Sep 17, 2025

This Tarte Eyeliner Took Me Right Back to My Mom’s ’90s Kajal Looks

This is the one eyeliner that stays on all day, and gives me that smoky eye look I love.

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I'm all for a smokey eye, and I've tried more than 20 eyeliners and eye pencils from brands including Milani, Sephora, Urban Decay, MAC, and more. There are a lot that I like, but none that I truly loved — until I tried the Tarte Sex Kitten eyeliner.

While it does bear the “eyeliner” name, it actually is an eye pencil and comes with the colored kajal on one end and a smudger on the other — perfect to achieve those smokey eye looks.

Tarte's eyeliner line is one to behold and worth every penny

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My eyes are pretty sensitive, meaning I can’t just wear any kajal. If it accidentally gets onto my contacts or anywhere inside my eyes, they burn and react pretty harshly. That’s why I’m picky about the companies I buy eye pencils from.

The one great thing about Tarte’s option is that it glides smoothly on my eyes and never irritates them. The color lasts all day (and night), even in the hot summer months when most other eye pencils smudge or give out.

I personally love the built-in smudger, as this helps me blend the eye pencil really easily and also helps me combine it with other colors if I choose. It’s perfect for that classic Bollywood actress look — circa ’90s Madhuri Dixit era.

Another qualm I have with eye pencils is that they’re not dark enough. I love a vivid black or brown line to highlight my eyes, and I hate to worry about reapplying it over and over again. With the Tarte eyeliner, the color is dark and saturated, and only one glide is all it takes.

Obviously, this option is not the best waterproof choice — but that’s okay. I’d rather have an eye pencil that stays put through the heat than in the pool, and this does that. It’s also easy to take off at the end of the night, and I don’t need any fancy oil or makeup remover to free my eyes of any makeup.

It’s easy to use, lasts months, is great for blending, and is the only option I’d ever recommend for achieving that Bollywood glam smoky eye look. Shop it for just $24 at Sephora — you won’t be disappointed.