 Stay Precise Liquid eyeliner. It’s £7.50, but being in the Boots contact lens scheme I also get 10% off their own-brand products – even when there are offers on. I wouldn’t switch from this eyeliner though – I love it so much! 🙂
Jane is the line very dense black? I tried a no. 7 one yonks ago but it was kind of grey-ish x
Yep, it is quite dense, I definitely wouldn’t say it was grey-ish! Although I do add an extra layer for a night out!
I STILL haven’t mastered a good eyeliner flick! I know, I know!
But seriously I can NEVER get both eyes to look the same & often the difference is really quite noticeable! haha
Currently have the Rimmel Pen to see if that is better for me, so watch this space….!
Plus, how do people manage it with really pale lashes? I ALWAYS find that there’s a gap between the liner & mascara – maybe I just need to have eyelashes tinted regularly?! xx
I’m still something of a novice in this area too Rebecca! I’m currently using an Eyeko pen, it was free with a magazine I think, and I’m finding that relatively easy to use, although I think on balance I prefer a smudgy been-up-all-night pencil line… x
Rebecca I have my eyelashes tinted – have for years, it’s my one monthly beauty treatment I always make time for (along with my brows) – it makes them look thicker and you don’t get the “gap” x
cellotape- if you put some on your face you can use it to help make you flick. i know some use cellotape to make a wing
The rimmel exagerate pot and brush looks exactly like the mac liner I uss in terms of packaging and wand length so shall be adding this to my shopping list to give it a whirl xx
I have art liner and scandal eyes and Rimmel liner one but to be honest rarely use them lately. I would say art liner is my fave for ease of application.
I have become a fan of Bobbi browns pencil instead, it is super smooth, has a smudge end on the other side to smoke it out, and sorts out the pale lash problem as I apply it under the top lash line too to really make my lashes look thicker! It was a random purchase but I love it, I use the pencil a bit haphazardly and then use my slanted eyeliner brush to shape it round and flick it out. It’s the easiest way I found to do a flick too just swipe out wards and upwards from the outer corner and tidy with cotton bud! Easy! I used to use their gel liner too but this is even quicker and if not smoked out with the smudge brush looks the same as a gel! Xx
ooooh which BB pencil is this you speak of, does it have a specific name? and a black one? and do you mean tight-lining as in the top underneath-your-lash bit? I have tried doing this put can’t find a pencil that will show up/stay! x
Yep it’s the black Bobbi brown one but don’t think it has a specific name, it just has the sponge on the other end to smoke it with which I don’t use I prefer a brush. Yep under the top lash bit it works a treat!! Xx
I use the Collection 2000 pot and brush, it’s amazing! Cheap but long lasting and gives a good intense colour. I have tried loads of different ones but find myself going back to this everytime!
Jenna I have tried (and epically failed) with all manner of pots and brushes, L’Oreal, MAC, Bobbi Brown….thanks for the tip though, at least collection 2000 is reasonably priced so I don’t mind giving it a whirl!
I love my liquid don’t get me wrong but I have so much less time now with Mabel in the mornings I need an alternative option that takes less time! x
Just realised I am being very dense, do you mean a gel pot and brush or as per Rimmel exaggerate pot and brush? I’ll try either way -for some reason I read your comment and thought you meant gel! (possibly should go back to bed…) 🙂 x
I am a self-confessed make-up junkie and am never without my signature flicks and so I’ve tried soooo many brands. Rimmel Exaggerate is far and away the best I have found and combined with Urban Decay’s primer potion, it just doesn’t budge all day. I’ve tried the gel liners with a pot and a pen but I find they go on too thickly and then crack/crumble so Rimmel is my favourite.
My friend used Rimmel Glam’Eyes on me the other night (nothing like getting your friend to do your make-up before a night out!)
Great pigment and long lasting. Really worth a try x
I’ve been using the Collection 2000 extreme 24 hour eye liner pen for about 3 years, I found it when I wanted a simple to use eye liner for my wedding. I have it in 3 or 4 colours but mainly use the black one. The only problem I’ve ever had with it is that the teal one doesn’t entirely come off when I remove my make up – but that’s fine as it gets covered up the next day with more eye liner! It’s a felt tip pen type one but never found it ran out part way through or anything, and they seem to last me for ages (although at only £2.99 it’s no hardship to have a spare one in the drawer). I used to use the pot type ones but found the pen type stays smudge free longer, dries so much faster and I find it a lot less messy.
