Eyeliners - Make Up to Make Out

Archive for the Eyeliners Category

The Bluest Eyes in Texas..

By Lina on August 3, 2011

Those who read my post on the Autumn launches of Estee Lauder, would probably have noticed how I instantly fell in love with their eye shadow duo in Clouds – a gorgoeus, vibrant navy. I created a quick blue eye with it on that post but thought I’d run through the rest of the products I used, as a few of them are also new and worked really well with the look.

It is essentially the two products from Estee Lauder, the duo in Clouds and the liquid liner in Graphite. The Graphite liquid liner has quite a stiff nib, but this is great for getting really precise lining, and worked really well in particular with the blue. When used to line, it provided just a shot of shimmer that catches the light wonderfully, in a neat, clean way. The staying power of it is amazing, too! Maybe a little too amazing; that swatch on my hand refuses to budge even after several hand washes and some washing up! Try and avoid getting it on your lashes though as it can get a little cakey on those hairs (not nice for adding mascara onto after).

To finish off the look I used some of this new bd by Barbara Daly Eye Liner Polish in Dramatic Black, which one would suspect was a gel, but in actuality I think it’s more a cake. You have to work the brush into it a bit more than you would with a gel, but the inky black effect you get from it is just the same!

I am really adoring this pot liner at the moment, it’s cheap (around the £4 mark), isn’t messy, will last you a life time and easy to apply; it just glides on. I’ve only worn it a few times so far but I really like the staying power and noticed very minimal running or smudging, only the slightest bit of crumbling but that was tested in extreme partying conditions (we’re talking waking up with it on!). A big contender for the pricier brands!

I received some brushes from KIM a week or so ago, a foundation brush, a lip brush and this eye brush; E131. As you can see, I’ve used the eye brush to apply this liner and it works beautifully! Really easy to get a straight line and you can even re-use it several hours later without washing – could be a combination of the pot liner and brush but either way it worked fine and didn’t go stiff with product like many other brushes would.

Finally, I just finished off the ‘blue eye’ look with mascara!
Loving all these products at the minute, really good quality.

Products used:
Estee Lauder Eye Shadow Duo in Clouds
Estee Lauder Liquid Liner in Graphite
bd Make up by Barbara Daly Eye Liner Polish in Dramatic Black (Not out till August 22nd!)
KIM Eye Brush E131 (Available HERE)
Max Factor False Lash Effect Fusion Mascara in Black

DISCLAIMER: All PR samples

This entry is filed under bd Make up by Barbara Daly, Estee Lauder, Eyeliners. | 2 Comments

Clinique Quickliner for Eyes INTENSE

By Lina on August 28, 2010

Many, many moons ago I read in a magazine that there were simply only two eyeliners you would ever need in your life; one was Benefit Badgal, for smokey smudgy eyes, the other was Clinique Quickliner for Eyes, for precision lining of the waterline that won’t run or wear away. Being naive and in the era where you still believed everything you read in magazines, I rushed out immediately and purchased both. Unfortunately, I wasn’t happy with either choice, the Benefit one was okay but nothing amazing, and the Clinique Quickliner was actually quite difficult to line the waterline with as the colour was too weak and the pen/automatic pencil nib was too hard. So when I read recently that this eyeliner had been reformulated for a limited edition range, and not only reformulated but specifically made creamier and more intense in colour, I was very eager to try it out and see for myself if it finally now lived up to its expectations.

The two colours I received for review were 01 Intense Black and 02 Intense Plum. Now, before I move on to how much I feel this product has changed and so on, let’s briefly go over the aesthetics of the liner and its potential. It’s an automatic pencil which you simply wind up to sharpen, and comes with a smudger on the end. Its slim design means it’s perfect for getting a fine line and also to precisely line the waterline. When you apply this liner, similar to a liquid, you apply, then tweak/blend/whatever super quick as once 60 seconds have passed the liner is set. To me, this is exactly what I would look for when choosing a product to line my waterline or lower/upper lashline. So imagine if you still had all these qualities but with a product that actually came out densely pigmented, was creamy, blendable and smooth without tugging the delicate eye area and on top of that stayed in place aaaaaaaall night? You’d think you’d pretty much had the perfect eyeliner, right?

Left – Intense Black, Right – Intense Purple.

Well, move over all my previous eye lining loves! You’ve been replaced with my new ‘Holy Grail’ eye liner. This reformulated quickliner is everything I wished it was when I had bought it the first time round. The colour goes on easily and deeply, the creamy texture allows you to blend away effortlessly without tugging your eye (seriously, it’s sooooo creamy and lovely), and once you have blended and it has set; it stays perfect for well over 6 hours (it claims 12 but I wouldn’t want to state that as a definite). I would sometimes re-apply on the waterline just to freshen up the colour, but generally you really wouldn’t have to worry about your liner at all once you have initially applied it. I’d sometimes wake up in the morning (after being gross and sleeping in my make-up at a friends) and my eye liner was perfectly applied still. Amazing.

