The Best Eyeliner for Sensitive Eyes: Reviews, Tips, Gripes, and Loves

The Neutrogena Nourishing Eye Liner is our favorite drugstore pencil eyeliner for sensitive eyes. It was manufactured to have a very gentle, beginner-friendly formula that we think could work for a wide variety of makeup looks, and, most importantly, right on the back of the box, it says that it's been dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. Off to a good start!

There are three things we like about it: 1) Neutrogena manufactured it with a roll-up / built-in sharpener design that doesn’t require any separate pencil sharpeners, which makes a great option for easy eye lining on the go, so you can throw it in your purse / backpack / duffel, and carry it around with you during the day; 2) it’s formulated to be soft, so that it can glide over the eyes without pulling or tugging—and thereby irritating—sensitive skin, and because of that feature it can potentially be used over any part of the eye, including the waterline (although obviously your results may vary, and you should use carefully!); and 3) they infused it with olive oil and shea butter, which can have a softening and nourishing effect that can help condition the skin and lashes. That’s a nice skincare feature that you don’t find in a lot of drugstore options.

Neutrogena makes the liner in shades like pewter, chocolate, cosmic black, and blue, which pretty much covers all the bases. The smudger is also nice—Neutrogena fitted the end of the liner with a smudger which can be used in order to achieve a more smoky eye makeup look. Finally, although it’s not officially water-resistant, it can hold up quite well against tears and rain but is designed to be easily removed with makeup remover.

Recommended for: beginners with sensitive eyes who would like an easy-to-use drugstore pencil.

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Physician’s Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum

We think the Physician’s Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum is an especially good option for beginners and people new to liquid eyeliners. It comes in the form of a pen with a felt tip applicator, and that can make it very easy to use, but even though it’s good for beginners, you can use it for some advanced techniques (like the winged eyeliner look). That versatility is wonderful.

Physician’s Formula is known for its commitment to making gentle, hypoallergenic products, and they had the same attitude when formulating this gentle, irritant-free eyeliner. They actually took things a step further by crafting this eyeliner to also offer a lash-boosting effect, so you may find that your lashes look stronger and healthier after regular use.

It’s worth mentioning that this formula is NOT waterproof, but in some instances that can actually be preferred for those with sensitive eyes, since it means the removal process can be easier, with no need for rubbing and irritating the delicate eye area. This can also be helpful for beginners because it’s easier to fix mistakes when the eyeliner is not waterproof.

We’ve heard this pen eyeliner compared favorably to Stila’s Stay All Day Eyeliner, but with more of a focus on sensitive skin. We always love it when a dupe has more features that the product it was duped from!

Physician’s Formula makes Eye Booster in a soft black, ultra-black, and deep brown—not too expansive, but definitely the shades we’d hope to see.

Recommended for: beginners who would like to experiment with a gentle liquid eyeliner and maybe try some advanced techniques like the winged eyeliner look.

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Jane Iredale Eye Pencil

How to Select Eyeliner When You’ve Got Sensitive Skin

OK! So now you know which eyeliners we like. Now let’s talk about how to choose an eyeliner when you’ve got skin issues, what factors/features to look for, and how to apply it. We’ll start with the most important tip:

Look for the Term “Hypoallergenic,” But… Be Aware

If you’ve got sensitive skin, your best bet is to look for a well-known cosmetics brand—one of the big ones that has a lot of name recognition, that puts a lot of effort to creating healthy cosmetics—and to look for the term “hypoallergenic.” That terms means that the cosmetic company that made the product did not include many of the chemicals that cause skin reactions in many people. Most of the major brands, from Estee Lauder to NARS to L’Oreal to CHANEL, have a ton of hypoallergenic products, and many of them are fantastic—just as good as their “allergenic” counterparts! So fear not—with a little research, you should be able to find fantastic cosmetics that are hypoallergenic.

But there’s one thing we need to warn you about:

Sadly, like the word “fragrance,” hypoallergenic is a term that unfortunately doesn't always mean what it sounds like it means, and unfortunately, there is no actual federal regulation on what the requirements are to use this label for a product. Cosmetic companies are free to label products as “hypoallergenic,” without really being forced to include / not include any specific ingredients. What the word ends up meaning, really, is that cosmetics companies have made a product they believe to be hypoallergenic, and that doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t cause a reaction on your skin—just that the company has done their best to make a cosmetic that’s gentle.

So… take that for what it’s worth! Most companies—and certainly the larger, well-known ones—do truly try to make products that won’t mess with your skin, and many people with skin sensitivity find that the gentler formulations don’t cause a reaction on their skin. And many of those products work for a lot of people who have sensitive skin and eye issues.

BUT—and we hope you remember this—that doesn’t mean a hypoallergenic formulation won’t case a reaction on your skin. Cosmetics companies leave out a lot of the ingredients known to have adverse reactions to the skin, but there could still be ingredients in a hypoallergenic product that cause a reaction on your skin. “Hypoallergenic” is not a “sure thing.”

Knowledge is power, and safety, so when you’ve finally found a few hypoallergenic options you want to test, go to the ingredient list and…

Look Out for Problematic Ingredients

People with sensitive skin and eyes often find that certain ingredients in eyeliner cause them to have reactions. As we’ve mentioned, like, a hundred times, we’re not doctors or dermatologists, but here some of the “usual suspects” that can trigger a reaction—and some you should avoid anyway:

• Alcohol. There are a lot of cosmetics that contain alcohol, because it 1) does a great job preserving makeup, 2) kills bacteria and other nasties, and 3) in some skin care products, it can tighten up your pores—an effect that a lot of people really like. The problem is, it can have a drying or irritating effect on the eyes, and that can make it a “no-go” for people with sensitive skin;
• The “Bad Guys.” There are some harmful chemical makeup ingredients that have come under a lot of scrutiny in the last few years, including phthalates, parabens, sulfates, BHA, and lanolin (among others). These chemicals are in a wide range of cosmetics, and researchers suspect they can cause health problems—and there are a lot of companies that have started omitting these ingredients from all of their products. Scientists are still interpreting how these chemicals affect your health, but if you have sensitive skin, it can make sense to avoid them (and a full discussion of each chemical is beyond the scope of this post, but here’s some info about parabens and skin sensitivity if you want to learn more);
• Kohl. This is technically a type of eyeliner, but it deserves special mention, as it can sometimes contain traces of lead, and lead is really, really bad for you. If you’re going to use kohl, it’s safest to select a product from a well-known brand, and read the label carefully—or just avoid it altogether; and finally, and most importantly—if you’re experiencing skin / eye sensitivity, you need to read the ingredient list to look for the following term:
• FRAGRANCE. This is one of the most common irritants for people with sensitive skin and eyes, and if you’ve got sensitive skin issues, we’d urge you keep an eye out for it. Some of the chemicals that companies use to make their products smell good can wreak havoc on the skin, and—we say this as makeup lovers with sensitive skin and eyes—whenever we have a reaction, fragrance is often the culprit. Here’s the kicker: companies don’t have to list what they’re using to scent their products, and they can include simply include the word “fragrance” in their ingredient list, instead of actually listing each of the unique chemicals in the fragrance. So unfortunately, there’s no way for you to figure out if “Chemical X” is causing your skin to react, and most people with skin sensitivity avoid ALL makeups with fragrance as a result. Luckily, there are plenty of fantastic—and affordable—cosmetics companies that offer fragrance-free cosmetics.

So now that you’ve found a hypoallergenic cosmetic and looked at the ingredient list, you may want to…

Do a Patch Test and See How Your Skin Reacts

Before we jump in here, we’ll state again: we’re not doctors, and if you’re worried about having an adverse reaction to a cosmetic, eyeliner, or whatever, you should consult a licensed medical professional first—your personal doctor, or even better, a dermatologist. Explain your concerns, ask a lot of questions, and find out if your new cosmetic is OK to use.

