Starlooks Gem Pencil

I got this in my October Topbox and was pretty excited to try it because the initial swatches were gorgeous. The colour of this is amazing. It's a really bright shimmery indigo blue and it goes on super smooth.

It also sharpens just as smoothly, and I've had no breakage so far, which is really nice. It doesn't like to stay in a sharp point because of how soft it is though. Besides that the only problem I've had with it is the amount of fallout. You wouldn't expect it from an eyeliner but it's worse than my Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal for the pieces of glitter that migrate down my face. So that's not fun. But if you're just going to wear it for a couple of hours it's great.

Swatch of Starlooks Gem Pencil in Ultra Violet

Benefit BADgal Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil

I got given this as a present and was pretty excited because I love so much of what Benefit has to offer.

The great thing about this eyeliner is that it is very black. And it looks awesome when you smudge it out too. It's maybe just a little too eager to smudge though. I have the worst time getting this eyeliner to stay where I put it. When I just line my inner eyes it always ends up below my lashes in large quantities.

This is really great for a base for a dark eyeshadow look though. It gives it that dark intensity that is often hard to achieve with eyeshadow alone. So for everyday use it's not my favourite but for nights out it's great. (Truthfully I did use most of it up as filler when I'd run out of my usual black eyeliner, but it always bothered it me that it smudged underneath so much.) 

It applies smoothly and consistently, without any catching on the skin. It doesn't really like to have a point, so any type of cat eye is super hard. And although the smudger on the end has a really nice feel to it, I didn't find that it smudged it out as well as a brush does.

Swatch of BADgal Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Black

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal

I'm really liking this right now! I wasn't sure what to expect since my recent experience with the Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer. But I was pleasantly surprised!

I decided to try 003 brown because I've really been liking the neutral browns and golds on my eyes recently. However this colour label is misleading because it's definitely more of a copper-bronze!  Which I thought was cool, but others might not be up for the surprise.

One of the faults I've found with it is that it's not easy to sharpen the first time round- like it won't go around easily. And after that it will sharpen but not evenly, and the tip has a tendency to break after it's freshly sharpened. It also likes to leave little clumps of product when you apply it to the skin if you go too fast. It's nice to have a soft eyeliner because if it's too hard it doesn't even transfer to the face. But it seems like this one is just a little too soft, which makes not only sharpening and applying a bit hard, but also getting a clean line and a sharp point (for say a cat eye).

I've mostly been using it to tightline my eyes though, and it goes on smoothly there. It stays for a good 4 hours before it wears off. Actually it doesn't really wear off so much as migrate down to my under eye, where I find a constellation of brown and gold flecks at the end of the day!

Swatch of Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in 003 brown. Clean (L) and smudged (R)

When using it on my eyelid, it stays put for about the same about of time, longer if I use a good primer. I do tend to set all my eyeliner on my lids with powder because it's rare I find one that doesn't make its way up into my crease before the day has really begun. When I smudged it out it didn't really go well. It will smudge but not without some force, and the brown and gold tend to separate- the brown stays and the gold moves. So it's basically just good for solid lines!

Despite all the little flaws with this product, I bought it to be a brown colour in my waterline and that's exactly what it is (with a little extra shimmer). It's not hard for me to work around the little things, and it basically reflects the price of the product (I got mine for $5 CAD). 

L'Oréal Infallible Lacquer Liner

This is a product that I have used almost every day for the past six months. It was given to me by someone who wasn't having a good time with it and so it came a little roughed up and without the brush that is supposed to come with it.

It comes in a little pot and requires a brush for application, so I feel it takes more commitment or involvement. I use a small flat angled brush to apply. It works so much better if I wet the brush first before taking on product. Wiping off excess product on the edge of the pot before applying also helps with cleaner lines. And of course you have to wash the brush after every use because it will dry hard on the brush.

The reason I like it so much is that it is really black and goes on very solidly. It fills in the line quickly and evenly too. I also feel like I have more control over the line, and that I get a cleaner line.

It's downfall is that it doesn't dry well. Even after it sets, it still feels gummy. So I set it with a black shadow and that works perfectly for me. If I combine this and my Benefit Air Patrol BB Cream Eyelid Primer, I get a look that stays practically perfect until I wash it off at night, which is awesome.

Swatch of L'Oréal Infallible Lacquer Liner in 171 Blackest Black

Rimmel Exaggerate Eyeliner

My usual go to eyeliner is L'Oréal Paris infallible and when that ran out the last time I thought I would try something new. The Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer is built the same way, with an extendable and retractable tip and a smudger on the opposite end. It goes on very smoothly which is nice. And the pigment is good too.

The main problem is that it has a very short wear time. Any type of oil or water seems to move it. I usually use this type of eyeliner to tightline my eyes but I tried this on the eyelid as well (with setting powder) to see if it would work better further from the eye. Unfortunately it didn't take long before it was up in the crease.

It might work better for people who have drier skin around the eye, since I do find I get a bit more oil on my eyelids as the day progresses. I also found the smudger just seemed to erase the eyeliner from my skin, which was disappointing.

Swatch of Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in 261 Noir

Products Post: Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen

So.. my first impression of this was pretty bad. But keep with me here!

I'd been looking for a liquid eyeliner in pen form because I find then pens easier to use, and somehow ended up with this. The first time I used it- great! It went on black and dried quickly. I think I wasn't using it with any other make up the first time either.

The next time I used it, it wouldn't go on worth anything. The colour just wouldn't flow through the end of the pen no matter what I tried! So I stored it upside down and left it alone for a while.

One day when I was just home for a minute and had to freshen up my makeup, I grabbed it to see if it could quickly fix my eyeliner and it worked just fine!

Since then I've discovered that it's perfect for fixing up hours old makeup, or for using on days off when I just want to put on lipstick and a bit of eyeliner to give my skin a rest. But it doesn't work for my normal routine on top of fresh primer and shadow- it seems to just dry up the pen. And like I said, storing it upside down helps too! It's never gotten quite as black as the first time, but it still gives okay lines and a thin point, which works for what I use it for!

Swatches showing different lines drawn with
the Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in 01 Blackest Black