Much to our dismay, it’s quite difficult to mask tired eyes—whether you’re sleep deprived, allergy stricken, or simply want your gaze to appear more luminous. Thankfully, brightening waterline eyeliner can awaken tired eyes in an instant. So when you’ve already tried a dab of concealer on your under eyes to mask dark circles, this makeup trick can take matters a step further.
“[Waterline eyeliner] brightens the eyes and by default makes your eyes look more awake!” says celebrity makeup artist Lisa Aharon. “It can also create the illusion of bigger eyes—I love using an eye brightening pencil in the inner corners as well to elongate and cheat the shape.” Aharon explains that the idea is to neutralize or cover the natural pink, red, or dark tone of your waterline. In a way, it’s like color-correcting for the eyes (or a highlighter, depending on what shade you pick).
Vogue’s Favorite Brightening Eyeliners
Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil in 69 Clair
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Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil in 500 Boundless Bisque
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Victoria Beckham Beauty Instant Brightening Waterline Pencil
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Speaking of shade selection, Aharon notes that “it really depends on your skin tone, the natural color of your waterline, and the effect you’re attempting.” For every day, she’s partial to an off-white or nude eyeliner that’s a bit more versatile and subtle than a stark white. “Bright white can give you a more editorial or theatrical feel,” she says, “Though on fair skin [it] will be less noticeable.”
The technique is a celebrity favorite too. Victoria Beckham muses that she “cannot go a day without” using her brand’s Instant Brightening Waterline Pencil in her makeup routine. “It is very rare for me to get a full night’s rest, but, thanks to this, nobody has to know,” Beckham remarks. “The neutral shade balances any redness along my waterline and brightens the whites of my eyes. I almost consider it part of my skin-care routine. If I am skipping makeup, you can trust that I am not skipping my Instant Brightening Waterline Pencil. I like to call this the magic moment of my routine.”
For daily or for statement-making glam, a stroke of a brightening pencil creates the illusion of illuminated eyes with minimal effort—and it’s flattering on every eye shape. Ahead, our favorite formulas—beloved by makeup artists and editors alike.
In This Story
Best Subtle: Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil in 69 Clair
- Why We Love It: Chanel luminous shade Clair is an understated approach to eye brightening, so subtle it’s almost undetectable. This soft, peach-kissed nude, finished with a whisper of semi-matte sheen, delivers that elusive wash of radiance—the kind that looks less like makeup and more like a well-kept secret. Pro makeup artist Lynsey Alexander swears by a beige pencil for reviving tired eyes, previously telling Vogue that she finds “white too stark.” Clair, with its understated warmth, is precisely the kind of shade that brings instant brightness without ever announcing itself.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrogenated jojoba oil, shea butter, canola oil, candelilla wax, vitamin E, sunflower seed oil
- Shades: 4
- Waterproof: No
- Type: Kohl
#Waterline #Eyeliner #Pencils #Brighten #Tired #Eyes
