13 Best Eyeliners For Sensitive Eyes
These listed eyeliners are ideal for sensitive eyes and are easy to use every day.
Lorrie PearsonProfessional Makeup Artist
Expertise: Makeup & Personal Styling
Experience: 20 years
Lorrie Pearson is a professional makeup artist who has been creating her signature natural makeup looks for 20+ years. She began her career working behind the cosmetics counter that helped her strengthen her skills in application. Ms. Pe... more
Expertise: Fashion
Pratima Ati is a postgraduate in International Business from Staffordshire University. After working in Marketing and Business Development for a few years, she jumped ship to pursue two things she lov... more
Image: Shutterstock
The skin around our eyelids is delicate and needs special care. And if your skin reacts to harsh chemicals, then the best eyeliners for sensitive skin should be your BFF. They enhance your eye makeup without irritating the skin. The best thing? These eyeliners are available in waterproof, long-lasting, and easily applicable formulas! But getting our hands on the eyeliner that suits sensitive skin can be an ordeal. That’s why we have created a list of the products that are gentle on your skin and offer intense color payoff. Scroll down to explore and pick your favorite eyeliner right now!
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In This Article
How To Choose An Eyeliner For Sensitive Eyes
- Opt for eyeliners that have little to no use of toxic ingredients.
- Pick smudge-proof eyeliners.
- Eyeliners that have a lightweight formulation work well for sensitive eyes.
- Look for eyeliners that are heavily pigmented so it won’t leave your eyes dry.
- Waterproof eyeliners are always a YES.
- Vegan eyeliners are also a great fit as they are free from harmful ingredients that could bother sensitive eyes.
- Pigmented eyeliners are a great choice as it will stay for long hours without drying out your eyes.
Let us now take a look at some of the products we have compiled for you.
13 Best Eyeliners For Sensitive Eyes
Best Overall:Maybelline New York Master Precise All Day Liquid Liner
This no-smudge liquid eyeliner from Maybelline is truly a blessing in disguise. We have not one but several reasons as to why we think it is great. This smudge-proof eyeliner helps you #wingit and make a bold fashion statement. With an intense color, it gives you that fun, bold, and dramatic look. You can create maximum eye definition with this super pigmented eyeliner from Maybelline. For someone who has sensitive skin, the compounds used to formulate this eyeliner are mild and never leave your eyes feeling dry. Click this video to learn more about the product.
Also Recommended By:Experts at We Heart This also think highly of Maybelline New York Master Precise All Day Liquid Liner.[1]10 Best Eyeliners For Sensitive Eyes (& Eyelids). We Heart This.
Pros - Super pigmented for a long-lasting look
- Mild formulation
- Smooth flow of the pen
Cons
- Takes about 3-4 minutes to dry out
Pro TipBest Vegan Formula:NaturLash Mineral Mascara (BLACK) | Natural | Non-GMO | Hypoallergenic for Sensitive Eyes
Natural products are your skin’s best friend. With a silky smooth feel, this eyeliner draws out your wing with nothing but perfection. It is vegan and is made using ingredients that soothe your eyes. It is the trusted choice of women all over the world, owing to its non-toxic blend of ingredients that suit sensitive eyes. This long-lasting eyeliner helps you create dramatic and glamorous looks with ease. This product is gluten, mercury, paraben, petroleum as well as dye-free. It is natural all the way, and yet makes you look ravishing!
Pros - Vegan
- Smooth pencil for a defined wing
- Has a soothing effect on eyes
- Lightweight formula
Cons
- Not pigmented enough
- Lasts for about 5-6 hours only
- Expensive
Fun FactBest For Contact Lens WearersStila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner
This eyeliner by Stila is nothing but #goals. With eight different shades to choose from, this eyeliner is a must-have for women who have trouble finding the right eyeliner for their skin. It is smudge-proof, and the tip of its pen draws out the perfect wing. This pencil liner is suitable for women who wear contact lenses and is richly pigmented. Stila’s eyeliner is known for great pigmentation that won’t ever leave your eyes feeling dry or agitated. Another plus point of this eyeliner is that it is waterproof, so it won’t fade in humid conditions. Use it to create the quintessential smoky-eye look for the cocktail party you have been looking forward to!
