Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner

These gel eyeliners are available for purchase wherever Maybelline products are sold, for about $6-$10 CDN, depending on where you buy them from. There are four available shades: Blackest Black (950), Brown (952), Charcoal (954), and Eggplant (956). I have this eyeliner in Blackest Black and Brown. 

Maybelline.com describes this liner as follows:
"[This] oil-free formula holds highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base. Smudge-proof and waterproof for 24 hours. [It is] safe for sensitive eyes and [is] ophthalmologist-tested and contact lens safe."


The packaging is really quite adorable. The eyeliner comes packaged in an itty-bitty little glass pot, with a twist-on black cap. Each eyeliner also comes packaged with a small eyeliner brush, very comparable to the Quo Ultra Fine Eyeliner brush, but smaller in general.

I find the brush to be incredibly useful, and have kept both of them. They wash out just like regular brushes. I actually find these brushes better for applying the gel eyeliner than any brushes I own. With the included brush, I can achieve a fine/thick line, and get the liner as close to my lashline as possible. I have incredible control with this tiny brush, which makes it a definite keeper.

I was a little wary at first, because the pots are so freaking small. I mean, it's not a big deal to drop $7 bucks here or there, but I didn't want to waste my money on a one-use kind of thing. I was wrong though. A little bit of these liners goes a very long way, so these little pots will last you quite a while - don't let that deter you!


I originally purchased the brown version first, and have found somewhat of a discrepancy between the formulas of both. My Brown liner is more dry and thick than the Blackest Black, which is creamy, thinner, and smooth. But overall, they are so easy to work with... there's no skipping or tugging, these liners just glide over my skin with incredible ease to create beautiful lines. My only gripe is that sometimes, if you're being really futzy with your line, the application can become a little splotchy or patchy, and you'll need to go over the line again to get a perfect, opaque line. It's not a huge problem, it's just an annoyance.

Brown

Brown

Black

Black

The pigmentation on these liners is INSANE. One swipe gives me full-fledged never-stop color. Blackest Black is a very rich, deep black, while Brown is a warm, medium-chocolate brown.

Brown
No flash - natural sunlight.

Brown
With flash.

Black
No flash - natural sunlight.

Black
With flash.

These liners are absolutely fantastic. They wear all day, without smudging or flaking/chipping off, yet remove easily with a little bit of my Cetaphil Gentle Daily Skin Cleanser, water, and a wash cloth. Although occasionally I have to use a little extra elbow-grease to get these babies off my eyelids... but I suppose that's a good thing, right!? As far as the claim that these last 24 hours... erm, I don't know who would want to be wearing eyeliner for 24 hours - if you did, you might as well get it tattooed on - just sayin'. But they could very well last for 24 hours - they'd just be faded, nearly non-existent...


My sister uses the black liner to fill in her brows, too. It gives an amazingly natural finish - you literally would NEVER know that she had filled her eyebrows in with gel eyeliner. 


Overall, I LOVE these. They're a great alternative to my long deceased, but much loved, L'Oreal HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner in Black. They're affordable, pigmented, smooth, and will last you forever. The fact that they come with a little brush is also a huge plus for me - this way you don't have to go out and pick up your own brush to use with the product. Just use the one that came with your liner!!


I would definitely recommend this to anyone who was looking for an affordable gel eyeliner, who was having difficulty with creams, or just wanted to try something new!!


5 out of 5 stars.
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What is your favorite kind of eyeliner!?!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils

The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils are available in 21 permanent shades from Sephora stores, www.sephora.com, www.urbandecay.com and anywhere Urban Decay products are sold. They retail for approximately $20 CDN, and come in 0.04 oz/1.2 g pencils.


I have mini versions of 1999, Bourbon, Stash, Yeyo, and Zero. I purchased them about three or four years ago in a set from Sephora for approximately $38 CDN.

1999 is a plum purple shade with tiny gold glitter. 

Bourbon is a dark chocolate brown with tiny flecks of gold glitter. 

Stash is a dark olive green shade with gold glitter. 

Yeyo is a metallic white without glitter. 

Zero is a rich matte black.

The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On eye pencils are not automatic, retractable liners. Rather, they are the traditional 'sharpen-when-they're-dull' pencils of old. Luckily, the pencils themselves are of standard size, so any standard pencil sharpener will suffice.

These pencils are very creamy and smooth. It takes little effort or pressure to apply and/or blend the product. Because they are so soft, by nature, they virtually melt and glide onto your skin, making application incredibly easy and 'tug free.'


The pigmentation of these pencils is funtabulous. If purchasing one of these pencils blindly, you will not be disappointed when you get home and swatch it. What you see in the pencil is definitely what you get on your skin. They have colors for every and any occasion, and I have yet to be disappointed by one of these liners.


Zero has long been praised as one of the 'best' matte black eyeliners to use in the waterline. I, myself, am not a huge 'water-liner' girl, but I have to admit, the reason I initially picked up this set of liners was to try the matte black shade and try a stint at lining my waterlines. I admit, the liner was incredibly pigmented (the blackest black I'd ever seen), and it had a decent amount of staying power. Unfortunately, I didn't like the water-lined look, and I didn't enjoy how after a few hours, the liner had disappeared off my waterline and had moved into my inner corner/tearduct area - not really a flattering look. It works great for tightlining, though after a few hours I've noticed that the pencil disappears once again. It's also a great black base for smoky looks. As you can see, mine is a little stub now...

