Eyeliner and I have been in a long-term situationship for years now. Some days, I nail a soft and smokey winged eye on the first try; other days, I somehow end up looking like a muddled mess. So when I tested Maybelline’s Sculpting Stix 2-in-1 Eyeliner for Cosmopolitan’s 2026 Holy Grail Beauty Awards, I was praying it would be the answer to my problems. There are so many brands that claim their eyeliners are “foolproof,” yet somehow I’m still out here struggling.

The first thing I noticed is that this doesn’t look like a traditional eyeliner pencil. Instead of a rounded tip, it has a slightly slanted blade shape that makes getting close to the lash line so much easier. It gives you precision without requiring the super-steady hand of a makeup artist, which is exactly the kind of emotional support I need from my makeup products. And on the other end of the stick is a slanted brush for smudging and cleanup. This feels revolutionary because built-in smudgers are usually decorative at best.

The formula is creamy in that expensive-feeling way. It glides on effortlessly without tugging, and you get enough time to smudge and blend before it sets in. Within seconds, I had a soft, smokey liner look that normally takes me three cotton swabs and unnecessary stress to achieve. It’s giving effortlessly cool, and I’m obsessed.

Maybelline says the formula is smudge-resistant and long-wearing, and after wearing it through a full workday, a business dinner, and a sweaty commute home, I would definitely agree. Once it sets, it really stays put—but it doesn’t feel dry or flaky the way some long-wear liners do.

There are four shades (Hazy Taupe, Mocha Contour, Smooth Espresso, and Black Blur), and my favorite is the black one, but they all work beautifully. Each gives definition without looking harsh, and paired with mascara, it creates that subtle sultry eye makeup vibe that feels polished but not overdone.

The only pro tip I would give is don’t twist up too much product at once. The formula is pretty soft (which is part of why it blends so nicely), but it also means it can snap if you get overly ambitious.

My final thoughts

This is one of those rare drugstore launches that actually feels thoughtful and like a total upgrade to everything else. The precision tip and blending brush combo make the liner experience so much easier and faster, especially for people who want definition without a super-graphic wing. And for the price, it gives a soft-focus eye look that genuinely feels more luxe than expected. I fear this little pencil may have officially repaired my relationship with eyeliner—and I love it!

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Julee Wilson is beauty editor-at-large at Cosmopolitan. She counts herself lucky AF that she gets to play with beauty products for a living and tell dope stories. Over the years, she’s tested hundreds of body products, so she knows a standout when she sees one.