Every make-up artist I speak to recommends using a lip liner—here are the 9 best for a perfectly defined pout

Despite the fact that wearing bright lipstick used to be part of my daily makeup routine, I can count on one hand the amount of times that I’ve used a lip liner. For some reason, I always thought the purpose of applying one was to make your lips look more full—and the shape and volume of my natural lips have never bothered me. And while I know that they can also be used to improve the longevity of any lip product that you apply on top, my personal preference for longwear matte lipsticks means that most of my favourite formulas have pretty decent staying power as they are.

However, this year I’ve noticed that pretty much every time I talk to a makeup artist for a story, they’re always so passionate about the difference that using the best lip liner can make to your overall makeup look. “Lip liner is a great tool to stop lipstick from feathering, bleeding, or fading, in addition to adding definition and an illusion of volume to your lips,” explains Ruby Hammer MBE, global makeup artist, brand founder and beauty expert. “For a more natural look, apply liner to the lips softly, tracing along your lip line,” explains Ruby. “Then buff it in [with your fingertips] for more natural definition, if you want a soft finish rather than the harsh lines of the ‘90s.”

And even if you don’t wear lipstick and prefer a more minimalist makeup look, lip liner shouldn’t be overlooked. “You can also use a lip pencil after a lip balm or gloss for a modern tinted lip, rather than a chiselled defined lip,” says Ruby. “This is perfect for an everyday lip without looking overly preened.”

As for choosing the best shade for you? I always thought that your lip liner needed to match the lip product that you were applying on top, but it turns out that isn’t the case. “You can get clear lip liners, which are great for any shade of lipstick, or stick to the guide of opting for a shade one or two deeper than the lipstick you are applying,” suggests Ruby.

So, 2024 has been the year that I have decided to embrace lip liner, and having experimented with a few different ones I think it’s safe to say that I am hooked. My lips look polished, defined, and full, even if I’m only layering a balm on top, so it’s an impressively easy way to feel a little more put-together on a daily basis. Ahead, my pick of the 9 best lip liners that I’ve tried and loved.

1. NYX Professional Makeup Lip Pencil in Natural

Available in a huge array of shades, this is a brilliant basic lip pencil for creating an ultra-sharp line and precise definition. If I’m looking tired or my makeup is feeling a bit flat then this tends to be the product that I reach for to add a bit of polish to my look as it’s so quick and easy to use. The shade Natural is my favourite as it’s a really close match to my lip colour so perfect for days that I just want to put a lip balm on top. It has impressive staying power too—it genuinely sticks around all day, but this means that it isn’t the most hydrating lip liner that I’ve tried. I’d recommend applying a balm first if your lips are a bit dry already.

2. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk

For years and years this was the one and only lip liner that I kept in my collection for the rare special occasions when I wanted to really boost the longevity of my lipstick. Sadly, I lost it on a hen do when I pulled it out and insisted on letting everyone try it—that’s how confident I am that this liner suits all. Much like the original Pillow Talk lipstick, it’s a versatile pinky-nude shade that layers well beneath a multitude of lipstick shades but also looks so chic when worn alone with just a slick of balm on top. The hydrating formula, which now comes in a paler shade too, hugs the contours of your lips to leave them looking full, plump and incredibly polished. Yes, it’s pricey, but it’s one of the hardest-working lip liners I’ve tried.

3. Rimmel London Lasting Finish Exaggerate Automatic Lip Liner in Red Diva

I am always looking for beauty products that work hard and work fast, and one of the biggest things that put me off using lip liners for so long is that they need sharpening. (Yes, I’m that lazy.) So imagine my delight when I discovered this twist-up lip liner from Rimmel which removes all need for a separate sharpener. The formula inside is really good too—packed with vitamins C and E for a really creamy texture that glides onto lips and is perfect if you like a bolder lip look. The slanted tip makes it really easy to trace the outline of your lips, and fill them in, but I would say you need to go a little slowly with this as it isn’t quite as easy to get the kind of sharpness that you do with a pencil liner.

4. Make Up For Ever Artist Colour Pencil in Anywhere Caffeine

If you love a celebrity-endorsed beauty product then the Make Up Forever Artist Colour Pencil is about as good as they come with Hailey Bieber revealing that this is the lip liner that she swears by. It flies in and out of stock incredibly quickly and it’s easy to see why—the formula is rich, pigmented and matte, and it blends seamlessly into the lips. Whether you want to create a perfectly defined ‘90s pout or you want to smudge it in for a more pared-back balmy look, this lip liner would work for pretty much every lip look and occasion.

5. 17 Lip Define Pencil Soft Liner in Dusty Peach

I was obsessed with 17 makeup products in my early teenage years—much in part because they were all that my budget stretched too, but also for the fact that the formulas always delivered. However, since 17 returned to Boots a couple of years back I have yet to try anything from the brand, until I picked up this lip liner while in store a few weeks ago. I am blown away by how good this product is. Not only is it really creamy and comfortable to wear (thanks to the addition of coconut oil and vitamin E) but the tip is perfectly pointed for easy application and the colour is a perfect summery, peachy-nude. It glides on, lasts for hours, and comes in a brilliant array of shades—and genuinely holds its own against some of the more expensive options on this list.

6. MAC Lip Pencil in Spice

Whenever I talk to a makeup artist about lip liners, this is the product that generally comes back as their most highly-rated neutral. It’s described by MAC as a “pink cinnamon stick” shade, and it definitely does lie more on the pink side than a classic nude. However, it looks beautiful on array of skin tones if you’re looking for a lively but natural colour to define and shape your lips with. And the fact that it’s a classic pencil means that it always delivers on its ability to achieve that really sharp precision. However, if this shade isn’t to your liking, MAC have an enormous selection of shades to suit every skin tone and lipstick colour.

7. Lisa Eldridge Sculpt and Shape Lip Pencil in 1C

It only launched a few weeks ago, but this is one of the best lip liners I’ve ever used and it now goes pretty much everywhere with me. At first glance it looks like a bog standard lip pencil, but this formula is so unique. It’s creamy yet matte, and creates the most beautiful, soft, slightly-blurred lip so it looks really fresh and modern on the lips. Inspired by skin-true tones, there are a range of different neutrals to suit different skin colours and undertones—1C, a cool pink, is my current favourite—but these are so brilliant that I’d love to see a line of reds and berries for a bolder lip look too.

8. Zoeva Velvet Love Lip Liner in Kerstin

Okay, there are neutral hues in this range of lip liners but it’s their bold, bright shades where I think they really excel. Packed with hyaluronic acid, these pencils have a gel-like texture that means they apply like butter to your lips. Once you’ve traced your lip line you’ll notice that your lips look fuller and slightly plumper too—it has an almost 3D effect. While there is a little bit of slip to start with, thanks to how moisturising the formula is, once it has dried down it sticks in place for hours and really improves the longevity of any lipstick that you apply on top.

9. By Terry Hyaluronic Lip Liner in Tea Time

Whether you have persistently dry lips or you just want a lip liner that delivers on hydration as well as definition, this is the best out there. It’s packed with hyaluronic acid, shea butter and macadamia butter for a texture that is decadent and rich—in fact, it almost feels like a lip balm in itself if you apply it all over. And ingredients aside, it does a brilliant job of contouring the shape of your lips to create a really full, plumped and volumised pout.