My name is Elinor, and I'm a liquid eyeliner addict.

I remember the first time I really experimented with the face-changing make-up; it was my final year at uni and while I'd always gone for a smudgy black kohl - my gateway eyeliner - it was a classic moody teenager's look.

In my eyes, it was time to sort of grow up and I decided that the perfect black eyeliner was the key to giving me a more sophisticated beauty look.

From that moment on I was hooked and liquid eyeliner quickly became my go-to, everyday make-up style no matter if I was heading to the office or for a big night out.

No matter which pen I'm using I always start from the inside of my eye and work my way out - this is because I find it the easiest way to follow the natural curve of my eyelid, but also because sometimes I don't know what kind of a flick I'll want until I get to the edge.

I never normally draw the flick before I start because as I said, I'm never really 100% sure how I want it to look until I get there. Others have suggested that you should trace the flick with a white khol before you start but I find that can be a little time consuming.

For those starting out I'd recommend keeping a pack of mini eye-remover wipes handy for when applying on the go, meaning you can quickly remove any mistake and use the wipe to get the perfect angle on your flick.

So without further ado, here are my all-time top five liquid eyeliners, with handy pictures, tips, and why you need to buy them. I've used the black versions for consistency but these also come in a range of colours.

Let me know in the comments if I missed out your favourite.

Best for: thin lines

Name: Rimmel Glam Eyes, professional liquid eyeliner

Why it's good: If you're on a budget this is a brilliant eyeliner. It's trustworthy and great for subtle thin lines. I've had this one in my make-up bag for as long as I can remember, and while I do go to other brands for slightly different looks, I can always rely on good old Rimmel.

Need to know: You will have to practice with this one a fair amount, mainly just to ensure you've got the control over the brush. Also, when you open a new pen, it's sweet usage spot is when it's half full.

Price: £5.29; feelunique.com

Best for: thick lines

Name: Eyeko liquid eyeliner

Why it's good: There's a reason why Alexa Chung collaborated with Eyeko - it's because they make incredible eyeliners. Perfect for creating those thick, Sixties-style lines, this offers you a way to get those classic flicks with ease. It also gives great control, so don't worry too much about having a really steady hand.

Need to know: A great investment for someone who loves this look. It's a little hard to remove once on but at least it doesn't budge during the day.

Price: £15; marksandspencer.com

Best for: a true black

Name: Chanel eyeliner pen effortless definition

Why it's good: Truly black make-up is actually hard to find but this one from Chanel provides such a great colour. While it's not exactly subtle, it will make your eyes pop.

Need to know: This is another one you'll need to practice with, also make sure you don't jab your eye with this one - you only need to be gentle with it and you'll get an even distribution of colour, without giving yourself panda eyes.

Price: £28; harrods.com

Best for: control

Name: MAC penultimate eyeliner

Why it's good: If you're not too steady with your hands then this is the ultimate pen to get hold of. It glides on very easily, without dumping too much liquid on your eyes, so you won't worry about making a mess of it. Also brilliant if you're in a hurry and you have to dash out of the house, as it dries fairly quickly.

Need to know: If you like straight lines this is ideal if you don't want to go for the flick on the side. Yes, I've heard some people don't like the flick.

Price: £16; selfridges.com

Best for: all-rounder

Name: Topshop Magic Eyeliner

Why it's good: While the nib looks deceptively thin, it offers a great application and it glides on easily. You can create thick lines and thin lines, so the world is your black-rimmed oyster.

Need to know: Because it's so thin, you do need to have a bit of control with this, so practice with it a bit if you're not steady when applying. Also, dab it before you blink - you don't want the dreaded upper-lid tell-tale black mark.

Price: £6.50; topshop.com

(Words: Elinor Block)