Lip Pencils Price Comparison 2026
Compare 261 lip pencils from Rimmel, Dior, CHANEL and more — find the best price across top UK retailers, from 2 £ to 18 £.
Lip liners are one of those makeup staples that quietly do a lot of heavy lifting. A well-chosen pencil keeps colour in place, prevents feathering, and can even make lips look fuller — yet it's one of the most price-polarised categories in the beauty aisle. Our catalogue spans 261 products, ranging from 2 £ for drugstore picks to 18 £ for luxury formulas, and the gap in performance between those extremes is genuinely interesting.
At the affordable end, brands like Essence, CATRICE, and Rimmel dominate by sheer volume — and rightly so. Rimmel alone lists 25 products with an average price that sits well below 4 £, making it the go-to for anyone who wants reliable colour without commitment. Max Factor and Sleek MakeUP follow a similar logic: accessible, widely available at Boots and Superdrug, and decent enough for everyday wear. These pencils won't last through a three-course dinner, but for a working day they hold up fine.
The mid-range is where things get more nuanced. Collistar and Clinique both sit around the 4 £ mark and offer noticeably creamier textures, better pigmentation, and formulas that are kinder to drier lips. If you're pairing a liner with a quality lipstick, spending a little more on the pencil pays off — the colour match is more precise and the finish looks more polished.
Then there's the luxury tier. CHANEL averages around 5 £ per pencil, and Dior isn't far behind. Are they four times better than a Rimmel? Not objectively — but the texture, the longevity, and the sheer comfort of application are on another level. PUPA Milano sits in an interesting middle ground: premium pricing but with a broader shade range than most luxury houses, which makes it worth considering if colour variety matters to you.
One thing worth noting: the best-value pencils in this category aren't always the cheapest per unit. A 0.35 g CATRICE pencil at under 3 £ will run out faster than a 1.2 g Rimmel Lasting Finish at a similar price point. Checking the weight before buying is a habit worth developing. For a complete lip look, it's also worth browsing lip glosses and lip balms — a good balm underneath a liner makes a real difference to comfort and longevity.
How to Choose the Right Lip Liner
With prices running from 2 £ to 18 £ and formulas ranging from ultra-firm to almost lipstick-soft, picking a lip liner isn't as straightforward as it looks. The biggest mistake buyers make is choosing by shade alone — texture, mine diameter, and anti-feathering performance matter just as much, if not more.
Longevity and anti-feathering formula
This is the single most important criterion. Feathering — where colour bleeds beyond the lip line — is the enemy of a clean look, and it gets worse as the day goes on. Look for pencils marketed as "24H", "stay-in-place", or "anti-migration". Estée Lauder's Double Wear range is the benchmark here. Budget pencils from Rimmel and Revlon offer 4–8 hours of reasonable hold; if you need all-day wear through meals and drinks, it's worth stepping up to a mid-range or premium formula.
Texture: the firm-to-creamy spectrum
A pencil that's too hard drags across the lips and creates uneven lines — particularly uncomfortable if your lips are dry. Too soft, and it transfers immediately. The sweet spot is a semi-firm to creamy texture that glides without smudging. CATRICE's Plumping liner is notably soft for its price, while Max Factor's Colour Elixir sits at a firmer, more precise end. If you're filling in the entire lip rather than just outlining, lean towards creamier formulas.
Mine diameter and precision
The mine (the pigmented core) determines how precise your line can be. Fine mines of around 0.8–1.0 mm — like those on Max Factor's Colour Elixir — are ideal for sharp definition. Wider mines (2–3 mm) are better for filling in lips as a base. Most pencils in this catalogue sit in the 1.0–1.5 mm range, which is versatile enough for both tasks. If precision is your priority, check the product spec before buying.
Shade matching with your lipstick
The classic rule is to choose a liner one shade darker than your lipstick, or an exact match for a seamless finish. Nude liners (like Rimmel's 90's Nude or Bourjois' Nude Wave) work as universal bases under most pink and berry shades. If you're building a capsule collection, a neutral nude, a mid-pink, and a deep berry will cover the majority of lip looks. Avoid going more than two shades darker than your lipstick unless you're deliberately going for a defined, contrasted outline.
Weight and value per gram
This is the hidden cost trap in this category. A CATRICE pencil at under 3 £ weighs just 0.35 g; a Rimmel Lasting Finish at a similar price contains 1.2 g — more than three times the product. Over the course of a year, that difference adds up significantly. When comparing prices, divide the cost by the weight to get a true cost-per-gram figure. Premium pencils from CHANEL or Dior (averaging over 5 £) do contain more sophisticated ingredients, but the cost-per-gram is still considerably higher than drugstore alternatives.
Ease of sharpening
A pencil that crumbles when sharpened wastes product and makes precise application impossible. Softer, creamier formulas are more prone to this — chill them in the fridge for 10 minutes before sharpening if you have this problem. Harder formulas sharpen cleanly but can feel scratchy on the lips. Most pencils in this catalogue use a standard wooden barrel that works with any cosmetic sharpener, but retractable twist-up formats (found in some Collistar and PUPA Milano lines) eliminate this issue entirely.
- Drugstore picks (From 2 £ to 3 £) : This is Essence, CATRICE, and Rimmel territory — pencils that do the job without fuss. Expect basic anti-feathering performance, a decent shade range, and formulas that last a working day. Ideal for experimenting with new shades or stocking up on everyday nudes. Don't expect all-day wear through meals.
