# The 5 Best Pencil Eyeliners on Amazon in 2026 > Best pencil eyeliner in 2026: retractable, sharpenable and self-sharpening pencils with waterproof formulas and a built-in sharpener or smudger. Guide: https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-pencil-eyeliner/ · Updated 2026-10-02 · By TwelveTabs · Search it live: https://twelvetabs.com/?q=best%20pencil%20eyeliner&guide=best-pencil-eyeliner As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases. Our picks are independently researched, written by TwelveTabs AI and never sponsored. Prices and ratings change often: see the guide for today's. ## The top picks - **A pencil with a built-in sharpener and smudger:** Revlon ColorStay Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner. A waterproof pencil with a built-in sharpener and a smudger in the cap, in 12 matte and shimmer shades, and the listing says it is suitable for the waterline. - **A retractable pencil that needs no sharpening:** NYX Professional Makeup Mechanical Eye Pencil. A retractable, creamy pencil that needs no sharpener, with intense pigment the listing says covers like a liquid liner, in a range from natural to bright shades. - **A sharpenable gel pencil in many shades:** Maybelline TattooStudio Long-Lasting Sharpenable Eyeliner Pencil. A waterproof, sharpenable gel pencil that the listing calls pigment-rich, with shades from classic black to bright white. - **A self-sharpening pencil:** COVERGIRL Perfect Point PLUS Eyeliner Pencil. A self-sharpening eyeliner pencil that the listing says goes on easily for a clean line, sold in a one-pencil pack by shade. - **A mechanical pencil for fine lines:** L'Oréal Paris Infallible Never Fail Mechanical Pencil Eyeliner. A mechanical pencil eyeliner with a built-in sharpener and a smudger, described by the listing as rich and creamy for classic to bold looks. Our top pick is the **[Revlon ColorStay Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-pencil-eyeliner/#pick-1)**, a waterproof pencil with a built-in sharpener and smudger that the listing says is suitable for the waterline. We read 124 Amazon result cards for pencil eyeliner, compared the pages of 10 finalists plus two extra pages we checked, and kept five. This guide covers pencils only: liquid liners, pens and eyeshadow sticks are left out. The other four differ by how the tip works. The [NYX Mechanical Eye Pencil](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-pencil-eyeliner/#pick-2) is retractable, so there is nothing to sharpen. The [Maybelline TattooStudio](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-pencil-eyeliner/#pick-3) is a sharpenable gel pencil in many shades. The [COVERGIRL Perfect Point PLUS](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-pencil-eyeliner/#pick-4) sharpens itself, and the [L'Oréal Infallible Never Fail](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-pencil-eyeliner/#pick-5) is a mechanical pencil with a built-in sharpener for fine lines. ## How to choose a pencil eyeliner Byrdie's guide to eyeliner pencils explains what to look for. These are its points, not a ranking of ours. - **Application.** Byrdie says it looks for clean, precise lines without tugging, and notes whether the texture is creamy or dry. A makeup artist it quotes says pencil and gel formulas tend to be easier to control than other types, and a dry pencil can be made smoother by warming the tip on the back of your hand. - **Pigment.** Byrdie checks how well the colour matches what is on the packaging and how many swipes it takes to reach the level you want. - **Wear.** Byrdie wears each liner for a full day and watches for smudging or a change of colour, then rubs its eyes to see how well it holds. - **Removal.** Byrdie looks for liners that come off easily even when they are waterproof, and drops any that irritate the eyes or skin. - **Shade.** Byrdie suggests browns for brown eyes, green or purple for hazel eyes, bronze and copper for blue eyes, and earthy tones for green eyes. Black suits everyone. - **Tip style.