Jordana 12 HR Made To Last Liquid Eyeliner pencils in Black Point and Espresso Last

So, I am a liquid liner girl to the core.  I've never been a huge fan of pencils because they always move around on me.  I know people rave about the Urban Decay 24/7 pencils, but those things go everywhere on me and I always end up looking like a raccoon  when I use them. 

Up until recently, tightlining wasn't an option for me, but I changed contact, so now that's a thing.  It's very exciting.  Truly.

Anyway, Kristin Gehm talked about how well the Jordana 12 hr pencils lasted in her waterline and I figured at this price point, I would give them a try.

I picked up Black Point and Espresso Last

Both pencils are incredibly creamy, yet they set quickly and those suckers last really well.  Also, I don't have a problem with them transferring on me - I usually only line my upper waterline.

The Jordana 12 HR Made To Last pencils contain 1.2 grams of product and they retail for a phenomenal $2 - $4 wherever Jordana is sold.  I get mine at Walgreens for $3.49.

Overall:  10/10

MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Eyes in 23L

In general, I am not a fan of pencil or kohl liners.  They have never worked well on me as liners (though they're fine as cream bases).  Even the much touted Urban Decay 24/7 liners melt off me in a matter of a couple of hours.

I've also worn hard contacts for most of my life, so any kohl or gel that is designed to go on the waterline wasn't something I could use.  But in the last couple of months, I switched to soft contacts, so now I can try out these products (YAY!)

I'm a huge fan of Cora from Vintage or Tacky and she's talked about her love for the Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 23L on the waterline to brighten eyes.  I've tried white eyeliners and I think they're too stark, so I decided to pick this up and give it a try.

Just like with the Make Up For Ever Aqua Creams, the color payoff is phenomenal.  The texture is super creamy with fantastic coverage.  And it last for a very long time, even on the waterline.

The Aqua Eyes in 23L is very similar in color to the Aqua Cream #13.  The Aqua Eyes is slighly less metallic.  

This is definitely a special occassion item for me.  I don't wear anything on my waterline on a daily basis and definitely wouldn't wear something this metallic unless I was going out.  It is a bit pricey, 1.2 grams of product for $18.  It's certainly something you could live without, but if you're looking to splurge a bit, this is a nice product to have around.

The Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 23L is available wherever MUFE is sold.  I bought mine at Sephora.

Overall:  8/10

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Nude and Taupe

In the last couple of months due to a whole host of random and annoying vision problems, my eye doctor switched me out of hard contacts - rigid gas permeable lenses to be exact.  (I know, you didn't even know they made hard contacts anymore, did you?)

So, several takeaways for me from now wearing soft contact lenses are:

• Wow, these aren't excruciatingly painful.
• I can actually see now that random particles aren't constantly attaching themselves to my lenses.
• I could really consider wearing something in my waterline - this was NOT an option for me with hard contacts.  It led to nothing other than extremely painful watery eyes.

Not wanting to plunk down a lot of money in this new stuff-on-the-waterline experiment, I decided to check out the ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal (say that three times fast) liners from Rimmel.  I picked up two colors, Taupe and Nude.

As you can see from the swatches, they both lean rather orange, which I'm not crazy about, especially on the waterline, but for less than $10 for 2 pencils, you sort of get what you get.

005 Nude is a very warm orange leaning beige.  I'm not exactly sure who this would be nude for, especially on the waterline.  I really wish this product would have been much cooler toned and blue/pink leaning.

004 Taupe is a warm gray brown.  Again, it leans a bit orange.

The pencils are extremely creamy and they are opaque in one swipe.  They stay sticky, not ever really drying down.  This means that they do have pretty good staying power on the waterline.  

I think that overall staying power is probably going to be dictated by things other than the product.  Namely, how dry was your waterline when you applied and how watery overall are your eyes.

The quality of the product is impressive, especially at this price point.  But my complaint is that for a product designed to be used so close to the eyes, they're too warm/orange.  I think they're going to make your eyes look more red and tired.  Especially for the nude, I would have liked to see a color that would brighten and this one doesn't.

