Long-Wear Lip Liners Are My Summer Secret Weapon
No need for touchups if your lip liner stays on for hours.
As much as I love a lip combination, and I do mean a full-on recipe with lipstick, two glosses, the works, I don’t think I’ve ever given my lip liners the love that they deserve. For a while, M.A.C. Cosmetics’ Chestnut was the only lip pencil I used because frankly, there weren’t many that actually were made for deep skin tones. Thankfully, times have changed, and they are a plethora of lip liner options for all skin tones on the market today.
With this background, it’s still important to note that not all lip liners are created equally, and a few months ago, I found myself right back at square one when I started looking for long-wear formulas ahead of the summer. When the heat rises, my patience takes a nosedive, and one thing I don’t want to worry about is constantly re-applying my lip combination when it feels like my body is under attack by a New York City summer.
In true journalistic fashion, I set out to find the best, most long-lasting lip liner formulas on the market, and I have to say: I’ve found a few gems. I’ve gone ahead and shared my masterlist ahead, so if you’re on the hunt for your own impenetrable lip liner to get you through the summer season, keep reading for an expert-curated list that will make the search a cake walk.
The Drugstore Ones
The drugstore has seriously stepped it up with its makeup offerings, and there are actually quite a few liners that caught my eye in this process. Ultimately, the ones below came out on top.
Rebel Kind is not only a perfect chocolate brown color, but the Line Loud collection as a whole is one of the most long-wearing formulas I have ever tried from the drugstore. They’re creamy enough to glide onto the lip, but once they set, they don’t move, so be sure to work quickly with this one.
The Lifter Liner in the shade Cross the Line is a gorgeous, cool-toned brown that works with pretty much any color that it’s paired with. There’s hyaluronic acid in this formula, so expect an easy glide and bold, saturated color.
Not enough people talk about the Sephora Collection lip liners, and that is simply not right. Not only are they long-wearing, but they are also extremely pigmented, to the point that I recommend a really light hand when applying. While they’re not in traditional drugstores, they are drugstore-priced, so a win is a win. Plus, the shade Molasses? Perfection.
The Revlon ColorStay line is another drugstore hidden gem that I am obsessed with. The packaging has a built-in sharpener, and the twist-up packaging makes it extra easy to touch up.
NYX’s Lingerie Lip Liner Stain is another unexpected hit that I think everyone should try. Everything from the easy-to-hold pencil packaging to the precise tip that makes application seamless, and of course, the gorgeous stain that it leaves behind, makes this one of the best lip liners in the drugstore, long-wearing or otherwise.
The High End Ones
Lip liner is one of those products that I don’t feel the need to get spendy on. However, these high-end formulas are more than worth the price tag, and one of them has even become my holy grail.
Chanel’s lip pencils are long-wearing to the point of being slightly concerning. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve swatched one on my hand only to realize hours later that it’s still there, after multiple hand-washing sessions throughout the day. Paired with the brand’s Ultrawear Liquid Lip Color? Your lip combination might actually never come off. Ever.
Pat McGrath’s Legendary Longwear Lip Pencils are just that: a transfer-resistant formula that came from the mind of a legend. Divine Brown is a gorgeous neutral brown that I am obsessed with, but there are numerous shades to choose from, and I am especially impressed with the offerings for extremely fair skin tones.
Make Up For Ever is an artistry brand through and through, and that makes sense when you look at the brand’s Artist Color Pencil Extremes. Not only are the shades extremely wearable for everyday, but they also can get you through the day without touchups. Plus, quite a few of the shades also exist in the brand’s lip color line, so finding the matching shade will be a breeze.
Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheats are perfect for faking volume but making it look natural. The iconic shade, Pillowtalk, is also available in this line, but there are others like Red Carpet Red and ‘90s Pink that also make fantastic additions to any makeup collection.
The glide of a traditional cream pencil, the ease of use that comes from mechanical, twist-up packaging, and the lasting power of a stain? Yes, you can find all of that in one formula, and it’s Kulfi’s Lassi Lips Staining Lip Liner. While there are only seven shades to choose from, they are all shades that can give some serious definition to pretty much any skin tone, so if you love to overline, in particular, this might be your new go-to long-wear lip base.
How to Find the Best Longwear Lip Liners
Your personal preferences will ultimately dictate your perfect long-wear liner, but there are some general guidelines that you can abide by. “A truly great lip liner should go on smooth, be long-wearing, and not break easily when sharpened," NYC-based makeup artist Maribeth Madron previously told Marie Claire.
Celebrity makeup artist Vincent Oquendo also adds that there are certain events where this particular formula may be more well-suited. “Quick touch-ups with a pencil can be crucial if you need your makeup to last for hours,” he previously told MC. “I will often choose a long-wearing formula for a red carpet or if I know that my clients have a very long night ahead. I will also tend to choose a long-wearing formula if I’m going to layer a lip oil on top or a lip gloss."
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
Meet the Expert
Maribeth Madron is a celebrity makeup artist eyebrow specialist.
Vincent Oquendo is a celebrity makeup artist.