** This one comes from the listings, not Byrdie: some pencils need a sharpener, some are retractable, and some sharpen themselves or carry a sharpener in the cap. Pick the style you will actually keep using. ## Our picks in detail ### 1. Revlon ColorStay Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner: best for a pencil with a built-in sharpener and smudger **Why it made the list** - The listing calls the formula transfer-proof, waterproof, smudge-proof and fade-proof, and says a built-in sharpener and a smudger come with the pencil. - It comes in 12 matte and shimmer shades, and the listing says it is suitable for use on the waterline. - Amazon's own summary is positive on colour and on how easy it is to apply. Wirecutter also picks it, as an exceptional drugstore eyeliner pencil. **Drawbacks** - Amazon's own summary is mixed on longevity and smudge resistance. - A critical snippet we read calls the soft formula a poor match for a pencil barrel, and another says the tube had melted into the lid on arrival. **Watch for this:** The page we read opened on shade 201 Black in a one-pencil pack. Eight Revlon listings, covering other shades and two-packs, share one review total, so we counted the pencil once. **Skip it if** you dislike sharpening, because this is a sharpenable pencil. ### 2. NYX Professional Makeup Mechanical Eye Pencil: best for a retractable pencil that needs no sharpening **Why it made the list** - The listing describes a retractable pencil with no need to sharpen, in shades from natural to bright. - It says the intense pigment covers like a liquid eyeliner and that the creamy formula holds through heat and humidity. - Amazon's own summary is positive on colour, application and waterline application. **Drawbacks** - Amazon's own summary is negative on durability, with reports that the tip keeps breaking, and mixed on longevity and smudge resistance. - Critical snippets we read call it too greasy and say it smudges, and one says it was uncomfortable on the waterline. **Watch for this:** One other shade listing carries the same review total. The page we read opened on 16 Always Onyx. **Skip it if** snapping tips would bother you, because Amazon's summary is negative on durability. ### 3. Maybelline TattooStudio Long-Lasting Sharpenable Eyeliner Pencil: best for a sharpenable gel pencil in many shades **Why it made the list** - The listing describes a waterproof gel pencil with smooth application and pigment-rich shades, from classic black to bright white. - It is sharpenable, so the tip can be kept fine. - Amazon's own summary is positive on application and appearance. **Drawbacks** - Amazon's own summary is negative on the sharpening mechanism, with some saying it is impossible to use. - The same summary is mixed on longevity, colour and smudge resistance, and one critical snippet says a green shade looked dull. **Watch for this:** One other listing with the same title shares the review total, so it covers shades of one pencil. The page opened on 900 Deep Onyx. **Skip it if** you want a pencil that never needs sharpening, because the sharpening is the weak point in Amazon's summary. ### 4. COVERGIRL Perfect Point PLUS Eyeliner Pencil: best for a self-sharpening pencil **Why it made the list** - The listing says the pencil sharpens itself, so you do not need a separate sharpener. - It describes a pencil that is easy to apply for a clean line, in shades the listing says suit any occasion. - Amazon's own summary is positive on how smoothly it goes on. **Drawbacks** - Amazon's own summary is mixed on smudge resistance and value for money. - A critical snippet we read says the pencil broke on use and that the self-sharpening part did not seem to work. **Watch for this:** The Black Onyx shade has its own listing under the same review total. The page we read opened on 210 Espresso. **Skip it if** smudging is your main worry, because one snippet says it smudged through the day. ### 5. L'Oréal Paris Infallible Never Fail Mechanical Pencil Eyeliner: best for a mechanical pencil for fine lines **Why it made the list** - The listing describes a mechanical pencil with a built-in sharpener and a smudger. - It calls the formula rich and creamy, for lines from classic to bold. - Amazon's own summary is positive on application, quality and texture. **Drawbacks** - Amazon's own summary is mixed on colour and ink flow, with some finding it not strongly pigmented. - A critical snippet we read praises the fine upper lid lines but says the tip breaks off if you unwind too much. **Watch for this:** The page opened on the Black shade in a one-pencil pack, and the review total covers every shade. **Skip it if** you want a bold, high-pigment line in one pass, because Amazon's summary is mixed on pigmentation. ## What we left out, and why Of the 124 result cards we read, 14 were not pencils: eyeshadow sticks, liquid and pen liners and a brow and eye twin set. We opened ten product pages, plus two for Wirecutter's picks, and kept five. We left out six of the ten finalists: - **NYX Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil.