Going the Extra Mile: Eyeliners that Are Easy to Use and Hard to Rub Off

Sitting in front of a computer screen all day, I am constantly rubbing my eyes. Consequently, they are usually naked by lunchtime, at which point I run to the restroom and grudgingly repeat my morning eye-makeup routine.

Eyeliner is a tricky balancing act. You don’t want something so light that it wears away in minutes, but you also don’t want oil paint that refuses to come off at night, leaving you with raccoon eyes that haunt you until the next morning.

Eyeliner now comes in many forms and the best system is usually the most time consuming. However, you can find user-friendly products in every form that will last through the day.

You can’t beat the pencil for convenience. Body + Soul, a devilishly fun company out of Canada, has taken the idea even further with a line of pencils that double as smudging pads. The eyeliners, which come in shades of brown and black to match the company’s mascaras, are smooth, easy-gliding sticks. Once you have applied your line, flip the pencil to reveal a blending sponge – a must for a natural look. www.bodyandsoul.com

BECCA, the company known the world over for creating flawless foundations, has debuted its first eyeliner. The IBIZA pencil is the quintessential black kohl on one end and a marvelous shade of Spanish paradise bronze on the other. The combination is unendingly flattering for those with olive skin, but fair children, such as yours truly, should probably stay away. Blend the two shades along the upper lash line or encircle the entire eye in bronze for a sultry island-vacation night look. www.bergdorfgoodman.com

It takes talent to master the liquid eyeliner, but those who do swear by it. Usually reserved for dramatic starlet impersonations, the tool can be transitioned for day use; the trick is to keep the line thin and close to the lash line. Savvy Infinity Long Wear Eye Liner makes doing so a lot easier. Once on, it won’t budge until you take to it with a hard-working cleanser. www.sallybeauty.com

Napoleon Perdis, a diva whose story is as captivating as his cosmetic collection, has a great eyeliner cake and sealer combination for those who have a little more time. I’m a huge fan of the system of painting on eyeliner with a brush because it works for even the least skilled. It helps alleviate that thickening at the corner of the eye that can easily overstep the doe-eye effect and end up as the bar-brawl effect. The Napoleon Perdis eye collection is vast and colorful, so you are sure to find what you need. www.saks.com

Alima Cosmetics may well be the find of the day. The collection of mineral eye makeup uses mica to add sparkle to “pure and simple” loose powders with ingredient lists that are shorter than Paris Hilton’s skirts. The cruelty-free items are easy to apply and boast tremendous longevity. They double as shadows and literally last forever because they don’t contain anything that can “go bad.” www.alimacosmetics.com