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Ohhh eyeliner. You can be tricky but you can also totally transform the eye. To be honest, I don’t wear eyeliner on the daily but after testing out five eyeliners for a week, maybe I should?!
I realized how little natural eyeliner it takes to make my eyes pop and how quickly it throws together a look. Is it just me or is eyeliner one of the trickier makeup skills to master? It took me years! So today I’m sharing my application and removal tips as well as the best natural eyeliners.
Note: This post was updated with current favorites and product recommendations in November 2025.
How to Apply Eyeliner (+ Fix Mistakes)
First things first, if you’re using a eye pencil eyeliner, make sure it’s sharp! You don’t want to apply with a dull/flattened pencil. Second, go slow! There’s no rush when it comes to applying your eyeliner. Go slowly and apply in small strokes for the most even application. This applies to liquid eyeliner or gel liners too.
Besides those two tips, there are different ways to apply eyeliner. I typically just create a line above my eye lid for a bolder look but if you’re new to eyeliner or don’t love the bold look, you can also line closer to the waterline – almost in between your eyelashes.
For a more natural look you can smudge the eyeliner with a smudge brush, angled brush or even a Q-tip. How easily your eyeliner glides depends on the spicific formula of your eyeliner. I’ve included ingredients and formula details in my recommendations below.
If you happen to make a mistake, don’t stress! A Q-Tip will be your BFF. I recommend starting with a dry Q-Tip but if that’s not working, you can use a little make-up remover, face oil or face lotion on the Q-Tip to really remove product.
How to Remove Eyeliner
If you feel like every time you wear eye makeup, it looks like you have it on for days, you’re not alone! My preferred way to remove eyeliner is with a cleansing balm. Here are my favorites!
The Best Natural Eyeliners
Jillian Dempsey Khol Eyeliner -$20
This eyeliner goes on super smooth and is incredibly long lasting. I love that this pencil has the eyeliner on one end and a smudge brush on the other end. Super practical and easy to apply!
Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal Liner – $34
Very similar to the Jillian Dempsey liner except that their color range is so much bigger! I absolutely love their sparkle liners for special occasions and easy smudge brush on the end.
W3ll People Fresh Lines Eye Pencil – $18
This was my OG go-to liner for so long! Sadly they discontinued a lot of their colors which I miss but as far as price goes it’s definitely one of the more affordable clean liners on the market and lasts super long.
ILIA Clean Line Liquid Liner – $28
I’m not going to lie, this is my second choice for a clean liquid liner but only because the Juice Beauty Liquid Eyeliner was discontinued! This one comes in a close second. I find application of liquid liner to be a bit tricky so I don’t think this is the product’s fault but overall it isn’t necessarily my go-to. This is purely a personal choice but if you’re into liquid liner this is your best bet.
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Hello, I appreciate this review as I’ve been trying to find a natural eye liner that stays in place better than my 100% Pure pencil does. Their liquid eye liner burns my skin, and I don’t like the shimmer that is in the brown liquid one. How does the Juice Beauty one compare?