** It is sold as an eyeshadow stick as well as an eyeliner, and Amazon's own summary is negative on smudge resistance. - **Rimmel London Scandaleyes Waterproof Gel Pencil Eyeliner.** It is a pick in our [eye pencils for waterline guide](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-eye-pencils-for-waterline/), so we do not repeat it here. - **e.l.f. No Budge Retractable Eyeliner.** It is also a pick in the waterline guide. - **wet n wild Mega Last Breakup Proof Waterproof Retractable Gel Eyeliner.** It is a third pick in the waterline guide. - **Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil.** The page we read showed See All Buying Options and no price, so there was no new offer to buy. - **NYX Professional Makeup Epic Ink Eyeliner.** It is a liquid liner, and it already has a place in our [liquid eyeliner guide](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-liquid-eyeliner/). Wirecutter's guide to eyeliners, updated September 9, 2026, labels all five of its picks "Best for" and has no top pick. Its first pick is a liquid liner, which is not a pencil, so it is not here. It also picks the about-face Line Artist, a gel pencil, which is in the comparison table so you can see it next to ours. Our shortlist did not reach it, and its Amazon page holds too few ratings to rest a pick on, so we did not make it one of our picks. ## Questions people ask ### Is a pencil or a gel eyeliner easier to use? Byrdie quotes a makeup artist who says pencil and gel eyeliners tend to be easier to control and work for both precise lines and softer, smudged looks. The [Maybelline TattooStudio](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-pencil-eyeliner/#pick-3) is a gel pencil, and the others are pencils with different tip styles. ### Can pencil eyeliner go on the waterline? Byrdie says pencil formulas are gentle on the skin and can be used on both the lash line and the waterline. The [Revlon ColorStay](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-pencil-eyeliner/#pick-1) listing says it is suitable for the waterline, and Amazon's summary for the [NYX Mechanical Eye Pencil](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-pencil-eyeliner/#pick-2) is positive on waterline application. Check the listing for your pencil before you use it near your eyes. ### What if my pencil feels dry or tugs? Byrdie says some pencils get a reputation for being dry, and that warming the tip on the back of your hand before you apply makes the formula smoother. ### What does retractable mean? A retractable pencil twists up from its tube, so there is no wood to sharpen. The [NYX Mechanical Eye Pencil](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-pencil-eyeliner/#pick-2) works this way, and the [L'Oréal Infallible Never Fail](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-pencil-eyeliner/#pick-5) is a mechanical pencil that also has a built-in sharpener. ### How did TwelveTabs choose these pencil eyeliners? We compared Amazon's results for pencil eyeliner, set aside liquid liners, pens, eyeshadow sticks and a brow set, and read each finalist's page for its bullets and Amazon's own summary. The five picks differ in tip style, and none repeats a pick from our waterline or liquid eyeliner guides. ## How we researched On October 2, 2026 we read 124 Amazon result cards across two pages of results for pencil eyeliner. AI set aside liquid and pen liners, eyeshadow sticks and a brow set, read the pages of 10 finalists plus two extra pages for Wirecutter's picks, and chose five pencils that differ in tip style. AI wrote this guide from that research. Listings change: we read them on October 2, 2026, and a shade, pack or seller may differ today. Each page opened on a shade already chosen, and one review total covers every shade of a pencil. We kept only the first 200 characters of each listing bullet, so a feature may be on the page without appearing here. ### Sources - [Byrdie: The Best Eyeliner Pencils](https://www.byrdie.com/best-eyeliner-pencils-4587577) - [Wirecutter: The 5 Best Eyeliners of 2026](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-eyeliner/)