Natural-Looking Eyeliner Is My Thing—These 11 Are the Best for "No-Makeup" Makeup
For a long time, I totally overlooked eyeliners in my makeup routine. You see, as a teenager, there was nothing I loved more than lining my eyes with a dark kohl liner. These days, however, I'm all for a more subtle look, and many eyeliners scare me (especially when doing makeup on my hooded eyes — it can often look just too heavy). Which is why I've been on the hunt for the best natural-looking eyeliners lately.
I know, 2016 makeup, with its full-glam cut creases and defined eyeliner wings, may be threatening a comeback in 2026, but until I pluck up the courage to pick up a liquid eyeliner again, I'm following the softly-diffused, smoky wings and barely-there brown eyeliner that makeup artists such as Nina Park have made so popular right now. It's the ideal way to add definition to your eyes whilst still retaining the "no-makeup" makeup effect.
So I've been putting the most natural-looking eyeliners to the test to find the ones that offer just the right amount of definition, whether you're tightlining, creating a smoky wing or lining your lids. Scroll on for my tried and tested favourites, as well as the tips to make your eyeliner look as natural as possible.
Best Natural-Looking Eyeliners, Tried & Tested
- Best Overall: Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner in Cocoa (£33)
- Best for Smudging: Jones Road The Best Pencil in Brown (£24)
- Best Brightening Eyeliner: Victoria Beckham Beauty Instant Brightening Waterline Pencil (£31)
- Best Affordable Eyeliner: Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Pencil in Sable Brown (£3)
- Best Waterproof Eyeliner: Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'n' Kohl in Barbarella Brown (£25)
- Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner in Cocoa
Best Overall
(https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=2P555SNI1Kc&mid=50465&u1=whowhatwear-us-1421142342796255274&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fvictoriabeckhambeauty.com%2Fen-gb%2Fproducts%2Fsatin-kajal-liner%3Fvariant%3D31592415199266)
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Satin Kajal Liner in Cocoa
Pros
- Applies smoothly
- Blends effortlessly
- Can be used to tightline, create a soft wing or to define the upper/lower lashes
- Includes a sponge on the other end to blend
Cons
- On the expensive side
(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)
The Satin Kajal Liners are easily one of Victoria Beckham Beauty's best products because they're just so versatile. The soft pencils glide effortlessly and can be used in multiple ways, but are particularly great for adding soft definition to your eyes, whether you're tight-lining or creating a softly-diffused wing to add natural-looking definition. The Satin Kajal Liner in Cocoa is the best shade if you're after natural-looking eyeliner, thanks to its rich brown hue in a soft-matte finish.
- Jones Road The Best Pencil in Brown
Best For Smudging
(https://jonesroad.sjv.io/c/221109/2634000/30906?subId1=whowhatwear-us-8785155913410266824&sharedId=whowhatwear-us&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jonesroadbeauty.com%2Fproducts%2Fthe-best-pencil)
Jones Road
The Best Pencil in Brown
Pros
- Easy to blend
- Doesn't drag
Cons
- Harder to find in stores
(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)
This Jones Road pencil liner glides onto the eyes smoothly, depositing bold pigment without dragging whatsoever. And of course it's good; legendary makeup artist Bobbi Brown created it. The formula is buttery soft, so it can be smudged to create soft definition around your eyes without looking heavy. I highly recommend the brown shade for the most natural-looking, "no-makeup" makeup results.
- Victoria Beckham Beauty Instant Brightening Waterline Pencil
Best Brightening Eyeliner
(https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=2P555SNI1Kc&mid=50465&u1=whowhatwear-us-7604337085529642961&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fvictoriabeckhambeauty.com%2Fen-gb%2Fproducts%2Fbrightening-waterline-pencil)
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Instant Brightening Waterline Pencil
If you want more of a wide-eyed and refreshed effect rather than obvious definition, then this is probably the most natural-looking eyeliner you could try. The off-white hue is designed to be applied on your waterline, helping to disguise redness and instantly brighten the eyes for a wide-awake look. No one would ever guess you got less than eight hours of sleep.
Pros
- Helps to brighten the eyes
- Makes eyes look bigger
Cons
- Doesn't offer definition like a traditional eyeliner
- Beauty Pie Gel Eyeliner in Turkish Coffee
Best Long-Lasting Eyeliner
(https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=12780&awinaffid=103504&clickref=whowhatwear-us-1047846758883597700&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.beautypie.com%2Fproducts%2Fultra-colour-eyeliner-turkish-coffee)
Beauty Pie
Gel Eyeliner in Turkish Coffee
Price shown is member price.
This Beauty Pie eyeliner features an incredibly long-lasting gel formula. What's also great about it is that it's incredibly soft, so it doesn't drag when you're applying it, and yet it has impressive lasting power. This is a great one to go for if you're worried about your eyeliner smudging or transferring.
Pros
- Easy to smudge for a smokey eye
- Built-in smudging tool on the other end
Cons
- You need to be a member to access the lower prices
- Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'n' Kohl in Barbarella Brown
Best Waterproof Liner
(https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=29063&awinaffid=103504&clickref=whowhatwear-us-1407785490814395980&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cultbeauty.co.uk%2Fp%2Fcharlotte-tilbury-rock-n-kohl-1.2g-various-shades%2F16303570%2F)
Charlotte Tilbury
Rock 'n' Kohl in Barbarella Brown
Pros
- Gentle on sensitive eyes
- Applies and blends easily
- Comes with a smudging tool
Cons
- You'll need to sharpen it regularly
(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)
If you want a waterproof and totally indestructible eyeliner, then you really can't do much better than Charlotte Tilbury's formula. It boasts an impressive wear-time of 10 hours on the waterline and a huge 28 hours on the lids. Once this is set in place, it won't budge, so it's also ideal for sensitive or watery eyes as it won't smudge or transfer. I'd recommend going for Barbarella Brown for the most natural-looking shade.
