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.
* * * * *


What is your favorite kind of eyeliner!?!