Beauty Kohl Eyeliner Showdown: L'Oreal vs Rimmel Compared & Ranked
L'Oreal Haute Couleur Kohl and Rimmel Scandaleyes are the top budget kohl picks. The L'Oreal glides like gel with twelve-hour wear. The Rimmel gel eyeliner promises twenty-four hours of intense color. The Rimmel kohl kajal is the classic waterproof smoky pencil. All three cost under ten dollars. All three deliver rich black pigment. This showdown compares them across eight factors. Find your kohl match below.
| Factor | L'Oreal Paris Haute Couleur Kohl Eyeline | Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Gel Eyelin |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Smooth gel-like lines | Maximum wear time |
| Formula | Kohl, gel-like glide | Waterproof gel |
| Wear Claim | Up to 12 hours | Up to 24 hours |
| Blendability | Excellent, sets in time | Good, sets faster |
| Waterproof | No | Yes |
| Eye Safety | Standard cosmetic | Ophthalmologist tested |
| Price Point | Budget | Budget |
| Our Pick | Best glide | Best long wear |
Our Verdict
Pick the L'Oreal Haute Couleur for the smoothest gel-like glide. It suits controlled smoky work and precise lines. Pick the Rimmel Scandaleyes gel for maximum wear time. Its twenty-four-hour claim suits the longest days. Pick the Rimmel kohl kajal for the classic smoky pencil experience. It is the cheapest and most forgiving. Beginners should start with the kajal. Your blending style decides the winner.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: classic budget smoky eyes
Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Liner, 001 Black
- Classic waterproof kohl kajal
- Jet black matte intensity
- Ophthalmologist tested
Pros
- Cheapest classic smoky pencil
- Forgiving blend time
Cons
- Needs sharpening
- Can smudge on very oily lids
Sharpening Your Kohl Pencil Without Wasting It
Sharpening is where most kohl pencils die young. A cheap sharpener with a dull blade chews the soft kohl wood instead of cutting it, and you lose a week of product every time you sharpen. Buy a proper cosmetic sharpener with a replaceable blade, and twist the pencil gently rather than pushing it in hard. Chill the pencil in the fridge for ten minutes before sharpening if the formula is very soft; cold kohl cuts cleanly instead of crumbling.
The tip shape changes the line. A freshly sharpened point draws a crisp line for tightlining and precise wings. A slightly rounded tip is better for smoky work, since it deposits more product in fewer passes and blends faster. Do not sharpen before every use, which is the fastest way to burn through a pencil. One sharpening usually lasts three to five applications if you store the pencil capped so the tip does not dry out and crack. Retractable liners skip this entirely, but every pencil in this comparison needs a blade, so sharpening technique is a real cost factor.
Kohl on the Waterline: Tightlining Done Right
Tightlining means filling in the gaps between your lashes, not drawing on the waterline below them. That distinction matters because product placed in the actual lash roots makes lashes look thicker without any visible line, while product on the waterline transfers and fades faster. To tightline with a kohl pencil, gently lift the upper lid, look down, and dot or wiggle the pencil into the spaces between lashes. Use a freshly sharpened tip so you can reach the roots without pressing.
On the lower waterline, kohl is the classic choice, but placement decides whether it defines or ages the eye. Keep the line on the waterline itself rather than below the lashes, which avoids the raccoon look that comes from product migrating downward. If your eyes water, apply the kohl after any tears settle, since wet eyes reject kohl immediately. For sensitive waterlines, our kajal for sensitive eyes guide covers which formulas are least likely to irritate.
Removing Waterproof Kohl Without Losing Lashes
Waterproof kohl is designed to resist water, so water-based removers barely touch it. Scrubbing at it with a damp cotton pad is how lashes get pulled out and delicate eye skin gets stretched. Use an oil-based or dual-phase remover instead: soak a cotton pad, press it against the closed eye for twenty to thirty seconds to dissolve the product, then sweep downward gently. The waiting is the step everyone skips, and it is the step that prevents scrubbing.
Removal difficulty is worth factoring into your buying choice. The Rimmel waterproof gel and kohl kajal in this comparison will need the press-and-dissolve method every night, while the non-waterproof L'Oreal kohl comes off with far less effort. If your lids are oily or you swim regularly, that tradeoff is worth it, and our waterproof eye pencil guide ranks which waterproof formulas survive the toughest conditions. If you remove makeup nightly and hate the removal step, the easier-to-remove pencil wins on pure convenience.
The Lower Lash Line: When Kohl Helps and When It Ages
A full kohl ring around the eye reads as dramatic on a twenty-year-old and tired on everyone else. The lower lash line needs a lighter hand than the upper: use a thinner line, keep it tight to the lashes, and consider smudging it immediately with a small brush so it reads as shadow rather than a drawn line. Skipping the inner third of the lower line opens the eye up, which matters if your eyes are close-set.
Brown kohl deserves a mention here even though all three picks in this showdown are black. A deep brown gives most of the definition of black with half the severity, which makes it the better daytime choice for fair skin and the better aging choice in general. Black stays king for evening and photography, where its intensity survives flash and low light. Owning both is cheap at this price point and covers every situation.