7 Best Eye Blacks For Sports (Baseball, Softball & Football)

Eye black is used for various reasons, but I think we all can agree that a proper eye black application looks fierce and amazing! It’s that real sports spirit!

There are big variations between eye black products where some are better than others. That’s why I created this resource about the best eye black sticks out there, and I have recommendations for seven different purposes.

Before moving on to the eye blacks, you should know why they are used in the first place and how to choose the right eye black product for your specific purposes. Feel free to scroll past the instructions to the eye blacks themselves if you already know this.

Why Do Athletes Wear Eye Black

When you look at professional and even amateur football, baseball, and softball games, among other sports, you can often see the players wearing black material under their eyes. What are the reasons why eye black is used?

Athletes wear eye black to reduce glare from the sunlight or stadium lights. The black color and usual wax contents absorb the light instead of reflecting from your skin, improving vision. In addition, eye black enhances one’s look by attention attracting lines under the eyes or other clever designs.

So essentially, eye black is worn either because of performance or visual reasons, or both. In most cases, the performance aspect is the more important factor, especially when it comes to serious matches and training.

To learn more about why athletes wear eye black, refer to my in-depth article about the subject! There are some golden nuggets you will benefit from.

Next, let’s learn how to choose eye black for your purposes.

How to Choose Eye Black

Generally, there are two factors to consider before choosing the right eye black for you: purpose and method. The two factors have two different choices and reasons, so let’s start examining them next.

Purpose

The first thing to consider is why you want eyes black in the first place? What made you think eye black, and why are you searching for information about the best ones? What would be the eye black’s purpose in your use? There are two purposes;

• Performance: Select an eye black that has anti-glare properties for performance. This ensures that the sunlight or stadium light glare will have minimal effect on your vision.
• Visual: Select an eye black with different colors, designs, and behaviors to enhance your look.

It’s also relieving to hear that there are eye blacks for both purposes, and the black color itself can be used to make amazing visual appearances.

Method

There are two methods of application for eye blacks: stick and stirpes. Let’s learn more about the methods.

• Eye black sticks perform better when it comes to anti-glare, so you should choose them for maximum performance. However, a stick can smear and be uncomfortable as most have wax content.
• Eye black strips are a more convenient solution, yet they doesen’t perform as well as eye black stick. However, they get the job done with an easier application and removal.

Many people ask whether eye black strips even work, and the answer is yes. Eye black strips do work, yet they arent’ as good as absorbing light as their stick rivals.

If you’re unsure about how to apply eye black, you should read my step-by-step instructions for both eye black stick and stickers.

Select the right method for your preferences, and when you have a set of features to look for, check out the best seven eye blacks for football, baseball, softball, and any sport of your choosing!

1. Best Overall Eye Black: Easton PRO Eye Black Stick

• Anti-glare: Yes
• Anti-smear: Yes
• Color options: 1

Easton is known for all baseball and softball players, and its Easton Pro Eye Black Stick will work well for all sports requiring anti-glare under the eyes and fierce appearance enchantment.

The deeply black color will work very well with anti-glare needs, as your skin won’t reflect sunlight, keeping your vision clear and focused. It’s also effective against late-night stadium lights that can be quite dashing.

Another benefit this eye black has is its anti-smear property. When you wipe sweat from your eyes, the eyes black will stay on and won’t get wiped off. Yet, it’s also easy to remove with a wet cloth or soapy water.

The application method is very easy as it works like lipstick. Remove the cork by turning it and then rotate the bottom piece, lifting the product from the stick. If you’re wondering, it’s fit for both kids and adults! A fine product, which is why you find it in the first place on this list.

2. Best Runner-Up Eye Black: Franklin Sports Football Eye Black Stick

• Anti-glare: Yes
• Anti-smear: No
• Color options: 1

The second product on our list is the Franklin Sports Eye Black Stick. This is a slightly more expensive stick than the one above; however, it comes from one of the most trusted brands in the space, and it has various great benefits.

First of all, the application method is like lipstick as well, and the eye black itself is made from non-toxic materials, beeswax being the base material. Beeswax isn’t as irritating to the skin as other materials, making it a good choice for people with sensitive skin.

The anti-glare is top-notch against direct sunlight and stadium lights in performance. However, if you demand a non-smearing product, this one can relieve spots on clothing and get smudged more easily than the Easton Pro Eyeblack. Still, it holds on quite well, and it’s even easier to remove.

All in all, Franklin Sports eyes black works like a dream for any sport requiring help against sunlight and vision improvement.

