The Best Colored Eyeliners for Every Skin Tone

Colored eyeliner is a fun and foolproof way to switch up your regular makeup routine. As long as you know how to draw on a cat-eye or trace a pencil across your lid, you’re already halfway there — just switch your standard black or brown liner to a color you love. Below, we’ve rounded up 21 colored eyeliners that pop on every skin tone, from sweet pastels to tropical greens, scorching pinks and more.  

The Best Colored Eyeliners for Fair Skin Tones

NYX Professional Makeup Vivid Brights Colored Liquid Eyeliner in Blue Thang

This liquid liner’s dreamy blue hue brings to mind spring days and clear skies. It’s a softer, less mod spin on white eyeliner. 

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Wild Side

Light up your lids with this glittering, metallic pink liner. The shade is soft enough not to overpower fair skin but pigmented enough to stand out. 

Maybelline New York TattooStudio Sharpenable Gel Pencil in Lime Smash

Mint green brings out the green and golden tones in your eyes and looks fresh and bright paired with minimal eye makeup. This gel pencil formula is a pigmented, smudge-resistant introduction to colored eyeliners. 

L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner in Silver

Icy silver eyeliner looks bold and striking, especially on fair skin with cool undertones. This pencil lives up to 24-hour wear claims with unflinching metallic color. 

NYX Professional Makeup Epic Smoke Liner in Violet Flash

If you prefer your liner smoked out and smudgy over crisp and graphic, you'll love this easy-to-blend pencil. On one end is a sultry amethyst hue; on the other, you’ll find a paddle-shaped brush to smudge the color with. 

Kulfi Beauty Underlined Kajal Eyeliner in Tiger Queen

This rich terracotta shade is the perfect segue between basic brown and colored eyeliners. The warm orange tones complement blue and green eyes and make them stand out. 

Glossier No. 1 Pencil in Ochre

Ochre is a creamy, saturated yellow that would make a subtle statement on fair skin with yellow undertones. The pencil’s transfer-resistant finish glides on and stays true for up to 12 hours. 

The Best Colored Eyeliners for Medium Skin Tones

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Viper

A glowing pinkish-purple liner perfectly complements medium and olive complexions. Plus, purple provides a gorgeous contrast against brown, green and hazel eyes. 

L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner in Burgundy

Up the drama of your standard smoky eye with this rich, warm burgundy tone. The reddish undertones are unexpected yet subtle, and the creamy, highly pigmented color payoff lasts for up to 24 hours. 

IT Cosmetics Superhero No-Tug Sharpenable Gel Eyeliner in Cosmic Copper

Bring a subtle shimmer and a glint of copper color to your lids with this metallic gel pencil. When you first draw it on, the formula is creamy and blendable, but it dries down to an all-day, waterproof wear. 

Maybelline New York TattooStudio Sharpenable Gel Pencil in Ultra Pink

For a colored eyeliner that is truly smudge-proof (and available at the drugstore), look to this Maybelline New York gel pencil. The shade Ultra Pink is a flashy neon we love on medium skin tones. 

Lancôme Idôle Liner in Emerald Green

For a subtle take on colored eyeliner, you can’t miss this deep emerald green shade. The ultra-fine tip and pen format make winging out your liner easy. 

NYX Professional Makeup Vivid Brights Colored Liquid Eyeliner in Ghosted Green

A bright, grassy green is undeniably cool on medium skin tones. Use this liquid liner’s fine tip to sketch out a cool graphic eyeliner look. 

Lime Crime Venus Pigmented Liquid Eyeliner in Peony

This dusty pink shade is the perfect way to bring the balletcore trend to your makeup look. It’s pastel but pigmented and opaque. 

The Best Colored Eyeliners for Dark Skin Tones

IT Cosmetics Superhero No-Tug Sharpenable Gel Eyeliner in Bold Blue

If there’s one colored eyeliner you have to experiment with on darker skin tones, it’s deep blue. “Black eyeliner can disappear,” celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose previously told Makeup.com. “I love using navy as it reads black from a distance, but it pops against dark skin to define your eyes.”

NYX Professional Makeup Vivid Brights Colored Liquid Eyeliner in Don’t Pink Twice

Don’t think twice about adding a neon pink liner to your makeup collection. This vibrant shade looks girly and bold on dark skin tones.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Vice

Deep purple has a similar effect as dark blue on deep skin tones — it’s subtle from a distance, but up close you can see the dramatic plum tones. 

NYX Professional Makeup Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Stick in Orange Zest

Bring a summery feel to your makeup no matter the season with this metallic orange eyeliner pencil. The color is soft enough to have a pretty, brightening effect on the waterline or smudged on top of the lid. 

HAUS LABS Optic Intensity Eco Gel Eyeliner Pencil in Teal Matte

This intensely saturated teal shade makes a bold statement on dark skin. The gel pencil formula glides on easily thanks to ingredients such as vitamin E and argan oil. 

SEPHORA COLLECTION Ultimate Gel Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Metallic Gold

Embrace your glamorous side with shimmery gilded lids. Gold eyeliner also looks beautiful along the waterline — think of it as a less stark alternative to white.

Danessa Myricks Colorfix Matte in Phoenix

For a striking monochromatic look, line your eyes with this red-hot cream using a thin liner brush, then tap a small amount on your lips and cheeks. It’s a multipurpose cream color that can be used practically anywhere on the face.