That’s the safest course of action, and this next part is for “informational purposes only,” to inform you of how some people test new cosmetics: they do a “patch test.” They test a small amount of the cosmetic on a small area of the skin (like the inside of the elbow, or right by your ear), wait 24 hours, and see how it reacts.

If you have had serious skin reactions to cosmetics, this obviously isn’t a good idea, and you should go straight to the doctor before trying any new type of cosmetic. But if your skin is OK with cosmetics, and you’re simply trying out a new product, it can be an easy way to test new types.

Two Other Tips That Would Couldn’t Figure Out How to Fit into the Other Sections

We couldn’t figure out how to include these tips in our other sections, but they’re also important:

1. If you’re dealing with any type of skin sensitivity, but especially eye sensitivity, you may also want to avoid glitter / shimmer in your eyeliner—while it they can be fun for bold looks, eyeliner with glitter or shimmer is going to increase the risk of fallout, which can really irritate your eyes. You may also want to be cautious with “longwear” or “waterproof” formulas—they sometimes contain elements that can cause a reaction, and…

2. If you have sensitive eyes, you may way to stay away from putting anything on your water line. Any type of liner or eyeliner in your water line (the rim of your eyelid at the bottom of your eye), or your tight line (the rim inside your eyelid under your upper lashes), can potentially be a huge irritant regardless of the type of product you’re using. Instead, to achieve the same “wide-eyed” effect, use a soft pencil eyeliner several shades lighter than your skin tone to create a “V” shape on the outer corner of both eyes, with the point of the V being right at the outer corner, before blending it out using a beauty sponge or blending brush.

Many people with hooded lids choose to tightline their eyes to get the eye-opening effect of eyeliner without taking up too much of their lid. If this applies to you, we recommend trying a gel liner and stamping as close as you can to the lashes on your lid to get the same effect without the potential irritation. A gel liner will give you enough control to lay a flat thin line close to the lashes.

And while we’re handing out advice, let’s talk about…

How to Use Eyeliner When You’ve Got Sensitive Skin

People with sensitive skin need to take a few precautions when they’re applying eyeliner, and there are plenty of little techniques you can use to get your eyeliner to perform up to expectations, while also making things a little easier on your skin.

The first tip depends on the type of eyeliner you use:

Choose Wisely: Pencils vs. Gels vs. Liquids

There are three main types of eyeliner that people use: pencil, gel, and liquid. Let’s take a look at each, and which might be a good option if you want to be nice to your eyes:

Pencil Eyeliner. Of the different types of liner, pencil is probably the most popular. It's easy to store, it takes a long time to expire, and it's not as messy as gels and liquids. That makes it great for beginners, because if you mess up a little, it's not as bad as messing up with a gel or a liquid, and the pencil—and the firmness of the eyeliner at the end of the pencil—give you more control during application. Unfortunately, they can be rough if you've got sensitive eyes. Here's what we recommend:

• Find a pencil that's very soft. A hard pencil can be like a little bully that pushes your skin around, whereas a softer pencil can make things a little easier on your skin;
• If you are brand new to eyeliner and would like to perfect your technique using a pencil liner rather than other methods, a good rule of thumb is to gently run the point of the pencil on the back of your hand to warm up the liner a little. This way, you’ll still have a point that is tapered enough to line your eyes, but not so tapered that you wind up tugging at the thin skin on the eyelid. Finally...
• Use the pencil to place "guide points" along your eye and then fill in the gaps with another type of liner. Using this connect the dots technique will also help you avoid dragging the pencil along your eyelid and causing potential problems, and it can give you a little more accuracy, so you won’t have to re-apply your makeup. This is another good method if you’re new to eyeliner and prefer pencil liner for its control.

