Questing For : Eyeliners & Part Review

Eyeliner is my problem makeup essential

Do you remember your first make up fail or makeup item? I do, and they are both the same thing: eyeliners. My first fail was looking like a racoon after the liner traveled. Of course, my first one would have to be your humble and simple eyeliner pencil.

 

As eyeliners go, there are many types, and eyeliner pencil is the most common. A cheap one would be like Sephora’s, but it is reasonable in quality. If you want to go high end, there is NARS. But I have left the eyeliner pencil boat a long time ago. Because somehow I couldn’t get it to stay for me.

Then I tried Kajal

If you are not familiar, Kajal is a Hindi word. This is made out of kohl stone, and some say it is synonymous to kohl, others object to it. Like Kohl eyeliners, Kajal comes in waterproof and normal, depending on the formulation and percentage. You can buy Kajal cheap from eBay, or invest in good brands like Givenchy’s above. I do have to warn you, if your eyeliner travels when you use the eyeliner pencils, I would do a trial.

No matter what claims those shops had with this product, once tried always regret! That’s for me, thankfully, good brands do not mind to let you try. In the end, I have to give up hoping that this is my holy grail.

My first success… most expensive one to date

Desperate in my search, I went into a Napoleon Perdis stall. This is not the most expensive brand, but it is certainly close.

I will admit that for the price, it is worth it. I was taught not to dip my brush directly into it, but to pick some up and put it on my hands. That way the gel wouldn’t get contaminated by bacteria on my skin, and the gel would remain fluid via the warmth of the body. But I think the biggest draw for me was the fact that it lasted whole day, around fourteen to sixteen hours. I kid you not, twelve hour shifts + travel time was about that.

So if you are looking for a good gel eyeliner, definitely invest in a good one. Because the Maybelline gel eyeliner, which was more than half the price, lasted only three hours. Not only lasting power, NP’s formulation stayed pristine until the very end, of course you do have to screw the cover back on properly. But hey, two plus years of daily use is pretty good.

Then I got lazy and tried liquid

It’s all good and fun when I was at home, playing with make up like a ten year old. Come travelling time, the gel had a drawback: I need a brush. It is good to have a separate brush, one that you can clean after use. I also bought my first eyeliner brush from NP, the bristles are awesome, and they allow me to draw a fine line. For gel eyeliners, fine lines can be a challenge without a good brush.

Which is why I bought liquid eyeliner

After Napoleon Perdis, I firmly believe in trying out my makeups, and going known brands. Estee Lauder did not disappoint, but my wallet hurts. This one has less drying time than most drug store eyeliners, so if you are a touch and go person, consider drying time.

The fine brush in a tube means you will get finer lines, so long as you practice. Those Youtubers have been practicing hard, that’s why they make it look so effortless. Normal humans like you and I, we can get to that level by sheer determination.  However, you can practice with cheap drug store brand, and invest in good brands when you are proficient. No point wasting the good stuff yeh?

Why trying is good : L’ Oreal Gel Intenza 36H eyeliner review

I bought this for half price, at less than AUD15 after discount. It sounded really good to me, because it boasted to last up to 36 hours if you do not remove it first. I was keen, if this is cheaper and lasts long, it could be such a great buy.

Ah, well…

Proof that not eyeliners are made equal. This picture is not taken immediately after applying, neither did I smudge on a whole lot. Simply put, gel intenza has a crazy long drying time, like I do not know how long. I had once applied eyeliner, went to do my brows and lipstick before returning to pat on some eyeshadow. The result was horrendous, the gel didn’t dry!

Not to mention, it travels. Thumbs down, down down.

I have nothing good to say about Gel Intenza, not even that it was cheap. Half price was a store special, and hence the recommended retail price is too expensive, too much for this lousy effect.

Question
So here are the few types of eyeliners in the market, from the humble eyeliner to the skill hungry liquid, which is your favorite? Do you have a method you use to make it stay?

I know that some of you consider eye shadow as a way to line your eyes, I acknowledge that. However eye shadow can be multitasking, unlike these that are mainly used to draw on eyes (sometimes eyebrows I think).

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