Product Review: Maybelline Lasting Drama by Eyestudio Gel Eyeliner
Wow...what a long name.
I really like gel liner. It's the perfect balance between pencil and liquid.They require steady hands, and a brush, but they last a long time on the eye, and look great when they're on.
I've been a longtime user of MAC Blacktrack gel liner, but I've recently started thinking that maybe black is a little too intense for my eyes, and that maybe I should try something a little lighter. Sometimes I feel like the black liner makes the whites of my eyes look yellow, even though they aren't. I've also heard that the Maybelline gel liner is comparable to the MAC one. I figured I'd give it a try, mostly for this reason. The MAC liner is about $15, and the Maybelline runs for $5-$10 (they both contain the same amount). Maybelline is also more accessible, because it is a drugstore brand, whereas you'll need to find a nearby MAC counter or order off the internet.
The Maybelline liner comes with a little 3g pot of eyeliner (I got mine in Brown), and is packaged with it's own brush. That is the downside to gel liner: you do need to have a brush. It's supposed to be intense, waterproof, and smudgeproof. I was really excited for this. I used the brush that came with it, even though I have my own brushes, because I assumed that it would still give me good results, and if not, I could always use my own brush.
So I set about the applying of the eyeliner. For starters, the brush was useless. It's very stiff, and while you need a certain stiffness to an eyeliner brush, it's too stiff, and won't transfer the product to your eyelid. After a few frustrating minutes of trying to make that work, I gave up and used my own brush. On the second try, it was great. It goes on smooth and creamy, and I've had it on for nine hours, and it's just starting to fade. It says it will stay on for 24 hours, but I think that 12 is a little more realistic. It comes in three colours: black, brown, and eggplant (purple), which are the only colours I use for eyeliner anyway. The brown that I purchased is a good medium brown colour, which should match up with how most brunettes look.
I think that if you'd like to take the leap into gel liner, this is a good product to experiment with before plunking down the money for a high end brand. This behaves a lot like the MAC gel liner, which I really like. If you don't have access to MAC, this is your next best choice, in my opinion.
If you're new to gel liners, I have a couple quick tips.
- Put it on in short strokes. It's easier to make it look even and nice.
- When you're done, dab on a little eyeshadow in the same colour and it will last longer
- Seal up the package really well, they dry out fast if you don't.
- Go slowly! If you make a mistake, they are difficult to fix, but not as difficult as liquid liner.
I'd give this product 7/10, for the crappy brush and for not lasting as long as it said it would. But it is definitely worth a try.
Have a great day; I'd love to hear from you :)
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| Packaging, as I saw it in the Walmart |
I've been a longtime user of MAC Blacktrack gel liner, but I've recently started thinking that maybe black is a little too intense for my eyes, and that maybe I should try something a little lighter. Sometimes I feel like the black liner makes the whites of my eyes look yellow, even though they aren't. I've also heard that the Maybelline gel liner is comparable to the MAC one. I figured I'd give it a try, mostly for this reason. The MAC liner is about $15, and the Maybelline runs for $5-$10 (they both contain the same amount). Maybelline is also more accessible, because it is a drugstore brand, whereas you'll need to find a nearby MAC counter or order off the internet.
The Maybelline liner comes with a little 3g pot of eyeliner (I got mine in Brown), and is packaged with it's own brush. That is the downside to gel liner: you do need to have a brush. It's supposed to be intense, waterproof, and smudgeproof. I was really excited for this. I used the brush that came with it, even though I have my own brushes, because I assumed that it would still give me good results, and if not, I could always use my own brush.
So I set about the applying of the eyeliner. For starters, the brush was useless. It's very stiff, and while you need a certain stiffness to an eyeliner brush, it's too stiff, and won't transfer the product to your eyelid. After a few frustrating minutes of trying to make that work, I gave up and used my own brush. On the second try, it was great. It goes on smooth and creamy, and I've had it on for nine hours, and it's just starting to fade. It says it will stay on for 24 hours, but I think that 12 is a little more realistic. It comes in three colours: black, brown, and eggplant (purple), which are the only colours I use for eyeliner anyway. The brown that I purchased is a good medium brown colour, which should match up with how most brunettes look.
I think that if you'd like to take the leap into gel liner, this is a good product to experiment with before plunking down the money for a high end brand. This behaves a lot like the MAC gel liner, which I really like. If you don't have access to MAC, this is your next best choice, in my opinion.
If you're new to gel liners, I have a couple quick tips.
- Put it on in short strokes. It's easier to make it look even and nice.
- When you're done, dab on a little eyeshadow in the same colour and it will last longer
- Seal up the package really well, they dry out fast if you don't.
- Go slowly! If you make a mistake, they are difficult to fix, but not as difficult as liquid liner.
I'd give this product 7/10, for the crappy brush and for not lasting as long as it said it would. But it is definitely worth a try.
Have a great day; I'd love to hear from you :)