Intense Black, lined on the waterline and through the lashline. Can you see the blue??

Intense Purple (smudged in with some black eyeshadow, I was just running it through the lash line here – not really the waterline.)

The only gripe that I have with it is that the Intense Black is a little blue tinged. For ages I thought I was accidently using the purple every time I got ready instead of reaching for the black, until one day I was applying the black quickliner on my sister (after double checking it was the correct one I was reaching for) and noticed it was definitely a bluey black – not a straight black. But I don’t care, not really, it would be nice to have the choice of having a straight black but I’m starting to really like the blue-ness of it. The Intense Purple however, is exactly as the name describes – a gorgeous, intense purple.

Intense Black – See how neatly I can line my eyes with this?

In the past I’ve given props to GOSH Velvet Touch eyeliner which is a great budget liner, but this one beats it hands down as it’s simply more lovely to use and unlike the GOSH one where it felt a little ‘ick’ reapplying on the waterline as it’d caked, this one reapplies like a dream. Just like a regular good eyeliner really, except with superior lasting power. I just WISH it wasn’t limited edition. I’m considering stocking up as they are that amazing. Unfortunately, I’ve got a feeling the regular quickliners are still as I remembered them and this creamy dream is limited only to the Intense range. Boooo. Triple boooo.

The Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense is available in 4 shades and is only £13.50, and 100% worth every penny in my opinion. Get ‘em now while they’re still out.

This entry is filed under Clinique, Eyeliners and tagged Clinique Quickliner for Eyes. | 3 Comments

GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink

By Lina on March 6, 2010

I was sent a GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink (the blackest of the black, natch) for review. I had heard so much about this budget waterproof eyeliner, all good, so was really eager to see what all the fuss was about. Apparently, on some it lasts an amazing 6 hours on the waterline – wowzer!

The only eyeliner I have ever repeat bought was Mac Smoulder, which is great for achieving lovely smokey eyes and lining the waterline, but still, like most eyeliners, it seldom stayed ON the waterline. I’ve bought a few others that were purchased specifically for the waterline (hello Clinique Quickliner and Benefit Bad Gal Waterproof) but found neither of these really did the job either. Knowing some of these pricier brands failed to do the task at hand, I did have my doubts about how well this £5 product would work.. But all the reviews I’ve read of it had been so promising (not to mention a friend with perfect eye make-up swears by it) I allowed myself to get a little excited at the prospect of eyeliner that stayed on the waterline.

Well, I’ve now been wearing this product for the last two weeks and… I love it! It does last a really decent amount of time on the waterline (bizarrely, especially if I’m just sitting around the house – lasts literally all day!) and is so easy to work with. As it’s quite a soft pencil, it glides effortlessly across the waterline so you get excellent coverage with just one coat (I add another for luck) and then it sets, almost like a liquid would. However, being fairly creamy also makes it fairly smudgy, so if you like smokey eye make-up (ala moi!) this is a fab product as it smudges and blends so easily and then sets. But of course then, on the other end of the scale if you did want to just delicately line your eyes you might find this a little too strong and heavy to frame your peepers that subtly.

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As with everything, I do have a couple of complaints, but only minor really. You have to sharpen this pencil A LOT. I have to sharpen it before every wear (not including touch-ups), as even if the pencil didn’t naturally wear down it’s so creamy in consistency the sharper you can make the point the easier it is to work with, which means you’re gonna go through the product real quick. But hey, it’s cheap!

I also found that when it sets it does sometimes feel like you have a dry coating of product on your waterline (which understandably is how it sets) and that isn’t the most pleasant of feelings, particularly when re-applying (adding product onto dried product on waterline, bit cringe).

And lastly, while it does last upto 6 hours of perfect wear in a nice, calm, non windy or wet environment (i.e. indoors), outside its lasting power is considerably less. Again, obviously because we are faced against the elements and are probably blinking and such much more, this is the reason why.

But in whole, compared to all eyeliners I’ve tried cheap and not so cheap, I think this is a brilliant product that I will repeat buy till a product supersedes it in brilliance!

You can pick up GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner for £5 from Superdrug (which has free shipping at the mo, might I add!).