The Rummel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal pencils contain 1.2 grams of product and retail for around $4.49 wherever Rimmel is sold.

Overall:  7/10.

First Impressions: Tarte One Fine Clay Collection

I've had the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed for months and I love it.  I probably wear it 3 times a week.  But it's been the only Tarte product I've had.

So, when I saw that Ulta had the Tarte One Fine Clay collection, I decided to pick it up.  It arrived today and I decided to post pics and my initial reactions.

Here's the entire collection

It includes:

• Purple quilted makeup bag
• Half-size Blusher in "Peaceful"
• Third-size Bronzer in "Park Avenue Princess"
• 1/5 size "Smooth Operator" illuminating serum
• Full size smolderEYEs waterproof eyeliner in brown
• Full size "gifted" smart mascara in black
• eye pencil sharpener

I don't think it's exclusive to Ulta but it's not available directly on the Tarte site.  It retails for $39.00.

bag:

It's cute.  Purple on the outside, pink on the inside with a gold pull.  I'm not a huge connoisseur of makeup bags, but it is nice.  And it's big enough to be useful.

Blush:

As I said earlier, I've had one of the Tarte blushes (I'm going to quit prefacing every item with "Amazonian Clay" since they're all Amazonian Clay) in "Exposed".  I really like it and was very excited to pick up another Tarte blush.

The blush with this set is "Peaceful".  As far as I can tell, this isn't one of the shades that's readily available.  But it does look like it is often included in sets that Tarte does.  This is a 3.4 g of product whereas a full size blush is 5.6, so it's slightly larger than half-size.  (I'm including a picture of it next to a full size for comparison and is it just me, or is the tiny blush the cutest thing you've ever seen?  Maybe it's just me.)  Also, unlike a full size blush, the half size "Peaceful" does not include a mirror in the compact.

The color is beautiful.  It's a pretty true peach, not too orange, not too pink.  It does have a tiny bit of shimmer, but nothing close to the actual shimmery blushes from this line.

Bronzer:

This is the Tarte Mineral Bronzing Powder in "Park Avenue Princess".  "Park Avenue Princess" is shimmery gold whereas the "Hotel Heiress" in the same line is described as a deep bronze.  I compared "Park Avenue Princess" side by side with my Nars "Laguna" bronzer and it looks really similar to me.  

A full size bronzer is 9g and this sample is 3.2g, so it's just over 1/3 regular size.  The packaging is super cute.

It looks like it has a good bit of shimmer, but I'm wondering if it's going to be like the Nars Laguna where the shimmer is just in the top layer and the rest is matte.

Illuminator:

This is the item I was most curious about.  I have been on the hunt for a good illuminator and I'm hoping that Smooth Operator will pan out.  

A full size Smooth Operator is 1.7oz.  This sample is .3oz, so this is less than 1/5 regular size.

I've only played with it a tiny bit so far, but it looks gorgeous.

Eyeliner:

I am really not a fan at all of kohl type eyeliners, but this stuff is gorgeous.  It is this rich bronze color.  I love it.  I suspect I won't actually use it as a liner, but I'm sure I can find a use for it.  

This is a full size product as far as I can tell.  It's got the liner on one end and a smudger sponge on the other.  There is also a sharpener included in the set.

Mascara:

Like the liner, this is full size as far as I can tell.  I like the applicator brush and I am really curious to test this product out.

So that's it for now.  I will update after I've given these products a good try.  My initial reaction is very good.  I think this set was reasonably priced and I am genuinely interested in everything in the kit.

Eyeliner Updates: Benefit, L'Oreal, Maybelline

It's been a while since my last big eyeliner post and I have updates:

Benefit Magic Ink

.08oz,  $20

This is one of the few eyeliners I've seen in a long time that has an actual bristle brush applicator.  The only other 2 I can think of are the Kat Von D eyeliner and the Vincent Longo eyeliner.  The brush is really thin, which allows for very precise product application.  However, be forewarned that if you're looking for a dramatic eyeliner look, you may be spending a good chunk of time applying product.

