I love swiping on a thin layer of flattering berry or chocolate color on my lips for a dash of ‘90s soft glam, but one too many instances of lipstick on teeth has convinced me that I need to clean up my act. A lip liner provides a sleek foundation beneath a lip gloss, matte lipstick or lip stain, making your pout appear more prominent and polishing your overall look.
Lip liners are more versatile than you might initially think. Lipstick can elevate even a bare complexion, but when it’s smudged, it invariably looks like you’ve fought with a glass of water and lost. This unkempt application isn’t ideal, even if you’re going for a casual look. The color of lipstick also tends to migrate throughout the day, leading to additional bleeding and smudging that the structured outline of a liner can help you avoid. Lip liner also boosts existing definition to refine your pout into a noticeable plumper shape. Think of it as a lips-but-better filter in real life.The best lip liners also last a long time, eliminating makeup touchup sessions so nighttime can truly be your time to shine.
Last month, Glossier released a line of nude lip liners designed to provide lips with better definition and shading. Comparing the $18 lip pencil to the popular $5 NYX Slim Lip Pencil, I tested both products to determine if the higher price was worth it.
Glossier Lip Line Enhancing Pencil vs. NYX Longwear Slim-Lip Pencil at a glance
Promising "nipple-matched" color accuracy, this lip pencil enhances the beauty of natural lips with quartz and jojoba oil, which help with a smooth application. It has a water-resistant and creamy formula, crafting a radiant pout intended to boost moisture and flatter most complexions.
Versatile and designed to stop color from bleeding, this lip pencil is formulated with jojoba oil, shea butter and coconut oil to smooth lips and make the product glide on effortlessly. It is available in 31 shades, packing a thin and controlled line that will make it a staple in your beauty routine.
Quick comparison
| Key ingredients | Fractional quartz, jojoba oil and a lip grip complex |
|---|---|
| Shades | 8 |
| Size | 1.2 g / 0.04 oz |
| Price | $18 |
| Key ingredients | Jojoba oil, shea butter and coconut oil |
|---|---|
| Shades | 31 |
| Size | 0.85 g / 0.03 oz |
| Price | $45 |
The Glossier Lip Line applies more like a crayon than a pencil liner
First off, to ensure a smooth application for both lip liners, I made sure my lips were moisturized. It can be tricky for a creamy layer of liner to cling to dry and cracked lips, so it is worthwhile to invest in a hydrating lip scrub or lip balm for a smooth base, especially if you’re chronically dehydrated like me. I love the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask for enviably soft and moisturized results, but either way, don’t neglect skin care when it comes to your lip routine’s base.
Both products were straightforward and intuitive when it came to application. However, there was a big difference when it came to product texture. The NYX Slim Liner was like a traditional pencil liner, while the Glossier Lip Line went on more smoothly and felt like a crayon. After applying the Glossier liner a few times, it was noticeably duller since, like a crayon, it tends to carry more product. The tip on one also broke when I accidentally applied too much pressure, so you’ll want to purchase the sharpener.
This issue wasn’t the case with the NYX liner, which didn’t go on as smoothly and felt rougher. It adhered to my lips’ imperfect surface and contours, delivering a narrow, precise line that widens depending on pressure. When applying lipstick, choosing between the two products depends on whether you want a more visible ombre effect or prefer a minimal outline that smoothes the primary color while making a barely perceptible difference.
The NYX Slim Lip Liner has a softer, more natural effect
I like to use lip pencil as my overall base, drawing the outline especially thick and extending the liner from outside to fill the middle of my lips. For this effect, I tried the NYX Slim Lip Liner in Mahogany and Beige and found that they were subtle while still adding definition to my natural lip outline. They’re perfect if you’re looking to achieve a no-makeup makeup look, one of those routines that will make men proclaim that you look the best without wearing makeup — little do they know. I would recommend using a brush for added precision, although I am usually in a rush and forgo it. Still, whether using the liner as my central product or layering lipstick on top, I like to finish the look with a gloss for a sparkly sheen.
