People Can’t Stop Comparing This $5 Lip Liner to Much More Expensive Options

If TikTok (and in particular, Bethenny Frankel) has taught me anything, it’s that drugstore makeup has been ignored for way too long. These affordable, readily-available products often provide a massive bang for your buck and are currently in heavy rotation on social media. TikTok creators are often doing side-by-side videos showing how drugstore products, from concealers to clean beauty products, can perform just as well compared to expensive luxury items.

Recently, I’ve seen a lot of copycats for a well-known lip liner, Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat in the beloved Pillow Talk shade. The lipstick version, which has fans such as Amal Clooney and Ariana DeBose, is also loved for its universally-flattering, beige pink shade — but, it comes with a hefty price tag of $24 for a single lip pencil.

Makeup aficionados who are looking for more budget-friendly options have highlighted NYX’s Slim Lip Pencil Creamy Long Lasting Lip Liner in the shade Peekaboo Neutral as an almost perfect match. Creamy and smooth, the liner blends easily and promises to not feather, bleed, or tug, while hydrating your lips with coconut oil. If you’re suspicious that a drugstore version could nail the color and formula, TikToker @thebeautyradar swatched the two shades in a viral video that has 2.5 million views. (If you want to see it on the lips, TikToker @rawmakeup shows off its pigmentation and creaminess.) 

Shop now: $5; amazon.com

NYX has garnered quite a reputation for quality, high-performing makeup and skincare, with hits like the Butter Lip Gloss, Bare With Me Concealer Serum and Pore Primer Filler Stick creating some serious buzz online. It seems that the Slim Lip Pencil is just one in a long line of products devoted to keeping the brand’s name on makeup lovers’ lips. Don’t just take it from TikTok — the pencil, specifically in the Peekaboo Neutral shade, has over 9,000 five-star ratings on Amazon from shoppers who say it’s “perfect.” One customer who compared it to Pillow Talk said “it’s actually a bit more matte-feeling and long-lasting… this is a match for sure, and still performs as far as longevity.”

Whether you’re on a budget, ready to try something new, or just curious if drugstore options really stand up to more expensive ones, NYX’s Slim Lip Pencil is a good place to start. And if you end up liking the formulation, there are almost 30 additional colors to choose from. Snag it on Amazon for just $5, here.