Editor's Picks: My top five workhorse eyeliners

Some of the most common beauty-related questions I get involve eyeliner. Which eyeliners will never smudge? Which eyeliners will stay on the waterline? Well, here's my updated answer! These are the five eyeliners that I use the most, out of the 40+ ones in my desk. They're the ones I always keep an eye because I'd hate for them to get lost, piled under a pile of new products. They're beautiful, easy to perfect (important when I need to be out of the house 15 minutes ago!), and will barely - if at all - smudge all day.

Here are my top eyeliner recommendations! Please click on the links for the full reviews.

Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencil (P1,250). Okay if I had to name just ONE eyeliner I will happily use for the rest of my life, it'd be this one! It's pigmented, creamy, and bullet-proof. I can swim in this stuff! This is my travel-proof eyeliner too, y'know, for when I'm in another country and I get so sweaty and oily walking ALL day! This is also my tennis-proof eyeliner. It's a freakin' barnacle.

I have the black one, but my fave is the M-80 - it's a deep matte purple that everybody, and I mean everybody, asks about whenever I have it on. It's unique but still subtle! 

The Aqua XL is pretty pricey but honestly, it's probs the best eyeliner I've ever tried. I would repurchase it when I run out. Yes, despite the 40+ other eyeliners in my kit!

Happy Skin Eye Am Here To Stay 24H Gel Pencil Eyeliner in Chic Brown (P599). I love the black version of this too, but brown eyeliner looks beautiful with certain eye looks and lends to a softer gaze when worn by itself. Chic Brown is particularly gorgeous because it's a deep taupey brown with fine gold shimmer. It looks fantastic when worn with bronze or copper eyeshadow!

The formula is also highly water-resistant and smudges only when I play tennis. Otherwise it's budge-proof! I make sure to warm it up on the back of my hands first as it can dry a bit in between uses.

K-Palette Real Lasting Eyepencil in Super Black (P795). Super creamy and extra black, the latest formulation of K-Palette's pencil is the best one yet. I love the fine tip since it's easier to apply; it also has a smudger tip on the other end to correct the shape of the liner when needed. It's not really smudge-able as it dries fast. Once this liner sets, it's pretty much there until I take it off.

This line also has a shade called Brown Black, which I find brings out the brown of my eyes nicely while still being quite dark.

K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner in Super Black (P795). I've been using this liquid liner for five years now. FIVE YEARS, I mean, wow. Truth be told the Make Up For Ever liquid liner is the best one in terms of staying power, but nothing beats the bouncy, super easy to use brush of K-Palette. It's the one liquid liner I can just swoosh in perfect formation in one stroke!

This stays on with zero smudging or fading on me as long as I don't get super sweaty, which is fine for my everyday makeup. I can get sharp-as-a-stiletto cat eyes or pa-demure barely there liner without overthinking or working too hard compared to other formulas.

Cargo Swimmables Eye Pencil in Secret Beach (P895). If you want almost MUFE-level eyeliner but would rather save a few hundred bucks, this is the next best thing in terms of pigmentation and staying power. Our writer, Katsy, even took a swim with it on and it did not move. At all. The Cargo Swimmables line is really designed for swimming - or anything that involves water and sweat - and it delivers!

I love Secret Beach for my waterline in particular as it's buttery (no drag, hey), opaque (yes even on the inner waterline), and doesn't move for 6-7 hours. This is a feat since of course the eye area is "active"; it blinks, it waters, it gets rubbed and dabbed. 

I am obviously passionate about eyeliner. :P I hope you found this list useful! Would love to know what your fave eyeliners are, too!