Pros - Suitable for contact lens wearers
- Richly pigmented
- Smooth pencil lining
Cons
- Expensive
- Lasts for about 4-5 hours only
Best Pocket-FriendlyBetter'n Ur Eyes Natural Eyeliner Pencil
If you are looking out for something that is easy to use as well as pocket-friendly, this eyeliner is it. Not only does it help line your eyes precisely, but it has just the right amount of pigmentation to last up to about 4-5 hours. It is handy and is composed of healing oils that nourish the skin on your eyelids. Its major component is castor oil, which is great for sensitive eyes. Made in the USA, you’ll love how smoothly it applies over your eyes. Hurry up, grab this product, and give it a try!
Pros - Composed of natural ingredients like castor oil
- Perfect for sensitive skin
Cons
- Not smudge-proof as it is oil-based
Best Long-Lasting:Julep When Pencil Met Gel Long-Lasting Eyeliner
Applying eyeliner while wearing contacts could be quite tricky. The Julep When Pencil Met Gel Long-Lasting Eyeliner has a fantastic formula created especially for sensitive eyes. It comes in plenty of fun and quirky shades that you could line your eyes with to achieve a look that will make you stand out in the crowd! This eyeliner is richly pigmented and sets into your skin in under 30 seconds. Another cool feature of this eyeliner is that it lasts for over 10 hours without smudging. The tip is super smooth and glides on your skin to create the desired look.
Pros - Lasts for over 10 hours
- Glides over your skin smoothly
- Ophthalmologist-tested
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- Expensive
Pro TipBest Smudge-Proof:Blinc Extreme Longwear Liquid Eyeliner
Blinc is a brand that many makeup artists are fond of. Their products provide a professional salon-finished look. With five bold shades, Blinc Extreme Longwear Liquid Eyeliner is something you can pick if you have sensitive eyes. It is made using a natural formula blended with castor oil that helps soothe your skin. This eyeliner has a super thin liner tip that enables you to create the desired look with precision and ease. It is highly pigmented, smudge-proof, as well as fade-proof.
Pros - Smudge-proof
- Long-lasting formula
- High pigmentation
Cons
- Expensive
- Oil-based eyeliner
Best For Smokey Eye Look:Clinique Quickliner For Eyes Intense
Clinique is a well-known brand that is adored by plenty of makeup artists and enthusiasts. This eyeliner helps you achieve an intense smokey eye look. The formula used to create this eyeliner is super-soft and mild on your skin. The tip is designed to enable easy application and create just about any look under the sun!
Pros
- Smooth application
- Mild on skin
Cons
- Expensive
- Not smudge-proof
Best Richly PigmentedAlmay Eyeliner Pencil Top of the Line
Almay eyeliner pencil is a good option. This eyeliner is available in four shades and can create some really fun, quirky looks. It is richly pigmented and infused with vitamin E that does not leave your eyes feeling dry. Its tip is super smooth to help you line your eyes with utmost precision. This eyeliner works well on all skin types.
Pros - Infused with vitamin E
- Heavily pigmented to avoid dry eyes
- Affordably priced
Cons
- Smudges easily
- Lasts for about 4-5 hours
Best Hypoallergenic:Shimarz Black Eyeliner Pencil
Shimarz Black Eyeliner Pencil has a 99% natural, vegan, and chemical-free formula best suited for sensitive eyes. The super-smooth formula is formulated with calendula wax, jojoba oil, and castor oil that glide gently over the skin without pulling or tugging. It moisturizes dry skin, reduces wrinkles, and gives you the most dramatic cat eyes to amp up your eye makeup game.
Pros - Vegan
- Hypoallergenic
- Gluten-free
- Paraben-free
Cons
- Not long-lasting
- Smears easily
- Available in a single shade
Best With Natural IngredientsYoungblood Legit Pencil Eyeliner
Youngblood Legit Pencil Eyeliner is a natural multi-use pencil. It is made with hydrating ingredients such as vitamin E and marula oil, nourishing dry skin and leaving it soft and smooth. This multi-purpose pencil can be used to line the eyes or blend into the eyelid crease for a smokey look. The non-irritating and hypoallergenic eyeliner is available in two shades and is an excellent pick for sensitive eyes.
Pros - Natural ingredients
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Paraben-free
- Talc-free
- Hypoallergenic
Cons
- Expensive
Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner
The Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner is truly a game-changer. It has a creamy formula that glides easily on your lids. The liner is infused with hypoallergenic ingredients like vitamin E and jojoba oil, that nourish your lids. This eyeliner has an ultra-sharp tip that helps you create fine clean lines or draw out your wings perfectly. This waterproof and smudge-proof liner is also long-wearing and cruelty-free.