Gel Liner. Gel liner is a good compromise for people whose eyeliner skills range from beginner to intermediate but may want a more "polished" look than a pencil liner can provide. Gel liner is also a fantastic choice if you’re a beginner who finds the resistance a pencil can create to be irritating. Here's what we try to keep in mind:

• Very often, this liner will come in a small container and you have to purchase a separate brush to apply it. Over the years, we've found that people will go to all the trouble of finding a hypoallergenic eyeliner gel that's safe for them to use... and then get a brush that isn't hypoallergenic, and makes them break out. Don't do that. If you've got skin sensitivity issues and sensitive eyes, be sure to review *all* your cosmetics—and the tools you use to apply them—and make sure they're work for you (and, while we're here: there are a few options for brushes, but we usually recommend an angled eyeliner brush for the most control and a smooth look. Like a pencil, you can use the brush to give yourself guide points and then draw the liner on); and
• The worry with gel liners can be their potential to smear, especially if it’s a liner that isn’t a long-lasting formula—but remember what we mentioned above: long-lasting formulas can be problematic for some people, so proceed with caution!

Liquid Eyeliner. Veteran makeup lovers—and makeup artists—love liquid liners, because they tend to give the most "defined look," but often times come in more of a long wear formula. As we've mentioned, that can be problematic, so here's a work-around:

• Like setting your face using powder and spray, you can set your eyeliner to make it last longer. Simply take a small blunt eyeshadow brush (hypoallergenic and safe for you to use) and use a matte black eyeshadow (also hypoallergenic and safe for you to use). Be sure to tap off as much excess as possible to avoid fallout and then stamp the eyeshadow along the eyeliner to help set it. Setting it this way will help keep the liner in place but still allow it to be easily removed at the end of the day, and that, too, is good tip for people with sensitive eyes: use easy-to-remove formulations. Long-wear formulas the eyeliner can be difficult to remove, and using them can lead to tugging at your eyes as you try to remove the product—which can potentially irritate them;
• Steer clear of unnecessary passes. When you apply and re-apply multiple layers of eyeliner, it can irritate the eyelids, so ideally, you want to complete as few passes as possible. One way to do this is tighten the surface you’re applying to, making application a little easier. Very delicately, use a finger or beauty sponge to gently pull your eyelid towards the outer corner just a little to create a flat, tight surface to apply liner to. This can help prevent having to go over the line several times. If you're not comfortable, relax and let go, and instead try to develop your control every time you use liquid eyeliner—be very mindful of your actions, and try to develop greater accuracy, so you only need a pass or two to apply the liquid evenly; and finally
• To develop greater accuracy, choose your liquid eyeliner applicator wisely. There are generally two different types of applicators that come with a liquid liner, felt tip and brush tip. A felt tip will probably provide more control so we would suggest leaning towards that unless you’ve got your eyeliner application perfected.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: Be Nice to Your Eyes and Eyelids!

We love this next tip, because it’s so often overlooked, and in our experience as makeup artists, it can be very helpful to people with sensitive eye and skin issue: when it comes to applying eye makeup, one of the best things you can do for your eyes is to make sure you have healthy eyelids.

It’s true, and it makes sense—the skin around your eyes is very thin and delicate, and you may need to provide a little extra TLC to make sure everything is healthy and ready for makeup.

Here are three steps you can take before and after applying makeup to ensure you’re giving your eyelids the best chance you can.

1. Moisturize Your Eyelids Before Wearing Makeup. Dry eyelids are no fun, and it's difficult—and really uncomfortable—to apply eyeshadow and eyeliner to dry, arid eyes. So it can make sense to good a gentle eye cream (one that's hypoallergenic and safe for you, of course) and use it to moisturize your lids after your morning cleansing. We usually use a lighter formulation that’s designed to settle into the skin quickly, so that it doesn't sit on the lids—moisturizer that doesn't absorb effectively sits on your eyelids and feels greasy and gloppy and gross, and it makes it very difficult to apply the rest of your makeup.

