If your TikTok FYP is anything like ours, white eyeliner has been making a major comeback. New York City-based makeup artist Julianna Grogan says that using white eyeliner on your waterline can make your eyes look less fatigued and bigger. “It brightens and enhances the whites of the eyes,” she notes.
In addition, Billie Gene, another New York City-based makeup artist, says that white eyeliner is a great staple and multi-use product to have in your makeup bag. “Yes, you can put it in your waterline to make your eyes seem bigger but you can also apply it all over the lid and then blend it out to use as a base for bright eyeshadow colors, or you can also use it as a highlighter in a pinch, applying it to the high points of your face and blending it out,” Gene explains.
There are quite a few white eyeliners on the market — some splurges and others drugstore steals — but that begs the question: where do you start? Right here. Below, we asked makeup artists and Allure editors for nine of their favorite white eyeliners to shop for right now.
Dior’s Diorshow On Stage Liner won a 2018 Best of Beauty Award because of its extremely pigmented shade range. While this shade, Matte White isn’t your typical pencil or waterline liner, this liquid eyeliner is still a great pick for those who want to play around with a white cat eye.
New York City-based makeup artist Krystal Vigo loves the Nyx Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk for its creamy and easy-to-use formula. Plus, this baby is only $7 and will last you a very long time.
Disco, a New York City-based makeup artist, loves both the Maybelline New York TattooStudio Gel Pencil Eyeliner in Polished White and Charlotte Tilbury’s Rock ‘N’ Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Eye Cheat but for different people. “If you’re fair to medium complexion, I suggest opting for a bright white like the Maybelline’s pick and if you’re a medium to deep complexion, I like to use a more off-white pencil like the Charlotte Tilbury,” she says. Both are creamy, pigmented, and really get the brightening job done.
The retractable packaging makes the Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Chroma Stix Makeup Pencil, easy for on-the-go use when you don’t have a sharpener handy. This White shade is a pure, bright hue but the creamy formula also comes in a pale nude shade called Apricot which will also brighten up any look.