Pros - Hypoallergenic
- Waterproof
- Long-wearing
- Smudge-proof
- Precise application
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- Some may find the color light
SEPHORA COLLECTION Retractable Waterproof Eyeliner #1 Matte Black
Oh, we love this brand, don’t we? A waterproof, smudge-proof formula that makes your eyeliner last for long hours without fading away. Its matt black definition creates a stunning and bold look. We’re sure you won’t be left disappointed. This eyeliner from Sephora is curated to suit all skin types. Create the perfect intense look for your date night and woo your significant other, all over again!
Pros - Matt black
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Expensive
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Epic Ink Liner
NYX is a fun, quirky brand that you must try if you are a makeup lover. This eyeliner is bold, intense, and comes in an intense black shade that makes it all the more exciting to create dramatic looks! This eyeliner is great for sensitive eyes and is smudge-free. Another great feature of this liner is that it won’t leave your eyes feeling dry or itchy. So hurry up and get your hands on this product from your nearest store!
Pros - Intense black shade
- Works well on sensitive eyes
Cons
- Lasts for about 5-6 hours
Now that we have seen the 13 best eyeliners for sensitive eyes, let us delve deeper into knowing how eyeliners affect sensitive skin.
How Does Eyeliner Affect Sensitive Eyes And Eyelids
While we love how stunning eyeliners look, women with sensitive eyes could be affected by it. Lorrie Pearson, a makeup artist, suggests “When you have sensitive eyes, eyeliner application can be challenging due to possible irritation. So, be sure that the eyeliner goes on smooth, and does not tug at your sensitive eye skin.”
Since an eyeliner is applied just above your eyelid, it can quite easily slip inside your eye, especially if it is not smudge-proof. This can cause discomfort, irritation, and itchiness to sensitive eyes. Therefore, it is of high importance that you pick up eyeliners that have high pigmentation yet are skin-friendly.
Eye Makeup Tips For Sensitive Eyes
Here are a few tips for eye makeup for sensitive eyes:
- Cleanse your eyes before and after applying eye makeup.
- Opt for products that are toxin-free and skin-friendly.
- Eyeliners composed of natural ingredients and oils will be mild on your skin while also nourishing it.
- If your eyes start to get dry or itchy, a dab of rose water on your eyelids can help relieve the irritation.
Infographic: Tips To Remember Before Buying Eyeliners For Sensitive Eyes
If you have sensitive eyes, applying a regular eyeliner may cause your eyes to itch or tear up. Therefore, choose an eyeliner specially designed for sensitive eyes to reduce the chances of irritation. Check out the infographic below to learn what features to look for. Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
Save the high-quality PDF version on your device now.
Download Infographic 
Sensitive eyes need special products that can provide a dramatic look without causing any irritation. If you want to create maximum eye definition, you can use some highly-pigmented eyeliners that can help you make a bold statement. The eyeliners on our list are made of ingredients known to hydrate your eyes while soothing the skin around. These eyeliners can offer a great look without leaving your eyes dry and agitated. For sensitive eyes, it is definitely important to choose eyeliners that are waterproof and smudge-proof. However, avoid eyeliners that aren’t quick-drying.
Why Trust Stylecraze
The author of this article, Pratima Ati, is a makeup enthusiast who loves trying out different products. After carefully researching and browsing online reviews, she has curated a list of the best eyeliners for sensitive eyes. She knows that the skin around our eyelids is delicate and needs special care. The products listed here are available in waterproof, long-lasting, and easily applicable formulas.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you know if you are allergic to eyeliner?
You will know that you are allergic to eyeliner if the skin around your eyes becomes itchy, red, or scaly after using the product. The white area of your eyes may also appear red and swollen as an indication of developing allergies.
Why do my eyes get irritated when I wear eyeliner?
If the eyeliner is made of irritants that trigger allergic reactions, you may experience itchy eyes after using the product. Also, if you apply liner to your inner lash line, the makeup particles irritate the tear film of your delicate eyes.
What ingredient in eyeliner causes allergic reactions?
Various irritants like nickel and iron oxide are used in eyeliners to increase their shelf life. These ingredients, like waxes, oils, detergents, dyes, fragrances, and preservatives, are not skin-friendly and can trigger sensitivity around your eyes.
