Beauty stila Stay All Day vs e.l.f. No Budge: Best Waterproof Liner
stila Stay All Day and e.l.f. No Budge are two waterproof favorites at opposite prices. stila is the prestige gel liner with 12-hour wear. e.l.f. is the drugstore hero that performs far above its price. Here is how they compare.
| Factor | stila Stay All Day Waterproof Eye Liner | e.l.f. No Budge Retractable Eyeliner (Bl |
|---|---|---|
| Wear time | Up to 12 hours | All day |
| Formula | Gel, retractable | Creamy gel, retractable |
| Pigment | Intense, one swipe | Ultra-pigmented |
| Waterline safe | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Around 22 to 27 dollars | Around 3 to 5 dollars |
| Shade range | Wide | Good |
| Best for | Luxury feel, shade choice | Budget, daily wear |
Our Verdict
Choose stila if you want a prestige formula with a wide shade range. The gel texture is a joy to apply. Choose e.l.f. if you want nearly identical performance for a fraction of the price. It is one of beauty's best values. Most buyers cannot justify the price gap.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: Brightening the waterline for bigger-looking eyes.
e.l.f. No Budge Retractable Eyeliner (Nude Waterline)
- Nude shade for waterline
- Brightens and widens eyes
- Same no-budge formula
- Waterproof
Pros
- Eye-brightening effect
- Cheap
- Long wear
Cons
- Niche shade use
- Needs sharpening-free care
Best for: Brown eyes wanting subtle colored definition.
e.l.f. No Budge Retractable Eyeliner (Navy)
- Navy blue waterproof shade
- Subtle drama for brown eyes
- Creamy no-budge formula
- Retractable
Pros
- Flattering navy tone
- Great price
- Waterproof
Cons
- Single shade listing
- Less intense than black
Best for: K-beauty fans wanting a creamy waterproof liner.
CLIO Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Liner
- K-beauty gel pencil liner
- Waterproof, smudge-proof
- Creamy espresso shades
- Retractable fine tip
Pros
- K-beauty quality
- Smooth application
- Good price
Cons
- Less known in US
- Shade range limited
Waterproof Liner for Swimmers and Athletes
Standard waterproof claims assume a desk job, not a pool. Chlorine, sweat, and goggle pressure each attack liner differently. Chlorine breaks down many waterproof films within an hour of swimming, sweat dissolves the oils that keep pigment anchored, and tight goggles smear any line they press against. For actual swim-proof wear, gel-based waterproof pencils like the CLIO Gelpresso hold up better than traditional wax pencils because the gel film bonds more tightly to skin.
A practical swim routine looks like this: apply the liner, set it with a matching powder eyeshadow pressed over the top, and skip the waterline entirely on swim days since no liner survives submerged waterlines gracefully. After swimming, rinse your face with fresh water before touching up, because chlorine residue prevents fresh product from gripping. The e.l.f. No Budge liners are cheap enough to reapply after every session without guilt. For more on long-wear pencil options, our waterproof eye pencil guide covers the category in depth.
The Oily-Lid System: Beyond Just Waterproof
Oily lids defeat waterproof liner through a different mechanism than water does. Sebum creeps from the lash line upward all day, dissolving the product from underneath. A waterproof pencil alone cannot fix this. You need a three-step system: primer, powder, then liner. Apply an eyeshadow primer from lash line to brow bone and let it set for a full minute. Dust translucent powder over the primed lid to absorb oil through the day. Then apply your liner, whether that is the e.l.f. No Budge in Navy or the stila gel formula.
The step most people skip is the powder, and it is the step that matters most. Primer grips the product, but powder manages the oil that arrives hours later. Setting spray as a final step adds insurance for humid days. Test the system on a normal day before trusting it for an event, because oily lids vary: some need blotting sheets at midday regardless of products. The Navy shade of the No Budge line is forgiving on oily lids since slight fading reads as soft definition rather than a smudged mess. Our Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On guide covers another pencil built for stubborn lids.
Removal Ranked by Format, and the Lash-Loss Risk
Not all waterproof liners remove equally, and scrubbing the stubborn ones costs lashes. Easiest to remove are the wax-based retractable pencils like the e.l.f. No Budge line: a standard oil cleanser or micellar water dissolves them with gentle pressure. Gel-based waterproof formulas like the CLIO Gelpresso need a dedicated oil-based remover and a full minute of soaking. Hardest are the 24-hour tattoo-style gels, which sometimes need a two-step cleanse.
The lash-loss risk comes from impatience. Rubbing back and forth to erase a waterproof line pulls out lashes at the root, especially on the lower lash line where lashes are sparse. Instead, press a remover-soaked cotton pad against the closed eye for thirty seconds, then wipe in one downward motion. Repeat rather than scrub. If you wear waterproof liner daily, a cleansing balm removes it more gently than micellar water because the balm dissolves the film without friction. For sensitive eyes that react to heavy removers, our kajal for sensitive eyes guide recommends gentler formulas that ask less of your remover.
One more tip for maximum wear: apply waterproof liner in two thin layers instead of one thick one, letting the first layer set for thirty seconds before adding the second. Layered thin coats bond to skin more evenly than a single heavy pass, and they resist smudging noticeably longer through heat and humidity.