Yeyo used to be one of my favorites, but with time, it's definitely lost it's punch. I used to use this under my brow bone or in the tear duct for a quick highlight. It also worked great as a colored base to amp up colors in any eye look. It's become very waxy in consistency and won't blend evenly so I'm stuck with patches of extra metallic white blotchiness wherever I apply it. Plus, it clings to even the slightest hint of dry skin you have. I've found more affordable alternatives that definitely work better than Yeyo ever did, so it's not one I'll be repurchasing in the long haul.

1999 left something to be desired for me. It's not a very 'purple'y plum, so nothing about it really stands out for me. It's one of those "ho-hum" colors that I definitely could do without, plus the glitter in it is too understated to notice, so one has to wonder why it's even there. In recent, I've found better more pigmented purples that I'd rather put on my eyes.

Bourbon is one of those colors that I really enjoy. It's a dark chocolate brown with glitter in it. When you put this on your eyes, they just pop. Not to mention that it's an excellent brown base for any warm or brown eye look you're going to do. Love, love, love this one.

Stash is probably one of my least used pencils, but for some reason I still love it. The olive green color is different - not something I regularly happen across. I don't use it very often just because I'm not quite sure how to wear it. It would also make a great base for green makeup looks. Not one of those 'must-have' colors, but if you're willing to try it, I'd say go for it!

The pencils have about 30 seconds to a minute before they set after initial application, where there is a small window for smudging and/or blending. Because of the smooth consistency of these pencils, they are easy to blend and smoke out for the perfect smoky eye OR as a colored base.


The Glide On eye pencils are incredibly long-wearing and long-lasting. Once they're on, they're not going anywhere. This makes them ideal to use as colored bases over-top-of or in-place-of eyeshadow primer. My eyelids are not incredibly oily, so I haven't had any issues with creasing when I use these pencils alone in place of my regular eyeshadow primer, but you may want to air on the side of caution and use a primer before applying these pencils as a colored base.

Left to right: 1999, Bourbon, Stash, Yeyo, Zero

While these are excellent investments, they are exceptionally pricey. We're not all made out of money, and I feel that for the price, I can find cheaper alternatives that work relatively the same, or I can invest more money on an eyeliner pencil that works better (i.e., Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Eyeliner).

Overall, I don't see myself repurchasing any of these pencils. I don't really regret the purchase, but I think that I can find more affordable dupes in my drugstore. There are definitely some pencils I'd love to try from the 24/7 Glide On collection, like Electric or Flipside, but I don't know that I'd go out of my way to purchase them without good cause.


4 out of 5 stars.
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What do you think of the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils? What's your favorite color??

Annabelle Smoothliners

Annabelle Smoothliners are available wherever Annabelle cosmetics are sold. I can find them at my local WalMart, Zellers, Superstore, and Shoppers Drug Mart. The Smoothliners retail for approximately $6-$8 CDN, depending on which of these stores you purchase them from. There are currently seven shades available in the permanent collection: Black, Bronze, Brownie, Gunmetal, Jade, Meteorite and Metal Daze. Each pencil contains 0.04 oz/1.2 g of product.


These are not to be confused with Annabelle's Metallic Kohl eyeliners or Smudgeliners. They're always located very closely together in the displays, so it's very easy to grab the wrong one and head home with it. I've never made this mistake, but I always check and double-check to make sure I've got the right one :)


I have three of the Smoothliners: one in Bronze, another in Brownie, and the last in Urban Jungle, which was a limited edition shade from the Jungle Belle collection of summer 2011.

Top to Bottom: Brownie, Bronze, Urban Jungle

Bronze is a warm bronze shade with copper glitter.

Annabelle Smoothliner in Bronze

Brownie is an intensely pigmented medium matte brown.

Annabelle Smoothliner in Brownie

Urban Jungle is an almost metallic teal, leaning slightly more on the green side of teal than the blue.

Annabelle Smoothliner in Urban Jungle

These eyeliners are not automatic, retractable pencils, but rather, are the 'old-school' pencil eyeliners that one must sharpen with a pencil sharpener. They are regular sized, so you don't need to worry about finding a sharpener with an oversized (jumbo) sharpener. I don't particularly love the sharpening aspect of these pencils, but I can see how this design works a lot better with these creamy pencils to achieve precision in your application. Definitely not a deal breaker.


These pencils are intensely pigmented, waterproof and smudgeproof (after drying/setting). They are incredibly creamy and smooth. Like these things will literally melt onto your skin at first touch...They glide effortlessly on the skin without tugging or pulling. After applying them, they blend super easily. I find that sometimes it's easy to get a little heavy handed though and blend Bronze (almost) right off your skin - so some caution must be exercised in the smudging department. Brownie blends the best of the three... and stays incredibly pigmented after blending... that's why I love it.