3. Best Budget Eye Black: Rawlings Eye Black

• Anti-glare: Yes
• Anti-smear: Yes
• Color options: 1

Eye blacks aren’t very expensive, to begin with, but if you’re on a budget, then Rawlings Eye Black will serve that purpose better than anything. Although the smaller price comes at the cost of a smaller product, the difference isn’t big.

Anyways, the value of this product is the best on this list as the performance is very good! Need anti-glare against lights regardless of sun or man-made devices? Done! How about smearing and smudging? Nope, the Rawlings Eye Black has a non-messy formula.

The eye black also can be removed quite easily where the best option is slightly soapy water. On the downside, the stick is flat, not like lipstick, so the application process isn’t as enjoyable, and you may have to make a few applications to get it to stick.

In conclusion, this stick is a very good product with a great value, given that it’s many times cheaper than other products in a similar category.

4. Best Patriotic Eyeblack: Franklin Sports USA Tri-Color Eye Black Stick

• Anti-glare: Yes
• Anti-smear: Yes
• Color options: 3

Is there anything more patriotic than playing football, baseball, and even softball when it comes to patriotism? Yes, playing them with USA flag colored eye black!

This is probably my favorite product on this list for features. Starting with the amazing color options, USA colors are the most amazing. The construction is also great; a twist tube model guarantees the stick itself remains unharmed.

The Franklin Sports USA Tri-Color Eye Black comes with a convenient carry hook that you can add to your pants or hang from somewhere else.

When it comes to the formula and performance, it’s completely made from non-toxic materials, and it’s gentle on your skin. The sweat resistance is also very good so that it will look like an American flag for the whole session.

On the downside, the anti-glare isn’t as effective as the other eye blacks above because the colors won’t absorb as much light as black. Still, this is an anti-glare stick, so it does work well.

5. Best Eye Black Set: Zalan Zinc Stick 8 Pack Eye Black

• Anti-glare: No
• Anti-smear: Yes/No
• Color options: 8

Are you looking for something versatile and colorful? If so, then the Zalan 8-Pack Zinc Stick Set is to go-to choice.

First of all, these sticks aren’t technically eye blacks, meaning they won’t help with sun or stadium light nearly as much as the sticks above. However, they are still better than nothing.

Anyways, why you would want this set is more cosmetic than performance-oriented. With the eight colors, you can make art about anything: team colors, something unique, or simply adding some designs to spice up your look.

When it comes to the material, these sticks are made from various waxes and Zinc Oxide. The anti-smearing strength is decent, yet it won’t stay on from dawn till dusk, and you will need to enhance the design thought the day. If you only wear it for a couple of hours, it won’t smear much.

Overall, this is the best product for purely visual purposes on this list.

6. Best Eye Black Strips: Franklin Sports Eye Black Stickers

• Anti-glare: Yes
• Anti-smear: Yes
• Color options: 2

If you don’t like using a stick to put material on your skin or don’t like the method, then Franklin Sports Eye Black Strips is a great alternative.

Unlike stick applications, you can apply the eye black stickers simply by sticking them under your eyes. They are better because there will be no smearing, and you don’t need to worry about it dirtying your clothes or the waxy feel eye black sticks have.

On the other hand, anti-glare sticks aren’t as effective as eye black sticks in reducing glare from the sun or stadium lights. So it’s a tradeoff between performance and convenience. Yet, it will get the job done.

Oh, and you will get a white pen with the strips so you can write or draw something cool on them, further enhancing your appearance.

7. Best Neon UV Eye Black Stick: Moon Glow Neon UV Paint Stick

• Anti-glare: No
• Anti-smear: Yes
• Color options: 16

Last but not least, the Neon UV Sticks will give an incredible boost to your appearance, especially if the evening dusk has arrived!

You should note that these sticks aren’t anti-glare sticks and are solely for cosmetic purposes. However, if that’s something you are looking for, then you’re up for a treat!

There are 16 color options made from quality materials, so the opportunities aren’t only endless, but the color pigment looks very high quality. And they will glow in the dark, making your facial design turn head like no other.

The stick will hold well on your skin, and it won’t get smeared the right way! The removal is also very easy where make-up removal wipe or soapy water will be the most effective.

If you are looking for eye black sticks to block light and clear your vision, start by looking at the sticks at the end of the list. However, if you’re looking for sticks to provide the best visual enhancements, the last half of the list is for you.

I love to use eye black when doing sports and on other occasions for performance and spice up the look!