Lip liners: how to choose

How to choose lip liners

Begin with how you wear lip colour. If you like gloss or balm, choose a liner that holds a clean edge beneath a shinier top layer. If you prefer matte colour, a matte or velvet matte liner will sit more naturally with the finish. If you often wear liner alone, look for a piece with enough colour and a texture you enjoy on the whole lip, not only at the border.

Think about the tip as well as the shade. A slim pencil or fine pen gives control at the cupid's bow and along the outer corners, while a duo or 2-in-1 tool keeps the outline and the fill together. Our lip pieces include pencils, pens, dual-ended tools and coordinated sets, so you can choose the level of precision and portability that suits your routine.

For shade, start with a nude that is close to your natural lip for a quiet outline, or a nude or brown a little deeper than your lip for shape. Red and wine liners can match a similar lipstick or be worn alone, while pink, rose and purple give softer or cooler directions. A liner that is waterproof or described as transfer-resistant is useful if you want the edge to hold through coffee, meetings and dinner. Match the liner to the finish you wear most, then add one deeper shade for evening.

Formulas, finishes and shades

Lip liners come in several formats. Slim wooden or twist-up pencils are easy to control and simple to carry. Liner pens give a fine tip and a clean line. A dual-ended lipstick and liner puts the outline and the fill in one tool, while a 2-in-1 liner and tint uses a narrow tip for the edge and a flat side for the centre. Coordinated sets group several liners or pair liners with liquid lip colour, which helps if you like to build a small lip wardrobe in one go.

Finish matters as much as format. Matte and velvet matte liners give a soft, low-shine edge and can be filled over the whole lip for a muted finish. A liner can also sit beneath gloss, glossy colour or balm, where its job is to define the border and keep the softer finish inside it. Across our pieces you will find matte, gloss, glossy, liquid, balm and stick finishes, so you can pair a liner with the texture you already reach for.

Our shade range includes nude, brown, red, wine, pink, rose and purple, and you will find rose and vitamin E among the ingredients in our pieces. Use nude and brown for natural shaping, red and wine for classic depth, and pink, rose or purple when you want a softer or cooler tone. If you are building a small collection, one nude close to your lip, one deeper brown or wine and one shade that matches your favourite lip colour will cover many looks.

How to apply and wear them

Begin at the centre of the upper lip and draw outwards along the natural edge, then repeat on the lower lip. Short, light strokes are easier to control than one long line, especially around the cupid's bow. Follow your natural edge for a defined shape, draw just inside it for a softer shape, or take the line a fraction outside for a fuller shape. On a twist-up liner, turn the product up gently so the tip stays supported.

Once the outline is in place, you can fill the whole lip for a muted matte finish or leave the centre bare and add lipstick or gloss. A dual-ended lipstick and liner is used by tracing the edge with the liner, then filling with the lipstick side. A 2-in-1 liner and tint works in the same rhythm: narrow tip for the edge, flat side for the centre. If you want a softer transition, blend the liner inward with a fingertip or a small brush before colour goes on top.

For a defined lip, keep the edge crisp and let gloss or balm sit inside the border. For a blurred, stained effect, soften the liner with a fingertip before adding gloss. Liner worn alone can be filled over the whole lip for a matte look, or kept to the outline to give shape without a heavy layer. A waterproof or anti-fading liner is useful on days when you want the shape to stay from morning coffee to evening plans.

Hygiene, storage and shelf life

Keep the tip clean. Wipe a pencil or pen tip with a clean tissue after use, and close the cap firmly so the formula does not dry out or pick up dust from a makeup bag. Sharpen wooden pencils with a clean sharpener and wipe the blade afterwards. For twist-up or pen formats, turn up only a small amount of product so the tip does not snap or press against the cap.

Store lip liners upright where you can see the shade, away from heat and direct sun. A warm car or a sunny windowsill can soften a pencil and make the tip less precise. Keep liners separate from loose powders if you can, so the tip stays clean. If you use a duo or 2-in-1, check that both caps are secure before you put it away.

Do not share lip liners, and avoid dipping a pen tip into a pot of balm or gloss. Follow any period-after-opening guidance on the piece, and if the texture, smell or colour changes, stop using it. A simple routine of wiping, capping and storing upright will help your liner stay pleasant to use for as long as its guidance allows.

Standout pieces

• Waterproof Lip Liner Pencil: A slim waterproof pencil for a clean line in light brown, dark brown or wine red, with a formula that includes lanolin, palm wax, raspberry extract, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid.
• Matte Lip Colour and Lip Pencil Duo: A matte liquid lip colour and slim pencil in twelve shades, made to shape and fill with a full, even finish that resists fading and stays off the cup.
• Velvet Matte 2-in-1 Lip Liner and Tint: One pen with a narrow tip for the edge and a flat side for the centre, laying down dense velvet matte colour in sixteen shades.
• 12-Piece Nude Lip Liner Set: Twelve nude-toned matte liners, each 0.8g, for a defined lip edge that wears long.
• Waterproof Nude Lip Liner Pencil: A fine-point liner in 36 nude tones that draws a precise outline and holds through coffee, meetings and dinner without smudging.