I personally prefer bristle brush applicators, but if you're not a fan of them, you might want to skip this product, especially given how fine the brush is.

The formula it incredibly pigmented.  This is easily the blackest black eyeliner I've ever seen.  You don't even have to give it a good shake.  Not the slightest hint of wateriness to be found.

The product goes on smooth.  I haven't noticed any issues with it flaking or cracking.  It seems to stay a bit pliable, which prevents the cracking and flaking but does mean that it smudges pretty easily, even hours after application.  And if your eyes water at all, this stuff will run.

It's not something I'd wear daily, but when you're looking to do a really precise, pigmented eyeliner look, it's great.

Overall:  7/10



L'Oreal Telescopic Waterproof Eyeliner

.07oz, around $8

You can still readily get this eyeliner from most retailers (Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Ulta, etc), but I can't find it on the L'Oreal site right now.  I really hope they're not discontinuing this product.  I feel like they're always cycling out the products that I like.

This product took a while to grow on me.  I learned the hard way that you really need to give it a vigorous shaking before application.  But now, I love it.  It's my go-to liner.

The applicator lays down a good strip of product.  The pigmentation (provided you give it a good shake) is really good, not at all watery.  The waterproof formula is surprisingly waterproof.  I don't go swimming in it or anything, but I often have watery eyes and this stuff has never budged.

This product isn't great if you're trying to do a dramatic winged liner look.  The product will contract as it dries and it's just not good for that type of look.  However, if you're just wanting a regular liner, it's fantastic.  And for a waterproof product, it comes off easily at the end of the day.

Overall:  9/10





L'Oreal Lineur Intense Felt Tip Eyeliner

.05oz, ranges $9 - 16

Like the Telescopic waterproof, I'm thinking they may be discontinuing this as well.  It's not longer available on the L'Oreal site either.

I was looking for a daily wear alternative to the Benefit Magic Ink.  This product got a lot of play on YouTube, specifically as being an alternative to the Lancome Art Liner at a much better price point.  There were specifically raves about how intensely pigmented the formula is.

I was very underwhelmed.  The tube I bought is not intensely pigmented.  It's okay.  But it's really watery, even with a good shaking.  I don't care for the applicator brush at all.  It's really long and floppy.  I'd prefer a bristle brush to a floppy felt tip.

Overall:  5/10



Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner

.106oz, around $8.50

Comes in 4 shades: black, brown, charcoal and eggplant.  Supposedly gives you 24 hours wear.

I have only tried the brown formula, but I can easily say that there is no way this is a 24 hour wear product.  On me (and I don't have oily lids), it's not even a 6 hour wear.  You could probably set it with an eyeshadow and get longer wear out of it, but to my way of thinking that sort of defeats the purpose of using a long wear gel eyeliner.  And it works well as a color base, but again, not exactly why I purchased it.

It comes with a brush that doesn't totally suck, though I don't ever use it to apply this product.  The Maybelline gel liner is also much cheaper than the MAC Fluidline, but in this case, you get what you pay for.

Overall:  6/10


Swatches
(sorry for all the flash, camera wasn't cooperating):

Liquid Eyeliner - swatches and reviews

Liquid Eyeliner

Hi, my name is indie and I have a problem with liquid eyeliner.  Okay, so truth be told, I don't really think it's a problem, but I fully admit that I love my liquid eyeliner.  I have two daily must haves, moisturizer and eyeliner.

I almost never use pencil liner.  It smudges so easily and wears off and overall is just far more transient a product than liquid eyeliner that I rarely feel the need to use it.  Liquid eyeliner typically goes on nicely, it stays where you put it and you never end up looking like a raccoon at the end of a long day.

I know that a lot of people don't like liquid eyeliner.  They find it difficult to apply and I admit, it is a skill that you have to work at, but it is well worth putting in the work (in my opinion).