Collection 2000 seems to be a good option! I can see a trip to Boots on the horizon…
Rimmel is my go-to brand for liquid eyeliner. I tend to use Exagerrate the most, and Glam’ Eyes when I want a thinner line.
I think I’ll give the Collection 2000 a whirl now too. Sounds good.
Definititely agree on the Rimmel for a cheap option. I’m currently using Mac liquidlast liner which is great for dense colour, although the longer brush is tricky!
What I’d love to know is what people use to get it off at the end of the day?! I’ve tried tons of removers and find they either sting or don’t clean off all heavy eyeliner and I’m left with black smudges the following day!
Bioderma is THE makeup remover, in my opinion. It’s a pain to get hold of here. I got mine from Amazon. It’s quite costly but worth the price because it works and it does last. Garnier have released a dupe miceller water (it’s practically the same bottle) though I’ve not tried that yet myself I have heard good things about it.
Another good one is Nivea daily essentials double effect makeup remover. I got this for around £2. It’s very good at breaking down eyeliner and mascara.
You’re right the Nivea is good its just that’s the one that I find stings and I just bought the micellar water with high hopes only for them to be dashed! It needs a lot of it and a lot of rubbing to get anything lifted. Bioderma will be next in my list though, thank you!
Hi Jenny, everything stings my eyes except Avene gentle eye make-up removal gel. It’ not that cheap (about £8 a bottle I think) but if you use it with damp cotton wool it goes that bit further and is often on 3 for 2 at Boots. I press it onto my closed eye for about 5 seconds then wipe gently. I wear a lot of mascara and it works well. x
Oooh will give it a go! Thank you x
Coconut oil works for me, it gets even tough-to-budge waterproof liner and mascara off and doesn’t irritate my eyes at all. Plus an £8 jar lasts about a year!
I really want to try coconut oil. I hear all these wonderful things you can do with it. I want to try it on my hair, as well as my face now.
I’m just not sure what’s the best brand? Or are they all pretty much the same? I worry that I’ll go for the wrong sort and end up using the equivalent of lard!
Hi , I’m using Garnier Simply Essential Soothing make-up remover . It’s a blue liquid and you can get it anywhere . It cleans eyes really well . Even Mac liquidlast liner comes off easily 🙂
Try garnier simply essentials makeup remover . It’s the best one . I’m using Mac liquidlast too and it’s removing it easily 🙂
These features are brilliant and I don’t feel so guilty trying new products! Be nice to see one on makeup removers/cleansers, seems to be a hot topic here!
Got to be l’oreal superliner for me – have worn it pretty much every day for 10 years. Not the thin precision one, the original basic one. It’s the perfect combination of pen and brush – love it! The laquer-y colour flakes but the one in a silver tube is perfect!!
The one from Collection 2000 (is it still called that these days?) is amazing! I’ve bought she uemura painting liner for years at £20 a pop and in all honestly they have the same lasting power and the collection one is less faff as it has a built in applicator nib!
I love the Rimmel Exaggerate one, and think it’s as good as any designer eyeliner. Having taken your excellent recommendation on the Natural Collection mascara (holds a curl beautifully and non-irritating) I decided to replace my Shu Uemura smudge able eyeliner (I wear it on the rest of my eye line and inner lid for smokey eyes) with Rimmel’s waterproof eyeliner with smudger on the end – it’s brilliant and about 1/4 of the price. My other budget recommendation is Boots Natural Collection waterproof eye makeup remover. It’s one of those 1/2 oil, 1/2 normal eye makeup removers that is as good as the YSL and Lancôme versions, and leaves the Clarins version in the dust. It gets rid of the most stubborn waterproof mascara and costs a few quid. I love these bargain cosmetics posts. After years of shelling out for designer cosmetics, I’m really happy to find budget ones that perform as well, though I’ll stick to my Ton Ford lippy & Lancome foundation for now!
* oops! I meant TOM Ford :-/