11 best lip liners that shape and define for a smudge-free pout

Whether you’re enhancing your natural pout or plumping for a bolder look à la Naomi Campbell or Pamela Anderson in the Nineties, the best lip liners are among the beauty world’s most powerful tools.

Plumping and defining your lips, with no filler in sight, think of them as the Swiss Army knife of your make-up bag. The right product can transform your face, whether it’s helping lipstick look sharper or making your Cupid’s bow more chiselled.

Its first use can be traced back to the 1920s when actresses such as Clara Bow accentuated their Cupid’s bow and lower lip for the flapper’s signature demure doll-like mouth. With lip liners later being adopted by Hollywood icons Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe in the Forties and Fifties, their contoured pouts have become synonymous with the eras’ glamour.

As for today’s viral trend du jour, Hailey Beiber and Matilda Djerf are making a case for neutral lip liners topped with tinted lip balms and oils, while Zendaya and Alexa Demie are marking the resurgence of Nineties-style dark and cocoa-brown lip liners. Even Kylie Jenner, who made full, lined lips into a billion-dollar empire, has pared back her look in favour of a more minimalist pout.

Whichever look you favour, we’ve rounded up the best lip liners to help you achieve the perfect pout.

How we tested

From neutral liners that give the illusion of fuller lips to sharper formulas that feather out lipstick, we’ve tried and tested all the best lip liners. Considering the formula’s skincare benefits, ease of application, staying power and value for money, we’ve pitted cult products from Mac and Charlotte Tilbury against budget buys from Maybelline and Elf, while also considering luxury offerings from Victoria Beckham and Vieve.

The best lip liners for 2024 are: