The Best Zero Waste Eyeliner for 2023

A liner that does the job WHILE enriching my skin? Yes, please! 100 Percent Pure wasn't kidding when it chose its brand name. Backed with the moisturizing power of jojoba oil, chamomile butter, and mango seed oil, the pencil-shaped liner provide a hydrated, flake-free application that I would whip out in a heartbeat.

I love that they not only had shade options but various stroke sizes too, so that you can decide on a razor-edge line or a chunkier, smudge-friendly finish. I opted for the shimmering Gleaming Pewter color option and loved the generous shine and pigment dispersion which remained put throughout my rather busy day.

While I was happy with my shimmering option, I can see why many would wish for more bright colors and variety beyond their three color options.

No matter where you are on your makeup journey, a nourishing eyeliner that enriches while more than delivering on pigment distribution, application, and staying power is an eyeliner you'll keep until its final stroke- trust me, I'm on my second one already.

Liquid eyeliner is the beauty equivalent of attempting a macaroon baking session: you need all the right ingredients and to have watched AT LEAST 10 youtube tutorials beforehand. The ingredients, in this case, are 1) a good liquid liner and 2) the unshaking ability to draw on the delicate fold of your eye - what could go wrong?

Well, with the nifty, easy-to-hold, and zero-waste liquid liner from Ilia, very little.

From the first use, the pen-shaped liner stood out for being so easy to use. An easy grip and flexible, finely pointed felt tip made for smooth application that mitigated what I've come to call "The liner shakes"- a nervous quiver most people get when trying to smoothly apply liquid liner.

The fine tip, which easily distributes a jet-black charcoal-based waterproof pigment, could easily apply a razor-thin line with precision or be used to fill out a bolder cat-eye shape.

The clean, vegan liner overachieves in the endurance department too. After a very long day, my lines were still clean and precise and very much black (cue post-wine selfie session). I must say that at times I found the pigment grip a little too difficult to remove when it came to makeup removal. All I can say is that a good, reusable makeup remover will keep the dreaded panda eyes away.

I recommend this liner for both the makeup newbie and veteran who's looking for a go-to liner as bold as it is enduring and with an eco-friendly heart of gold.

An eco eyeliner? Made by Gwen Stefani?

Naturally, one can expect a bold pop of color and the staying power of Gwen herself- iconic since the 90s, baby. Beyond being absolutely starstruck, this eyeliner's green credentials tick every box; vegan, cruelty-free, and sporting recyclable packaging.

When it came down to using it, consider me sold. An easy grip made the hyper-pigmented gel tip glide seamlessly across my lid without any smudging or puckering. The liner boasts 24-hour long wear, which is not only backed but hyped about by users online- you best believe I'm in bed way before that claim could be truly tested.

With options in matte black and a metallic bathwater blue, some may wish there were more color options. The rounded gel tip limits line thickness options and precision.

Makeup-lovers who love a bold line and pop of pigment (be it jet black or blue) will love this clean, easy-to-use gel pen.

Ilia really knows how to walk the line between being environmentally conscious and professionally groundbreaking. And it's a crisp line at that. The eco-focused brand believes makeup should be skin-powered (that is to say: nourishing and not detrimental to your skin), and their gel eyeliner is no exception.

The cleanly-formulated liner omits Carbon and Cyclomethicone to create a product that gets two thumbs one up (one for the environment and the other for our precious skin biome).

As for use and wear, the gel tip glides easily across the skin, evenly spreading the bold pigment without crumbs or fading. Its waterproof composition has incredible staying power boasting the precision that comes with its pencil shape and the staying power of a pigmented gel. If you're into smudging, it's best to do so immediately after application as this bad is stubborn as heck once it's set (a good thing).

While it performs as expected, what really stood out for me was the gel's hydration. I loved this, but my research found that people with naturally oily skin found experienced some smudging.

If you're looking for a fuss-free, high-performing liner and have dry to normal skin, this eyeliner is for you. I have both the brown and black one in my handbag at any given time, which is a testament to its failsafe rescue when my eyes need a little sprucing.

Au Naturale knows how to put the vibe in vibrant thanks to their almost silly amount of color options and amazing staying power.

With a heart of gold, well... green, and a commitment to high-quality, toxin-free beauty products, Au Naturale has a reputation for trail-blazing in the eco-beauty world. Their Swipe-on Essential Eyeliner offerings are testament to this.

With a whopping color selection and an application that more than earns its name, it was hard not to dart off to my computer and make sure all 8 colors were soon mine. A quick look online quickly confirmed that I wasn't the only one who felt this way- with a 5-star average rating and rave reviews.

While I attribute the eyeliner's accuracy to its firm nib, I see some users hoped for a little more softness to make application easier- I think this is much of a muchness and more of a personal preference issue. I've found that softer nibs easily break or create crumby applications.

If you're looking for a pencil-based eyeliner with color variations and an easy-breezy application, Au Naturale's Swipe on Essential Eyeliner is a sure winner.