This entry is filed under Eyeliners, GOSH and tagged GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink. | 17 Comments

Lancome Artliner

By Lina on August 14, 2009

A genuinely good, liquid eyeliner is a highly sought after staple in a girls make-up kit – you just can’t be dealing with ones that smudge or run or fade a mere few hours after application. You need a product you can trust. This eyeliner by Lancome was discontinued fairly recently, however due to the overwhelming volume of complaints from loyal customers they had to bring it back into the product line, it was simply THAT good. So obviously I had to see what all the fuss was about and whether it was worth £20 price tag.

Application

Design wise it’s pretty, simple, classic and and ever so dainty looking. For application you need to shake the pen and then unscrew the lid, which is attached to the pointed solid foam applicator. I have seen this type of applicator for a liquid eyeliner before – in a L’oreal eyeliner (sister brand to Lancome) but I would like to stress that that is where the similarities end – the L’oreal version is definitely not a cheaper equivalent. You would essentially just be a buying a completely different product, and the quality difference is certainly notable.

Using this eyeliner with this specific applicator is pretty easy, it glides on smoothly (almost a little too smoothly), and as with anything to get a more complex look than just a few cat wings or light lining, it will take practice. But I was pretty confident in using it by the second or third attempt. The ink is pleasingly deep and dark, a really beautiful, intense black. It goes on feather light (not heavy or gloopy), and dries quickly. It almost feels like you’re not wearing any liquid eyeliner, as it’s so undetectable touch wise. Another bonus, you can also line you waterline with this (carefully!) and it lasts pretty well without irritating, just be uber careful!

Verdict

This is a good eyeliner. It does its’ job, and does so simply without any fuss. It lasts incredibly well, although I have woken up (on the weekends only!) and found some of it has caked off, so it’s not super long lasting, but definitely will last a good, long evening out. It didn’t smudge, or run, and for that it gets a full thumbs up.

While I have no regrets about purchasing this eyeliner, I’m not entirely sure it’s the best high end eyeliner available, I think in some ways I actually preferred my Chanel liquid eyeliner (the one with a brush) as the ink in that was the gorgeous blackest black matte ink, this Lancome one is ever so teen tiny bit shiny (but probably not noticeably so). However, I’m pretty sure the Chanel one’s discontinued anyway, so this is a very good alternative, also the Chanel one was very tricky to use.

I’m certain everyone who purchases this eyeliner will be 100% happy, it’s only the fussiest of fussies (i.e. me) that would find little things to moan about. A good tip, put a little powder around you eye if you’re wearing a dewy base; although this baby has tremendous staying power, if your foundation is too creamy/moist it can have trouble setting initially. Other than that – an awesome product!

This entry is filed under Eyeliners, Lancome and tagged Lancome Artliner.

Boots No7 Metallic Eye Pencil – "Turquoise"

By Lina on May 26, 2009

I have to admit I’m a bit of a play it safe these days when it comes to eye make-up, it seems I only understand a few shades and those are black, black and more black. So what a refreshing surprise it to get this metallic turquoise eye pencil to review!

Application

This is the first time I’ve used a Boot No 7 pencil, and it was really easy to apply. Very soft and creamy, I lined my top lash line, then along the waterline and the colour came out thick and luscious gliding on smoothly and effortlessly, perfect for providing a daring, dramatic look.

However, if you wanted to wear it more subtly, you could simply just apply it along the waterline. I actually prefer this way on myself as it gave a gorgeous hint of colour without being too much of a statement, definitely a more wearable option for the masses. As I mentioned above it adhered well to the waterline and gave a delicate shot of colour perfectly.

Verdict

I was pretty impressed with this eyeliners’ lasting ability on its ventures out – it didn’t budge nor run and kept perfectly in tact. I would refresh it every now and again, but that was mostly to keep the colour vibrant and not because it had worn away or smudged. And on to the colour, wow. It is ever so lovely. A deeply intense shot of metallic turquoise that caught the light perfectly. I still stand by my preference of only wearing it along the waterline as the subtlety of the shimmer catching the light was truly gorgeous, and it made it far more everyday wearable if you didn’t want to do full on “blue” eyes. However, if you did choose to do make a more dramatic eye, this is a breeze to do it with.

In general I’m really impressed with this eyeliner, once it’s set it’s a little tricky to smudge or blend, but really with this shade I doubt you’ll be blending a great deal anyway, a nice swipe of it along the lash lines is really all you need. Absolutely brilliant for the waterline and the shades perfect for summer! Thumbs up! I adore this metallic turquoise pencil.

Here are some pics..

This entry is filed under Boots No7, Eyeliners and tagged Boots No7 Metallic Eye Pencil - Turquoise.

