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

L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Fixing and Unifying Eyeshadow Primer

I was a bit confused by this product at first. It seemed weird that it was encased in plastic that you have to sharpen. It's really hard on the sharpener and on the plastic, which doesn't sharpen evenly. This is my major grievance with the product, which would all be fixed if they made it in a twist up/no sharpen format.

I'm really impressed with it as a primer though. For me it's quite long lasting. It gets me through the workday without any smudging, and a few hours after that too. It ends up being my eyeliner that smudges in the end! It works especially well with some creme eyeshadows that I have by CoverGirl- it somehow extends it's staying power.

One thing to watch out for is how fast it dries. It's rather thick to put on (so I wouldn't recommend it for super sensitive eyelids since it pulls a bit) and if I don't blend it immediately it becomes fixed where it is.

Because it's pigmented for colour correction, I don't really understand why there's only one colour option. I might actually go a shade darker if they had it as it seems to lighten up my skin a lot. It does a good job with coverage and evening skin tone though.

Lancôme Hypnose Drama Mascara Excessive Black

I had high hopes for this mascara but all around it just didn't work out for me. 

The formula is super dark, which is great for a dramatic look. The brush is in the shape of a cone taper and this accentuates the outer lashes quite a bit. The major problem I have with this mascara is that it leaves little clumps on my lashes. 

The little details don't make up for anything either. I think for a higher end mascara the packaging should be better- basically I don't think that any writing on the packaging should be able to rub off. This is just awful for that. And the other thing is the smell. I'm pretty influenced by smell and although it doesn't get applied anywhere near my nose, it still bothers me that it smells like perfume. It's a really traditional perfume scent that isn't at all subtle.

So, not for me! I'm finding some of my other mascaras can create the dramatic lash without the clumps and strong smell. 

Eye without mascara

Eye with Lancôme Hypnose Drama Mascara 

KISS Strip Lash Adhesive with Aloe (Black)

This is one of those things that I vaguely thought would be nice and then once I had it I appreciated it much more. My normal Ardell lash glue is my go to for everyday wear, but sometimes it gets gummed up with my eyeshadow and doesn't dry clear. So this is great for nights out when I want to keep my black eyeliner or shadow clean and dark, and hide the line of the lash strip.

This dries as dark and black as it comes out of the tube. It also keeps my lashes glued down until I take them off (after several hours). The consistency is a bit weird, and I don't know if that goes for all KISS lash glue or just the black. A lot comes out of the tube at once, and a lot seems to stick to the lash strip. This means that it ends up in far more places than I'd like it to go, and for something that dries black instead of clear, this is more of a problem. When I'm taking it off (or removing it from the bottom corner of my eye where it has accidentally landed), it seems more gummy and stretchy than any other glue I've worked with. I can't quite make out if this is a benefit or an accident. 

Although I really like this product, it does take more time and patience to work with, so it probably isn't for everybody!

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

Hard Candy Eyeshadow Primer

I haven't tried anything from Hard Candy before and this was given to me by a friend to try out.

It has a liquidy cream texture, and blends from white to clear. It doesn't take long at all to dry on the eyelid and you don't need much to cover from lash to brow. Unfortunately it doesn't like to stay there. It last for about half the day (~4 hrs) before my shadow and eyeliner find their way up into the crease. This could be good for someone who wants something super easy on the skin and who doesn't need their makeup to stay for a long time. But for me it's on to other primers!

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

Smashbox Eyeshadow in Oyster

This is one of the things that I use almost every single day (hence the rough shape of the package!). It's this very subtle shimmery yellow-gold that I use for so many things. I usually end up putting it on as a base shadow on my eyes, working it right up to the brow for a nice highlight. It's also good for an inner eye highlight. Or a cheek bone highlighter. Basically it's a really good highlighter!

It's actually a pressed powder, but mine's been dropped!

It goes on evenly and it stays put. It doesn't seem to crease that much, which is something I have a lot of problems with. And it's definitely still there at the end of the day when the rest of my makeup has gone.

Swatch of smashbox eyeshadow Oyster

Product Post: CoverGirl Triple Auqastay Mascara

This is my main mascara right now so I thought I'd share it!

I'm really liking the brown mascaras and although this is technically soft black it looks brown to me! The softer blacks/browns still give the length and darken things up but they just make the look less harsh. I'm really enjoying the softer looks apparently!

The Triple Aquastay Mascara has a really nice texture and although I still find myself wiping some off of the wand onto the rim of the bottle before applying, it doesn't clump or smear or go on too thick. It stays put all day, and even at night when my eyes are watering more it doesn't run down my face. 

Swatch of CoverGirl Triple Aquastay Mascara in Soft Black