I preferred the NYX Mahogany shade layered under the gloss. It’s a few shades darker than my skin tone, while I found the beige shade to be a bit light for my liking and had to press harder to make a noticeable impression. That said, shade matching shouldn’t be an issue, as there are 31 shades.
Although you may assume that you should match the shade of your lip liner to the shade of the lip product you’re using, this isn’t necessarily true. Selecting a liner in a neutral shade means smudging won’t be highly apparent even if it does occur, and a careful touch with over-lining (drawing outside of your natural lip line) will blend seamlessly with the shadows of your complexion.
The Glossier Lip Line packs a ‘90s punch
The NYX liner’s coloration in Mahogany is identical to the Glossier Lip Line in Flush, while I found the Lip Line in Bit to be more of a pink shade than the NYX in Beige. Although there are fewer shades of the Glossier Lip Line, less is more rings true, as they are all incredibly versatile, avoiding the hassle and indecision of narrowing down your choice to an exact color. Last week, I also purchased the shade Nip, a richer walnut brown.
If you choose a liner in a shade or two darker than your natural skin tone, the lipstick worn on top adopts a flattering, multidimensional aspect (Glossier says to go based on your nipple shade). For instance, a bright lipstick might be intimidating in the tube, but when you apply a brown liner underneath, your lips will look crisp and defined in a more nuanced blend that suits the unique contours of your face shape.
The crayon-like Glossier Lip Line draws a thicker and more defined line, making it harder to attain the minute accuracy assured with the NYX pencil. Still, this isn’t a drawback, as I feel this product runs true to the Glossier ethos of a more laid-back, effortless lip routine. I like to use the Glossier pencil to fill in more of my lips, which, thanks to the creamier formula and greater coverage area, takes less time than the NYX pencil. When I want my lips to pop, this lip liner is the more striking choice, with greater pigmentation for a statement that feels true to the ‘90s cool girl ethos. So, I would say this liner plays a different lip game than the first.
The NYX Slim Lip Liner is better if you’re careless
Throughout the week, I tested the lip liners with my everyday Fenty lip gloss and my favorite going-out lipstick, a custom shade from The Lip Lab in NYC. Both lip liners have secure lids, essential for someone prone to complaining about the staining accumulating within my tote bags like trivial battle scars on the canvas. However, the NYX liner has a slightly tighter lid, which, combined with the pencil formula, means it is less likely to cause disaster for the accident-prone.
Both products are relatively long-lasting
Regardless of the lip product, the critical factor when choosing a lip liner is whether it has staying power so you don’t have to touch up your makeup later. Both products are waterproof, and I found that they kept my lipstick from bleeding throughout the workday. The more pigmented Glossier pencil stayed darker and felt more hydrating, but it was more defined from the beginning. It didn’t smudge or transfer through a long day of working and refilling my water glass. The NYX liner smudged more, but this felt appropriate for a lip liner that blends seamlessly into your natural lip shade. The products faded well when wearing lip gloss, lipstick and both.
The bottom line
The better lip liner depends on your specific preferences. I recommend the NYX Slim Lip Pencil if you prefer a traditional pencil liner with a subtle finish and precise line. On the other hand, the Glossier Lip Line is still natural while bolder, with a crayon-like texture with more pigment than the Slim Lip Pencil, gliding on effortlessly for a playful ‘90s lip. Both excel at defining your cupid’s bow before putting on a dark lip or throwing a gloss over on your way out the door.
Both products are long-wearing and have a creamy formula. The Glossier Lip Line provides more definition, but I would immediately invest in a sharpener because the soft tip is prone to breakage. So, from a financial standpoint, I don’t think you can go wrong with the NYX Slim Lip Liner at a third of the cost and with a more resistant tip. Still, I love a little drama, so I’m going with Glossier. They say loose lips sink ships, but with a bit of reinforcement from a trusty lip liner, paired with a swipe from one of my favorite Generation G lipsticks, my lips feel airtight and unsinkable.