- The sweet spot (From 3 £ to 4 £) : Max Factor, Revlon, Bourjois, and Sleek MakeUP sit here. You get noticeably better texture, more reliable longevity, and often a wider shade range. This is where most buyers will find their best value — enough quality for regular use without the premium price tag.
- Mid-range and considered (From 4 £ to 5 £) : Estée Lauder, Clinique, and Collistar dominate this bracket. Formulas are creamier, pigmentation is richer, and longevity is genuinely impressive — Estée Lauder's Double Wear claims 24H hold and largely delivers. Worth it if you wear lip liner daily or need reliable performance for long events.
- Luxury investment (Over 5 £) : CHANEL, Dior, and PUPA Milano. The texture and finish are exceptional, and the shade curation is unmatched. Objectively hard to justify on performance alone, but if you're already investing in luxury lipsticks, matching the liner makes sense. PUPA Milano offers the best shade variety in this tier.
Top products
- Max Factor Colour Elixir Lip Liner 0.8 g 55 Red Popp (Max Factor) : The most widely available lip liner in this catalogue and genuinely good value — precise mine, clean application, and a classic red that suits a wide range of skin tones. Not the longest-lasting formula, but hard to fault at this price.
- Rimmel Lasting Finish 760 90's Nude Lip Liner 1.2g (Rimmel) : The go-to universal nude for UK buyers — 1.2 g of product at a bargain price makes this excellent value per gram. Wears well for a drugstore pencil, though it won't survive a long evening without a touch-up.
- Estée Lauder Double Wear 24H Stay-in-Place Lip Liner 420 Rebellious Rose 1.2g (Estée Lauder) : The benchmark for longevity in this category. The 24H claim is ambitious but the anti-feathering performance is the best we've seen outside of luxury pricing. Worth every penny if feathering is your main concern.
- CATRICE Plumping 0.35 g 050 Licence To Kiss (CATRICE) : Impressively creamy for the price and the plumping effect is a nice bonus. The 0.35 g weight is the catch — you'll go through it quickly. Best treated as a trial shade rather than a long-term staple.
- Bourjois Lèvres Contour Edition 1.14 g 02 Coton Candy (Bourjois) : A solid mid-ground between drugstore and mid-range — good texture, a flattering pink-nude shade, and enough product to last. The Contour Edition range is consistently reliable and this shade is one of the most wearable in the line.
Related categories
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a lip liner and a lip pencil?
They're the same product — "lip liner" and "lip pencil" are interchangeable terms. Both refer to a pencil-format product used to define the lip contour, prevent feathering, and extend the wear of lipstick. Some brands use "lip pencil" to suggest a creamier, more pigmented formula that can be used to fill in the entire lip, but there's no industry-standard distinction between the two names.
Do I really need a lip liner if I'm wearing lipstick?
Not strictly, but it makes a meaningful difference to longevity and finish. A lip liner acts as a primer — it gives the lipstick something to grip, which significantly reduces feathering and transfer. If you're wearing a bold or dark shade, a matching liner is particularly worth using. For sheer or gloss formulas, you can skip it, though a nude liner still helps keep the edges clean throughout the day.
How do I stop my lip liner from feathering into fine lines around my mouth?
Choose a pencil with an anti-migration or anti-feathering formula — Estée Lauder's Double Wear Stay-in-Place liner is specifically designed for this. Apply a thin layer of translucent powder around the lip line before drawing on the liner; this creates a barrier that stops colour bleeding. Avoid overly creamy or oily formulas if feathering is a concern, as these tend to migrate more readily.
Is a £3 lip liner from Essence or CATRICE actually worth buying, or is it a false economy?
For everyday use, yes — the value is genuine. Essence and CATRICE consistently perform well in independent tests for basic wear and colour payoff. The main trade-off is longevity: expect 4–6 hours rather than 8–12. Where budget pencils fall short is in very creamy textures (which can feather) and smaller product weights, meaning you'll replace them more often. For a special occasion or all-day event, it's worth spending more.
Can I use a lip liner as a full lip colour on its own?
Yes, and it's a popular technique for a matte, long-lasting finish. Fill in the entire lip with the pencil, then blot with a tissue and apply a thin layer of clear gloss or balm on top for comfort. This method tends to outlast most lipsticks. Creamier formulas like CATRICE's Plumping liner or Bourjois' Contour Edition work best for this approach — very firm pencils can feel uncomfortable when applied over a large area.
What lip liner shades work as universals if I only want to buy one?
A neutral nude — slightly pinker than your natural lip colour — is the most versatile single shade. It works under most pinks, berries, and even mid-toned reds without creating a visible outline. Rimmel's 90's Nude and Bourjois' Nude Wave are popular choices at accessible prices. If you wear a lot of deep or vampy shades, a mid-berry or plum liner is a better universal choice than a nude.
Are luxury lip liners from CHANEL or Dior worth the price over drugstore options?
Honestly, it depends on your priorities. The texture and comfort of CHANEL and Dior pencils are genuinely superior — they glide on without dragging and feel luxurious to use. But in blind wear tests, a well-formulated mid-range pencil (Estée Lauder, Clinique) often matches them for longevity. Where luxury liners justify their cost is in shade precision, packaging, and the overall experience. If you're already spending on a luxury lipstick, matching the liner makes sense; otherwise, the mid-range delivers 90% of the performance at a fraction of the cost.