# Easy eyeliner for beginners

Source: HiveTried, https://hivetried.com/beauty/eyeliner/easy-for-beginners/
Category: Beauty > Eyeliner. Updated 2026-10-08. Based on 258 counted first-hand reports from Target shopper reviews, Nov 2020 to Sep 2026.

**Question:** Which eyeliner is easy for a beginner to use?

**Short answer:** COVERGIRL Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner has the best record for beginners: 20 of 20 shoppers said it was easy to apply and control, though that rests on a smaller group than Almay All-Day Intense Gel Eyeliner, where 35 shoppers weighed in and 33 of 35 said the same. Pencils, gels, felt-tip pens and liquid liners are ranked together on this page. e.l.f. Intense Ink Eyeliner has the weakest record at 17 of 27, and 40% of its reviews say it dries out fast.

**What stands out:** Drying out is a repeat complaint on three of these liners: 40% of e.l.f. Intense Ink Eyeliner reviews, 20% of Maybelline Hyper Easy Liquid Pen reviews and 12% of e.l.f. Eyeliner Pen reviews say it dries out fast.

## Ranking (buyers who said whether it worked)

| Rank | Product | Easy to apply | Share | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | COVERGIRL Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner | 20 of 20 | 100% | yes |
| 2 | Almay All-Day Intense Gel Eyeliner | 33 of 35 | 94% | yes |
| 3 | Maybelline Hyper Easy Liquid Pen | 26 of 29 | 90% | yes |
| 4 | e.l.f. Expert Liquid Eyeliner | 30 of 34 | 88% | yes |
| 5 | NYX Professional Makeup Epic Wear Liner Stick | 18 of 23 | 78% | yes |
| 6 | e.l.f. Eyeliner Pen | 19 of 25 | 76% | yes |
| 7 | e.l.f. Intense Ink Eyeliner | 17 of 27 | 63% | yes |

Ranked by the lower bound of a 90% Wilson confidence interval, so a product needs a high share and enough reports to rank high. An Amazon link is shown only when at least 60% say it works.

## Product notes

### 1. COVERGIRL Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner

A pencil that all 20 shoppers who weighed in found easy to apply, though that is a smaller group than for the other liners here. 38% say it lasts all day and 19% call it good value, while 8% say it fades and 8% say it smudges.

- Praised for: Lasts all day (38%), Good value (19%)
- Complaints: Fades during the day (8%), Smudges (8%)
- Reports counted: 26

### 2. Almay All-Day Intense Gel Eyeliner

More shoppers weighed in on this gel than on any other liner here (35), and 33 of 35 said it was easy to apply. 25% like the deep color and 42% say it lasts all day, while 8% mention smudging.

- Praised for: Lasts all day (43%), Deep, opaque color (25%), Doesn't smudge (18%)
- Complaints: Smudges (8%), Skips or tugs (5%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 3. Maybelline Hyper Easy Liquid Pen

Shoppers like the line this liquid pen draws: 30% call it precise and 58% say it is easy to apply. Drying out is the main complaint at 20%, and 3 of 29 reviewers said it was hard to control.

- Praised for: Easy, precise line (30%), Lasts all day (20%), Good value (15%)
- Complaints: Dries out fast (20%), Smudges (5%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 4. e.l.f. Expert Liquid Eyeliner

30 of 34 said this liquid liner was easy to apply, and 10% of its reviews call it good for beginners. 28% praise a precise line, while 4 of 34 found it hard to control and 8% mention smudging.

- Praised for: Easy, precise line (28%), Lasts all day (25%), Good value (23%)
- Complaints: Smudges (8%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 5. NYX Professional Makeup Epic Wear Liner Stick

Skipping is the snag with this liner stick: 12% of reviews say it skips or tugs, and 5 of 23 reviewers had trouble using it. Still, 18 of 23 said it was easy to apply and 25% say it lasts all day.

- Praised for: Lasts all day (25%), Good value (6%)
- Complaints: Skips or tugs (13%)
- Reports counted: 32

### 6. e.l.f. Eyeliner Pen

A mixed record for this pen: 19 of 25 said it was easy to apply, and 18% call it good value. Complaints are spread out, with 12% saying it dries out, 12% saying it fades and 10% saying it skips.

- Praised for: Deep, opaque color (18%), Good value (18%), Lasts all day (15%)
- Complaints: Dries out fast (13%), Fades during the day (13%), Skips or tugs (10%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 7. e.l.f. Intense Ink Eyeliner

This liner has the weakest record here, with 17 of 27 saying it was easy to apply. 40% of its reviews say it dries out fast and 12% say it skips, though 22% call it good value and 12% like the deep color.

- Praised for: Good value (23%), Easy, precise line (13%), Deep, opaque color (13%)
- Complaints: Dries out fast (40%), Skips or tugs (13%), Fades during the day (8%)
- Reports counted: 40

## Questions

**Which eyeliner is easy for beginners?**

COVERGIRL Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner has the best record (20 of 20), followed by Almay All-Day Intense Gel Eyeliner (33 of 35) and Maybelline Hyper Easy Liquid Pen (26 of 29). COVERGIRL Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner rests on a smaller group of reviewers, so the larger group behind Almay All-Day Intense Gel Eyeliner is worth a look too.

**Is pencil, gel or liquid eyeliner easier for a beginner?**

A pencil and a gel liner hold the first two places, at 100% and 94%. Liquid liners are close behind, with Maybelline Hyper Easy Liquid Pen at 90% and e.l.f. Expert Liquid Eyeliner at 88%. The same brand can land far apart, though, as e.l.f. Expert Liquid Eyeliner at 88% and e.l.f. Intense Ink Eyeliner at 63% show, so check the specific product, not just the type.

**Which eyeliners skip or tug?**

Skipping or tugging shows up in 12% of NYX Professional Makeup Epic Wear Liner Stick reviews, 12% of e.l.f. Intense Ink Eyeliner reviews and 10% of e.l.f. Eyeliner Pen reviews. It also comes up for Almay All-Day Intense Gel Eyeliner, at 5% of its reviews.

**Is e.l.f. Expert Liquid Eyeliner good for beginners?**

Many shoppers think so: 30 of 34 said it was easy to apply, and 10% of its reviews call it good for beginners. 4 of 34 said it was hard to control, and 8% mention smudging.

## Method

HiveTried counts first-hand reports only, drops reviews written for free products, shows brand-site reviews without counting them, and never accepts payment for placement. Full method: https://hivetried.com/how-we-count/