Yves Saint Laurent L’eyeliner Noir – The Black Eyeliner

By Lina on April 23, 2009

Having forked out over £20 for this eyeliner as a replacement for my practically brand new Chanel Liquid Liner that was stolen (along with my make-up bag and entire bag in lovely Hackney), I assumed that as it was Yves Saint Laurent there was a standard of quality that meant it wouldn’t be a risk purchase.

I was wrong. Well, I guess it depends on what you want from a liquid eyeliner. I primarily wanted it for thick catflicks along the top and bottom of the lash line. I also primarily wanted something that would not budge, just as my trusty but lost Chanel Liquid Liner wouldn’t.

Application

As with all YSL products, the packaging of this eyeliner is gorgeous and sophisticated in its regular gold metal tube with the YSL logo emblazoned on, pretty much identical to the Touche Eclat packaging. The brush to this eyeliner is probably the best thing about it, I found it far superior to the Chanel one, it was nice and long, very flexible and easy to maneuver thus making it incredibly easy to get perfect liquid lines regardless of what style or depth you were after. It was a gorgeous inky jet black too, and once the product had set did look really lovely on.

However, after it setting was when my problems with it began. I remember the first time I had tried it I was at home. I applied the liner above the lash line in thick cat flicks, and then again through the lower lash line. I then went to watch some T.V.. About two hours later I went to check on its performance and to my horror saw literal runs underneath both eyes. It clearly couldn’t handle anything on the lower lash line. The top remained relatively ok, but the bottom just looked a mess. I gave a private thank you to God that I hadn’t been out when this had happened and have since never worn it on the lower lash line ever again. I have actually since never really worn it AT ALL again as I bought a cheaper one from Bourjois that far outlasts this one, and so now only use that one instead.

Verdict

So whilst I decided what the fate of this eyeliner would already be in my review, I needed some pics of it so had to use it again for that. This time I only applied it to the top, above the lashes, and like before it applied beautifully and easily. I was very happy with the look it gave, but wasn’t sure how it would last. A few hours later, I went to check my make-up, and surprisingly it was still perfectly in place.

I decided I was going to have a nap, and whilst taking my make-up off, I purposely left my eye make-up on to see how it would fare. I had a nap, 4 hours late I woke up bleary eyed and staggered my way to the mirror (priorities!). Once I could focus I was amazed that my eye make up was still in tact. Admittedly, I didn’t rub my eyes or anything while I was sleeping, but I was still expecting a little bit of smudge from this as this product fully smudged on my previous experiences of it. But there was nothing. I was very impressed.

So in conclusion, this eyeliner is lovely for just lining on top of the eye, but anything heavily on the bottom or along the waterline is a definite no-no. I will continue to use it for the rare occasions I only wear eyeliner on the top (see pictures below), as it certainly feels more comfortable than my Bourjois Liner Clubbing one (the one I use that NEVER comes off, amazing). But when I need something that will definitely stand the test of time, this eyeliner is just too damn risky!

Here are some pics of it on:

This entry is filed under Eyeliners, YSL and tagged YSL L'eyeliner Noir - Black Liquid Liner.

Benefit "Bad Gal" Waterproof Eyeliner

By Lina on April 17, 2009

I impulsively bought Benefit Bad Gal Eyeliner because it was the waterproof version, and the sales assistant had wrongly told me you could apply along the waterline and it would not budge. Lets get things straight, it doesn’t do that, as it’s (duh!) waterproof and will repel water, as in the wa-ter-line. However, it is a very good eyeliner and I am very pleased I bought it!

For those who know me, I like my smokey eyes, and usually build up the intensity of colour with eyeliner primarily, followed on with shadow. I usually use Mac kohl eyeliner in Smoulder but have now switched to this, with the Mac used still for the waterline. This is a really great eyeliner, smooth, creamy and soft, and it comes with an amazing smudger that I use aaaaall the time.

The best thing about Benefit Bad Gal Eyeliner (waterproof) is that once you put it, and it’s set, it will not BUDGE until you take it off! For me, that is an amazing concept, I am so tired of having to constantly check my make-up in case my liner has run down my face (slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean!), it is so reassuring to just do your make-up and know there won’t be any disasters if you don’t get a chance to check it.

The cons against it is that it does wear down pretty quick, I pretty much have to re-sharpen mine fresh before every initial nights use. Another bad point, although it doesn’t bother me too much as I feel it’s still dark enough, but it isn’t as dark as my Mac Smoulder.

You can see the colour difference here, Benefit is above, Mac below:

It is very reasonably priced, only about £12.50, and whilst I still need to use my Mac along the lash and waterline, I will continue to buy and use this as it is an excellent smokey eye product! It’s soft, creamy, perfectly blendable, and best of all, it doesn’t come off until you take it off!