Left to Right: Brownie (unblended, blended), Urban Jungle (unblended, blended),
Bronze (unblended, blended)

I have not personally used these liners in the waterline, so I couldn't really speak to their 'waterproof' qualities. Though I do know that they are incredibly long wearing and resistant to tears.


They're very pigmented in the stick, but the color payoff on the skin is amazing. What you see, is quite literally, what you get.


It's very easy to use these as colored bases, by applying them with your finger or brush, or even straight to your eye, and then blending out, to create a beautiful colored base for your eyeshadow looks. I've done this several times and I really enjoy the extra pop of color this method gives me. Depending on how oily your eyelids are, however, you may want to apply a primer (such as Urban Decay's Primer Potion) underneath before smoothing this liner across your lids. While they do claim to be waterproof and smudgeproof, this liner may not be able to withstand some people's oily eyelids.


I find these to be a very comparable dupe to Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils. They're an affordable alternative to the $20 pencils by Urban Decay. So if you're looking for something with a similar texture, pigmentation, and wear, you may want to check these out before investing in the more expensive high-end alternative.


I love these pencils and want to get more. I only wish they had a larger color selection available. In the meantime, I always keep my eyes open for the new collection displays - just in case they release another limited edition Smoothliner. 


My favorite is Urban Jungle, and I cringe when I think about the day when my beloved teal pencil will be no more... However, Brownie is my favorite 'everyday' liner because it's matte and brown. It goes with every look and is pigmented to show up even over top of darker brown smokey looks.


My only wish is that these were available in more colors. Wouldn't it be lovely if they came out with a matte white!? A creamy nude shade!? A brilliant purple!? Oh the possibilities, Annabelle.


Definitely 5 out of 5 stars.
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What colors have you tried from the Annabelle Smoothliners? Do you have any favorites??

Maybelline New York Unstoppable Eyeliner in Espresso

This retails for about $8 CDN, but (depending on where you buy it) you can find it from anywhere between $7 and $9. You can purchase this from wherever Maybelline cosmetics are sold in your area (Walmart, drugstores, etc.). This eyeliner is available in six shades: Onyx (10), Cinnabar (20), Pewter (30), Sapphire (40), Espresso (60), and Jade (90). The tube contains 0.01 oz or 280 mg of product.

I have mine in Espresso (60), but my sister-in-law had Cinnabar (20) which I used on her for my wedding this summer.

These eyeliners are not in the traditional 'pencil' form, but rather are retractable pencils that do not require sharpening. As soon as you need more, you twist the tube to expose more or less of the product.

Maybelline claims that this is a "smudge-proof, stay-put, waterproof eyeliner."

The packaging is simple, but functional. I have had no issues with the mechanism of the pencil breaking so that I cannot twist up or retract the eyeliner. The cap slides easily over the top of the tube, and clicks shut to keep the product hygienic and safe from damage.

Espresso is a very pigmented cool dark brown, almost bordering a charcoal-ish black. It is a matte brown - there is no shimmer or glitter in it. When blended out, the eyeliner looks a lot more brown, and slightly warmer in tone. Cinnabar (not shown here) is a warm cinnamon brown (more on the red/copper side of brown).

On the left, Maybelline New York Unstoppable Eyeliner in Espresso (60). On the right, the eyeliner blended out with my finger

The eyeliner glides on fairly easily - the product is somewhat more waxy in consistency, and so the product does apply more smoothly having been warmed up on the back of one's hand first. I've found that the longer one has the product, the more dry it becomes, and the harder it is to apply without having the eyeliner skip across the skin instead of gliding smoothly.

This eyeliner is indeed a "stay put" eyeliner. It does not rub or smudge off (or at least not easily) after it sets. This eyeliner sets fairly quickly, so if you want to smudge it out, it's best to do it immediately after you apply it. Once set, however, this eyeliner does not budge. It will fade a little bit if you have the tendency to touch/rub your eyes, or if you cry a lot, or if you've been out in a rain storm.

This is my every day eyeliner. It is easy to create wings with the liner (even if the end is dull), or to create fullness at the base of the lashes by penciling in a thin line close to the lash roots. This liner is also fairly durable in the waterline. I personally do not use eyeliner on the waterline very often, but the times that I have used this eyeliner, it has held up pretty well - and in some cases, almost better than the famed Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils. The waxy consistency helps the liner to adhere to the waterline and retain its position for a decent amount of time before needing to reapply.

While this liner is incredibly long wearing (especially on the lash line), it is easily removed with makeup remover (I use Cetaphil Gentle Daily Cleanser for Normal to Dry Skin).

I have had one of these eyeliners break on me before. It's not incredibly breakable, there are certainly more soft and easily broken eyeliners out there, but be cautious that if you're not gentle, it will snap. Remember, retractable eyeliners are not as sturdy as pencil eyeliners are.

I LOVE this eyeliner. It has lasted me forever, and I use it every single day. I'm on my third or fourth tube of it since I first purchased it early this year. The only issue I have with it is the tugging that can happen if the product isn't warm(er) when you apply it, but otherwise it's an excellent drugstore find - great for every day, and it definitely won't make your wallet cry.

4 out of 5 stars.
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