Massive Beauty Purge Project: Eyeliners & Eye Pencils
I received so much positive feedback regarding my recent beauty purge series, thank you guys! No reason to stop now, right? Today we are rummaging through my eyeliners and eye pencils, which I didn’t have that many of to begin with. Usually I line my eyes with a flat damp eyeliner brush dipped in ultra pigmented matte eyeshadow, like the ones from Viseart Neutral Matte palette. However, sometimes I like to do a dramatic winged cat eye, and that’s when my liquid pen eyeliners get used. I sometimes also wear eyeliner to the pool [don’t judge me lol], so that’s when I bust out those eye waterproof eye pencils. Still, I only need so many…
STARTING POINT:
Gucci Power Liquid Liner in 010 Iconic Black* ($37) – I didn’t use liquid eyeliner pens much until I tried this one. The tip of the eyeliner is silky soft and doesn’t drag on the eyelids, and it’s much easier to use than other eyeliners of this type I tried before. It’s the most expensive one I own, but also my favorite. I always manage to draw the perfect line with it, and the off-black/deep gray shade is exactly what I like. Rich true black eyeliners just don’t look that good on me.
DHC Liquid Eyeliner EX in Black* ($20) – It’s practically brand new and I only used it a couple of times for testing the smudge-proofness and wear time. This is actually one of the most popular eyeliners in Japan, and it’s recommended for people with hooded eyelids and monolids, because of the smudge-resistant formula and extra fine tip that can draw very thin lines.
Lancome Drama Liqui-Pencil in Lamé* ($23) – At one point I owned these waterproof, smudge-resistant pencils in every color of the rainbow, but Lamé is the only one I didn’t give away yet. It’s a shimmery, pearly champagne shade that looks beautiful in the inner corners of the eyes, and that’s pretty much what I used it for. Nowadays I just use a little bit of highlighter to achieve the same effect. Love the formula of these pencils – they are pigmented, supremely soft, and glide on the lids with ease without dragging. Plus, they come in some really fun colors.
PIXI Lash Line Ink in Black Silk* ($14) – Many eyeliners labeled as “black” are actually dark gray, and you can really see the difference when comparing the arm swatches. I think PIXI Lash Line Ink is probably one of the darkest drugstore liquid eyeliners out there, so if you’re looking for a truly black eyeliner, this one is worth checking out. The only con is that these eyeliners tend to dry out more quickly than other brands I used, since the formula is slightly runnier, which makes it feel more lightweight on the eyes.
Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in 54 Brown(Out) & 42 Blacquer ($25) – I’m willing to bet this would be the #1 product any Sephora junkie will recommend if you ask them about good eye pencils. Even though they aren’t cheap, these self-sharpening twist up pencils fly off the shelves just like that, and the brand is constantly releasing additional shades to satisfy the demand. The really are that good. They are perfect for waterline, because the formula is richly pigmented, smudge-resistant, sweat-proof, water-proof, and not easily removed even with oils.
Beauty People Miss 100 Super Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in Glimmer Bronze ($9) – It’s not just waterproof, it’s super waterproof, you guys! Sometimes the claims on foreign beauty products are just adorable. 🙂 Super or not, this eyeliner really is waterproof and smudge-proof, and it’s one of the best Korean products I discovered through Memebox. The pencil comes in a twist-up packaging, so it doesn’t require a sharpener. This is seriously such a steal for the money, and if you are in the market for a new eyeliner, definitely check these out. They are as good as Marc Jacobs ones, at a fraction of the cost.
Mally Beauty Lash illusion Lash Filler ($14) – These thin eye pencils are meant to tightline the lashes and stay put on the waterline. They look very natural on the skin and make my eyes look wide awake. The only reason I didn’t use them more often is because I hate manually sharpening my pencils. I think these are now discontinued, anyway.
The survivors: PIXI Lash Line Ink in Black Silk, Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in 54 Brown(Out), and Gucci Power Liquid Liner in 010 Iconic Black.
WHAT’S LEFT:
I was actually going to keep just two, but I ended up keeping three: PIXI Lash Line Ink in Black Silk*, Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in 54 Brown(Out), and Gucci Power Liquid Liner in 010 Iconic Black*. Gucci one is by far my favorite, but it won’t last forever. After it’s empty, I am going to switch to the PIXI eyeliner, just because it’s probably going to be summer at the time and the formula is very watery and lightweight. DHC actually better suits my needs, but because it’s still brand new, I better give it to someone who will be able to use it right away and enjoy it to the fullest [I wouldn’t be using it anytime soon].
I also kept the shimmery brown Marc Jacobs eye pencil. Sometimes I like to wear eyeliner to the pool or when I go to our community gym, just so my face doesn’t feel so naked without makeup. It stays on through the sweatiest of workouts and many swimming sessions. I bought it with my Sephora points a while back, and it still feels brand new when I use it. The formula is very impressive!
Do you have a favorite eyeliner formula? Have you tried any of the products mentioned above? Let me know in the comments below!
*Indicates PR samples.
