Like a charting pop song playing repeatedly on every radio channel, I could not get a certain makeup product out of my mind this entire summer. I'm a bona fide lip liner devotee: I own about 50 (I wish I was kidding), and three nudish pencils are rolling around at the bottom of every one of my purses on any given day. However, I can't say that I go out of my way to collect new ones. I'll use the same four-year-old, nubby MAC lip liner before buying a replacement, but something about the Hailey Bieber–approved Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil stuck with me ever since a celebrity makeup artist put me on to this no-budge, instantly sculpting pout perfector a few months back.
What makes a perfect nude lip liner, you may ask? Bieber once revealed that she depends on this liner in a TikTok video for Who What Wear UK, and though she didn't name her exact shade, she's previously shared her favoritism toward the warm-brown Anywhere Caffeine. Celeb- and influencer-loved MUA Kelli Anne Sewell later cemented this pencil as a staple in her lip combo and a necessity in her TikTok-viral wedding guest makeup tutorial, which has amassed millions of views and thousands of saves—myself included. Desperate to try it but not ecstatic about spending $25 on a lip liner, I tried dozens of dupes before finally getting a chance to sketch on the real thing. While the pigment, quality, and longevity of the Make Up For Ever pencil surpass the rest, I did end up with some notable mentions. Below, shop 10 standout look-alikes to add to your cart until you cave and buy the real thing.
Swatches of lip liners on the back of Alyssa Brascia's hand
At just $11, this drugstore buy comes at a far more agreeable price than Make Up For Ever's liner. I've bought several different shades of this budget-friendly lip liner since my college days, and its creamy consistency, potent pigment, and trendy shade assortment kept me coming back for more. There are a few fundamental differences—Revlon's liner is a softer, creamier pencil than Make Up For Ever's, which offers easier application but ultimately less longevity.
It's worth mentioning that Nude leans a bit warmer than Anywhere Caffeine, so it may be a closer match to the other viral shade Wherever Walnut. If you want something low priced and editor approved, this one gets my vote.
This nude lip liner may look lighter than Anywhere Caffeine, but they look almost identical on skin swatches and lip tests. Iconic London's pencil comes equipped with a smudge tip on one end, which I love for blending out harsh lines, but that speaks to the differences I noticed with these two formulas. While Make Up For Ever's pencil balances creaminess with staying power, the Iconic London formula feels slightly drier on my lips and is slightly harder to blend, hence the helpful smudger.
Though I still reach for the Iconic London lip liner quite often (it's a workbag godsend—no more blending your liner with your fingers during your office commute), the comfortable feel of the Artist Color Pencil still reigns supreme. However, you can score this Iconic London liner for just $16 during Revolve's beauty sale right now when you enter the code BEAUTY20 at checkout, which makes this pick a bit more appealing.
Bieber stated in WWW UK's TikTok video that she prefers to use Make Up For Ever's liner to "contour and enhance the lips," which makes this Soft Contour Lip Liner from celebrity makeup artist Etienne Ortega's line a no-brainer. The chocolatey-nude La Chic is quite close to Anywhere Caffeine's warm caramel shade but is slightly cooler than the pricier pencil.
While both lippies are exceptionally comfortable, the Ortega lip liner is more prone to smudging due to its extra-soft cream formula. Though I adore this liner for its hydrating, lip-loving benefits, I find that I don't get the same long-wear results out of this look-alike shade as I do with the Make Up For Ever formula. (Oh, did I mention that this one is also price-slashed in Revolve's beauty sale?)
That's not where my findings end. Keep scrolling for lip pencils that give Anywhere Caffeine a run for its money, with prices that start at just $3.
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