Our favorite lipsticks and high-shine glosses wear well on their own, but the best lip liners are the real MVPs, providing the strong base that not only makes lips appear fuller through overlining, but helps following products, be it lipstick or lip oil, stay put for longer. They're perfect as a matte base or for a pop of contrast (cue the ’90s brown liner with light lipstick combo). Basically, liners are the Swiss army knife of lip products, and Robin Black, the LA-based makeup artist behind Beauty is Boring, agrees. "[Lip liner] is one of the unsung heroes of the beauty world,” she says. "Whether I want to fill in and completely change a lip shape or add a bit of color for a subtle look, I reach for lip liner." Below, you'll find our editors' must-have lip pencils and indispensable classics that belong in just about every lip wardrobe.

Our Top Lip Liners

• Best Overall: MAC Lip Pencil, $25
• Best Crayon: Nars PowerMatte High Intensity Lip Pencil, $30
• Best Stain: Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain Liner, $23
• Best Drugstore:  Nyx Professional Makeup Lip Pencil Crayon, $6
• Best Waterproof: Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil Extreme Waterproof Lip Liner, $27
• Best Blurring: Refy Blur Liner, $24
• Best Matte: Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil, $26
• Best for Mature Skin: Victoria Beckham Beauty Lip Definer, $32
• Best Multitasking: Tower 28 Beauty OneLiner Lip Liner + Eyeliner + Cheek Pencil, $15

Best Overall: MAC Lip Pencil

Why it's worth it: MAC's Lip Pencil has seen it all, including those '90s makeup trends that have come and gone—and come again. This classic pencil's creamy, ultra-pigmented formula has withstood the test of time and remains a favorite of many Allure editors and makeup artists, like Joseph Carrillo. "[This formula] is long-wearing and is easy to blend out," Carrillo says. That makes it versatile enough to use for any look, whether you want a blurred finish or a defined line. And with 29 shades to choose from, you can go from the perfect neutral to a bold, show-stopping pop. For that true '90s-inspired look, Carrillo recommends swiping on Spice, a brownish-pink shade that happens to be an Allure Best of Beauty Award Hall of Famer.

Best Crayon: Nars PowerMatte High Intensity Lip Pencil

Why it's worth it: An evolution of the brand's iconic Velvet Matte Lip Pencils, the Best of Beauty Award-winning Nars Powermatte High-Intensity Lip Pencil offers a cream-to-matte formula with bold, long-lasting color that stays put for up to 12 hours. Unlike a pointy liner, this chubby stick fills the lips in seconds, but is still precise enough to use as a definer—which is why it’s the do-it-all lippie we keep in our purse at all times. Naturally, the brand that gave us the iconic "Orgasm" blush delivers equally unforgettable names for their lip pencils. Standouts like "Dragon Girl," "American Woman," and "Born to Be Wild" are just a few favorites—the latter spotted here on Allure contributing commerce editor, Deanna Pai.

Best Stain: Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain Liner

Why it’s worth it: Once you experience the long-lasting powers of Tarte’s Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain Liner firsthand, you’ll understand why it snagged a 2025 Best of Beauty Award. Think of it as a felt-tip pen for your lips: It glides on like a liquid lipstick, but without the requisite smudging or feathering. And once it sets, it doesn’t budge—no matter how much you sip, snack, or chat—until you reach for a cleansing balm. Our Best of Beauty testers loved how easy it was to define the lips without adding any thick texture, so you can layer lipstick, gloss, or balm over it without things feeling heavy. It also comes in a range of skin-like colors, spanning from a deep brown to a rosy beige, making it easy as ever to find a your-lips-but-better match.

Best Drugstore: Nyx Professional Makeup Lip Pencil Crayon

Why it’s worth it: A full lip doesn’t have to break the bank. Nyx Professional Makeup’s Lip Pencil Crayon delivers rich color payoff in one creamy swipe. While it applies smoothly, the slim, transfer-proof pencil sets down to a matte look with impressive staying power, especially when worn sans gloss. The tip can be sharpened, too, which means you can keep it ultra-precise—perfect for defining a cupid’s bow or faking a little extra fullness with subtle overlining.

Best Waterproof: Makeup Forever Artist Color Pencil Extreme Waterproof Lip Liner

Why it’s worth it: Once Makeup Forever’s Extreme Waterproof Lip Liner locks in place, it'll withstand every drink, meal, and smooch throughout the day. It acts as a gripping base for your subsequent lip products, helping them stay in place without feathering or settling into fine lines. The sturdy tip lets you draw crisp, precise lines, but a quick blur with your finger or brush gives soft, natural fullness—just work fast, as it dries in seconds.

Best Blurring: Refy Blur Liner

Why it’s worth it: A sharp pencil is great for those crisp, super-precise lines, but sometimes you want something softer, fuller, and a little more natural. That’s where Refy’s viral Blur Liner comes in. With its chubbier, dome-shaped tip, the formula instantly gives lips a blurred, airbrushed finish that somehow never looks overdone. It’s creamy and blendable, yet precise enough to define without any extra buffing (trust us, it’s basically impossible to go heavy-handed here).

Bonus: The coconut-derived oils keep the formula smooth, so there’s zero tugging or dry patches in sight. And for such a balmy-feeling formula, it really holds its own for hours—and is practically foolproof to reapply on the go (if you even need to). While we wish the shade range were bigger, the existing lineup is impressively versatile across many skin tones.

Best Matte: Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil

Why it's worth it: Makeup By Mario’s dual-ended lip liner comes with a built-in brush to blend and blur the long-lasting pigment. Speaking of pigment, the Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil’s lightweight formula is available in over 20 red, berry, brown, and nude lip liner shades to mix and match with your favorite lipsticks and glosses. Since this matte-finish lip pencil locks in place for full-day wear, you can apply it as a wear-enhancing base for your lipstick or sport it all by itself.

Best for Mature Skin: Victoria Beckham Beauty Lip Definer

Why it's worth it: You know a product is good when it's in a makeup artist's professional kit and their personal makeup bag, as is the case for Black and the Victoria Beckham Beauty Lip Definer. "The smooth, intensely pigmented formula of this liner is ideal for creating precise lip looks and can be used under lipstick or alone," she says. In addition to the variety of nude shades—like No. 5, the gorgeous toffee brown one seen above—Black says the Red is also brilliant: "It's bright, but with a neutral undertone that works under many different shades of red lipstick," she explains. Bonus: Since it's formulated with plumping peptides and moisturizing emollient vitamin E, Victoria Beckham Beauty's lip liner is a must for mature skin.

Best Multitasking: Tower 28 Beauty OneLiner Lip Liner + Eyeliner + Cheek Pencil

Why it’s worth it: It may look like your standard lip liner, but Tower 28’s OneLiner is actually three products in one: lip liner, eyeliner, and cheek color. It's like a colored pencil, but for your face—so feel free to get creative. The nifty pencil comes in six pink and brown shades that can double as a matte cream blush or even faux freckles for a playful touch. Plus, hydrating ingredients like shea butter and marula oil ensure it glides on smoothly without tugging.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you choose the right lip liner shade?

Finding the right shade of liner depends on your overall lip combo. If you're opting for a classic red lip, New York City-based makeup artist Vincent Oquendo previously told Allure to apply an identical or slightly deeper shade of your lipstick. "For the most precise red lip, work backward," he says. "Apply lipstick, then liner to create the shape."