I decided to do this post in two sections.  The first is swatches of the liquid liners I currently have and the other will be a review of my favorite liquid eyeliners.

Liner Swatches

As I said above, I'm swatching the liquid liners I currently have in my case.  I use liquid liner a lot and I experiment with different brands and colors a lot, so my current stash is pretty random.  Overall, I prefer liquid liners with a brush applicator but those are next to impossible to find.  I am really not at all crazy about the felt pen liner applicators, but I will say they've been steadily improving.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will say that I usually tend to avoid the drugstore liner brands.  My experience has been that their coverage is often lacking and if it isn't lacking then they tend to be so thick that they flake off halfway through the day.  I'm a snob.  Sue me.

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack ($15)
Okay, not a liquid eyeliner, this is a gel liner.  But in terms of staying power, it is much more like a liquid liner than a pencil.  The fluidline goes on smooth with good coverage.  It does have a couple of drawbacks from my perspective.  First, once it's on, it's on and it can be difficult to remove.  Second, you have to apply it with a liner brush.  I don't like that simply for the fact that you then have to do something with the brush.  You either have to put it somewhere that you won't accidentally touch it with something else (or you'll have gel liner everywhere) or you have to immediately wash it (I wash the brush at least every other day if I'm using it regularly) and that just wastes the product.  (Overall, 7/10)


Arbonne Liquid Eye Liner, Black, #7822 ($24)
I should have taken a picture of the applicator.  It's strange, a floppy felt applicator that took me a long time to get used to.  The liner has great coverage with no flaking and it comes off relatively easy.  Right now, this is my go-to liner. (9/10)

Stila Liquid Eyeliner
The liner is only available as part of a palette and it's meant to be used with black eyeshadow to set it.  I take it back, apparently you can get the liner from Stila.com.  I'm still less than happy with it.  By itself, the liner is less than stellar.  It's watery with uneven coverage.  If you use it with the black powder to set, it's probably a lot better, but I personally do not have the patience for that.  (Overall, 5/10)


Covergirl Liquid Pencil
This was a drugstore find and I don't know if you can even get it anymore, which is just as well because the product coverage was crap and the applicator is bad. (Overall, 3/10)


Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner, BlackBrown ($4)
Again, drug store find.  I don't like the felt liner.  The coverage is okay, better than the Covergirl, but still nothing to write home about.  It's cheap, but that's about all it has going for it.  (Overall, 5/10)

Sephora Long Lasting Metallic Eyeliner
originally $10, currently $5 in aubergine and copper
These look like they're on closeout so I suspect Sephora won't be selling them much longer.  The coverage for the aubergine liner is MUCH better than the coverage on the copper liner.  The copper was incredibly watery and might work well as an accent, but definitely not as a liner itself.  (Overall, aubergine 6/10, copper 3/10)

Favorite Liquid Eyeliners

Here are my all time favorite liquid eyeliners:

Vincent Longo Liquid Eyeliner, Black/Brown ($17)
 I LOVE this stuff.  LOVE IT.  It has a brush applicator (SCORE), it goes on silky smooth.  It has great staying power, doesn't smudge, doesn't flake, doesn't run, AND it is really easy to remove at the end of the day.  I want to marry this stuff.  The only problem is that it is so hard to find.  Sephora used to carry it, now they don't.  I've found it on amazon.com and on beauty.com, but you can tell it's old stock.  There is a Vincent Longo site and you can buy direct, but the shipping charges don't justify it for me, so sadly I'm currently without a feasible supplier for my beloved product.  (Overall, 9/10 -- just short of perfect because it's so hard to find.)

Vincent Longo Vibrant Eye Waterproof Liner, Moreno ($18.50)
Very, very similar to the regular Vincent Longo eyeliner, but it comes in some really fun colors (bright green, white, bright yellow).  Overall, 9/10 for the same supply issues noted above.

Arbonne Liquid Eye Liner, Black, #7822 ($24)
Fabulous coverage, funky applicator.  Reviewed above.

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack ($15)

Fabulous, just high maintenance.  Reviewed above.