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Out Of All The Internet's Favourites, These Are The Best Lip Liners Right Now
It's a make-up artist staple for a reason.
Somewhere along the line of filling our make-up bags with concealers and highlighters, we seem to have forgotten how versatile the humble lip liner really is.
A great lip liner not only helps to prolong the wear of your favourite lipstick, it also helps with creating the illusion of a fuller lip, sculpting the perfect shape, and preventing your lipstick from bleeding outside the lip line. More of a gloss girl? Use your lip liner underneath to amplify the colour. That way, even when the shine disappears thanks to your fourth iced coffee, you'll still have a hint of colour underneath.
While liners work beautifully under lipstick, Givenchy's national make-up artist Claire Mulleady is also a fan of using it after applying your lip colour. 'For a bold lip I would often go back in with a pencil to neaten the edges and refine the shape for the perfect lip,' she tells ELLE.
When it comes to picking your perfect shade, it all depends on the look you're going for. 'For a classic red lip I would match the lip pencil exactly, my go to is Givenchy Lip Liner 06 with Le Rouge Deep Velvet No.36. However, if I was creating a full nude lip, I might choose a pencil deeper than the lipstick to create a soft ombre effect to give the appearance of a plumper pout,' recommends Mulleady.
Modern lip liners offer something for everybody. Whether you're after a matte finish, an 'invisible' liner or one with a built-in sharpener, read on to find your perfect pencil.
We know Selena Gomez loves a statement lip moment, so it comes as no surprise that her new lip liners are some of the most comfortable formulas we've tried in a long time. This has an almost balm-like texture with a soft matte finish. Bonus points for the built-in sharpener too.
These waterproof lip pencils are a dream for unpredictable British weather. It stays put through sweltering heat and stormy evenings, glides on smoothly and comes with a sharpener.
We hear you: finding a matching lip liner for every lipstick is a daunting (and expensive) prospect. This 'invisible' lip liner solves the issue by acting as a lipstick primer, preventing lipstick from bleeding and extending the longevity without imparting any colour.
Uoma makes some of the most richly pigmented colour cosmetics around, and this lip liner is no exception. It packs a punch, yet goes on smooth as silk with no tugging, and it doesn't bleed into the lip line.
We've fallen hard for Gucci's old world glamour aesthetic. This lip lip liner is as easy on the eyes as it is on the lips, delivering beautiful colour payoff in a hydrating formula. The texture is soft enough that you have time to buff it out into a sheer lipstick before it sets.
Creamy, smooth and pigmented, this lip liner checks all the right boxes and comes in a wide range of shades. Pillow Talk, the OG hue, even inspired a whole range of products - surely the first time a liner can claim that?
No one understands the 90s beauty aesthetic better than Posh Spice herself, so it stands to reason that VB's range of lip liners feature the most flattering shades of neutral and wears beautifully under lip glosses. For all your red lip loyalists out there, fret not, there's also a scarlet hue available.
Trust Chanel to go that little bit further. A creamy but long-lasting liner, AND a brush to blend all over the lips or sharpen edges to precision.
Best used as a traditional outer-edge liner due to the ultra-matte finish, this will create a sharp, budge-proof line to keep your colour contained all day.
With a non-scratchy, velvety texture, and extenstive shade selection (40 and counting) we defy you not to find 'the one'. A classic.
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