2. Use an Eyelid Primer for Protection and Longevity. Using an eyelid primer can help a great deal. While it may seem like yet another step in your makeup routine, it can provide some real benefits when you're dealing with sensitive eyes: it’s designed to prevent makeup from sliding throughout the day, which means you’re potentially reducing the risk of eyeliner and eyeshadow running into your eyes; it's formulated to make the product last longer, which means you don't have to look for "long-lasting" products which can have skin-irritating chemicals; and it can prevent staining on the eyelid from products—meaning you don’t have to pull, tug, scrub, or rub as hard to get your eye makeup off at the end of the day, as those activities can irritate your skin.

Keep in mind—if you don't keep your eyelids moisturized (see Tip #1), any primer you apply runs the risk of settling into fine lines and creasing.

3. Take Care of Your Eyelids Overnight. At night, our bodies take the time to rest and revitalize, and the same is true of our skin—and the delicate skin on and around the eyelids. A rich eye cream can provide restorative elements that can revivify (love that word!) your lids, and maybe even slow the development of wrinkles and eye creases. All while you sleep! If only all bodily upkeep could be done while we slept!

Look at Your Entire Makeup / Skincare Routine

Because sensitive eyes and sensitive skin often go hand in hand, we think it would be helpful to provide some general makeup application tips for sensitive skin as well.

1. Be Sure Your Face is Moisturized. Not unlike the primer needed for effectively applying eye makeup, a well-primed and moisturized base for your face can provide some protective qualities. In our own personal experience, it seems like dry skin is more easily irritated, whereas well-nourished, moisturized skin can be a little more resilient when cosmetics are applicated. And, not only does moisturizing before priming and applying makeup helps achieve a better finish, it can also help to prevent clogged pores, and in turn, flare-ups and breakouts (and that especially true if you're using acne medication).

2. Apply Foundation Wisely. Primer and moisturizing your face is a great start, but foundation—and how you apply it—is also important: while foundation is most commonly applied with a brush or even your fingers, it may make sense to avoid those techniques. Many beauty experts recommend using a beauty sponge to gently press your makeup into the skin. Just made sure your sponge is clean—using a dirty sponge can actually wreak havoc on your skin.

3. For Dry Skin, Experiment with Setting Spray. If dry skin is your issue and you tend to experience flaky dry patches as part of your irritation, it may help to mist a setting spray onto your face before you apply your foundation (and, as we mentioned earlier, look for a hypoallergenic option—preferably a moisturizing one). Because re-application can trigger skin reactions, a good rule of thumb to follow when it comes to sensitive skin is: the less you can handle your face, the better. The setting spray can help your makeup last all day without having to reapply, and it can also act as an additional barrier before the foundation, and help your makeup last longer without a drying setting powder.

4. For Oily Skin, Experiment with a Setting Powder. If oily skin is your issue, you may want to try applying a setting powder before your foundation. Most people with oily skin are instructed all our lives to do foundation first, powder second, but we've had some luck applying a thin layer of translucent powder before a liquid foundation. It can help balance out the oil on the skin, and give makeup something to latch onto, which can help it last longer—and eliminate the need for re-application. It can also help to create a more natural finish to your look as well.

5. Be Cautious with Falsies. The chemicals in false eyelashes—particularly the glue you use to paste your falsies to your skin—can be full of all sorts of weird chemicals, including latex and formaldehyde. People with sensitive skin and eyes don't always fare well with false eyelashes, so if you want that falsie look, experiment with a hypoallergenic mascara that is designed to volumize and separate lashes. A good one can provide you the same dramatic effect without, having to put lash glue down and blend everything in with your eyeliner. Last but not least...

6. Makeup Removal Can Irritate Your Skin, so be Careful. We've noticed this over the years: people with sensitive skin get very concerned with the cosmetics they put on their face—but overlook the products they use to *remove* their cosmetics. And that's a shame, because in some cases, those removers can irritate the skin!

When it's time to remove all the makeup you’ve put on for the day, opt for a gentle formulation that will work with your skin. This may take some trial and error, but it can be worth it. Some people do well with a cold cream, oil, or micellar water-type remover designed to reduce makeup down and then wipe away with one swipe (and there are gentle formulations available). If having products too near your eyes is your main cause for irritation, it may be better to work with a makeup wipe for product removal.