This has happened over the last five months, so I haven't completely lost my mind. It's just that I really really (really) love my pencil eyeliners, and all the new gel formulas are making them even more wonderful than ever, and usually also spectacularly durable. Just to be clear, none of what you'll see here was given to me by PR, but a couple (will be marked as such) were gifts with various purchases. I think that together with my last eye pencil post (the Lorac one) this concludes the latest crop of pencil liners that have landed here.
From left to right:
MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua XL Eye Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner in M-10 (matte black), $21, made in Germany, at Sephora
BUXOM Hold The Line Waterproof Liner in I'll Be Waiting (metallic pewter), $17, made in Germany, at Ulta (GWP)
COLOURPOP Creme Gel Liner in Honey Dude (warm natural flesh tone), $5, made in USA, colourpop.com
I should buy more MUFE. This liner is an overachiever, a good solid black that sets quickly, lasts forever, makes a good base for a sheer shadow, and is all around a satisfying product. All the MUFE liner you'll see here were part of that Charli XCX Favorite set. It sold out quicly because the price was a bargain, but the colors are available individually.
The Buxom one is pretty, but despite the waterproof claim it melts or fades before the day is gone. I looks like Sephora doesn't stock the pencil range at all, but Ulta has them. I'm jst not very inclined to explore further.
You can't go wrong with Colourpop for the $5 price. It was my first experience with their nude options, and Honey Dude might be my favorite in this category color-wise, but like all liners that live exclusively on one's waterline, longevity is less than five hours.
MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua XL Eye Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner in M-30 (matte pastel green), $21, made in Germany, at Sephora
Lancôme DRAMA LIQUI-PENCIL™ Longwear Eyeliner in Paradís - pearlized tropical green, $23, made in Germany, a Sephora exclusive
COLOURPOP Creme Gel Liner in Teaspoon (lush green grass in Emerald City), $5, made in USA, colourpop.com
I own more mint green eyeliners than a normal people should, but this one by MUFE is the most opaque of them and can easily used as an eye shadow, smudged nicely and quickly before it sets. I think it performs better than NARS or Lorac, and that says something.
The Liqui-Drama pencils are real drama queens. I think Paradis is the softest one of the ones I own (a growing number), and above you can see what happens when you let it sit for too long under hot lights. Below you can see it again after a good sharpening and making sure not to apply any pressure (perfect for the waterline).
Colourpop's teaspoon is probably the truest green I own's a fun little thing, especially for tightlining and on the waterline, paired with neutral colors on a summer day.
Lancôme DRAMA LIQUI-PENCIL™ Longwear Eyeliner in Ampoulé - pearlized bright purple, $23, made in Germany, a Sephora exclusive
MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua XL Eye Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner in M-80 (matte plum), $21, made in Germany, at Sephora
CLIO GelPresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liner in 17 Black Plum, $22, made in Korea, clubcliousa.com (also on Amazon for far less through third-party vendors).
Lancome Ampoule was an impulse buy. I was playing at Sephora last week with my nine year old niece and we both felt this was the most glorious shiny purple ever. We shall see how I can incorporate it into a non-9-year-old looks (taupe will happen), but it made me happy.
Once again, MUFE deliver a wearable, reliable, and opaque color. It looks ready for fall, but worked well with summer sandy hues.
Clio is a youthful Korean brand that makes fun and shiny things. I love the almost truly waterproof smooth gel liner enough to wish they had a few more middle-aged appropriate colors.
Zoeva Graphic Eye+ in Taupe, 7.80 EUR, mae in Germany, zoeva-shop.de
COLOURPOP Creme Gel Liner in Call Me (plummy brown), $5, made in USA, colourpop.com
COLOURPOP Creme Gel Liner in Stomper (cool one brown), $5, made in USA, colourpop.com
Zoeva is a much-hyped (on YouTube, at least) German brand. Their affordable brush sets were the first one to be sent to vloggers around the world, followed by their palettes (very pretty). I got curious enough to order a thing or two, one of them being this irresistible taupe liner. It's not a gel and not extremely long-lasting, but the color is all I could hope for. I'm still learning all that I could do with it, but I can say that it was worth the long wait for my package to arrive from Germany.
The differences between the two brown Colourpop pencils barely show on my lids or waterline. You can go with either one, unless you're so pale (and blue-eyes) that the variations actually matter.
MARC JACOBS Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Midnight In Paris 72 (metallic blackened blue), $25, made in Korea, at Neiman Marcus and Sephora
KEVYN AUCOIN The Precision Eye Definer in Evergreen (dark greenish teal), $32, made in Germany, at Sephora and most department stores
Lancôme DRAMA LIQUI-PENCIL™ Longwear Eyeliner in Côte D'azur- a careless summer blue, $23, made in Germany, a Sephora exclusive (a GWP).
MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua XL Eye Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner in I-24 (iridescent blue with green sparkles), $21, made in Germany, at Sephora.
Previous incarnations of Marc Jacbos eyeliner had various issues (from stinging to disintegrating), but I'm fully impressed with the current Highliners. Midnight in Paris is a metallic denim color that glides on very smoothly. I was intrigued to learn that it's made in Korea (It Cosmetics and Stila have been sourcing their eyeliners there very successfully).
I first tested the latest formula of Kevyn Aucoin eyeliners back in May during the NYC Makeup Show. That swatch lasted for for five days, through oil cleansing, showers, and cats. The one I tried was a navy blue, but a few days later I decided to buy something different and go with Evergreen that reminded me of MAC eye shadow in Plumage Longevity around the eye is not as insane as on the wrist, but it's still phenomenal.
You already know the story of the Lancôme pencils. I will end up owning almost all of them.
MUFE I-24 is a fun bright color for blue-lovers. The sparkle is toned-down, so it's reasonably easy to wear.
That concludes this eyeliner roundup. Any favorites? Do I need anything else?
I bought the Lancome in Cote d'Azure and the MakeUp Forever in aqua this week. Both are amazing. They make me wish I'd never spent my money on any of the Marc Jacobs gels. The colors are gorgeous. I'd been waiting for a bright cobalt and the Lancome is awesome. btw, the new Urban Decay waterproof liner is amazing. Way better than the over-hyped Stila. Off topic but just saying.'
ReplyDeleteI adore gel eyeliners because they get right into the base of the lashes and they can be gently smudged for a softer look which is what I usually go for. I can apply them straight from the pencil or with a brush when I want sharp definition. I also love how easily they hold a jewel toned eyeshadow in place when I want a bit of color, but nothing obvious, around my eyelashes. Gel eyeliner pencils have completely replaced my little pots of gel eyeliner as an eye lining staple. As for which brand is best, I think it really depends on your skin type, your eye shape and contours, and the types of looks you favor. For example, MUFE always seems to make the "Best of . . ." list and yet the colors fade on me within an hour or so :-( It's always helpful, though, to read about what works so well for other people as sort of a general guide.
ReplyDeleteI tend to skip plummy and purple, but will take a look at the MUFE M-80, and more in my taste, the M-30. I liked the the Kevyn Aucoin Evergreen, too, as it looks less sparkly than a green I use often now. Thanks for another review to give focus to my next trip to Sephora, which can be overwhelming for those of us who came late to the make up party.
ReplyDeleteKathy
Bloomington, IN