Eyeliners Series 1: Comparison of Pencil Eyeliners

PENCIL EYELINER

~AG~

This is my least favourite type of eyeliner. Though it is the easiest to use, I find that it does not stay on well for my eyelids. My oily, single eyelids tend to smudge these pencil eyeliners to the bottom lids. In addition, you have to sharpen them to get a fine tip to line the eyes. With pencil eyeliners, it is difficult to create a defined eyeliner look because of the width of the pencil. Also, they do not work well for the waterline.

Because I like a very fine eyeliner application for everyday use, the pencil eyeliner is not suitable for me. I will recommend pencil eyeliner for those that are new to eyeliners, granted you do not have oily eyelids or monolids like me, because they require the least amount of skills and effort. Lastly, pencil eyeliners tend to be the most affordable type of eyeliners.



Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner

This is probably one of the first pencil eyeliners that I bought. I saw it featured in one of the magazines describing on how long-lasting it is. Since it is an affordable drugstore eyeliner, I decided to try it. This is a twist type of pencil eyeliner. It has a creamy texture and glides on easily. However, the staying power is awful. It smudges to my lower eyelids within two hours.



Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil

This was the first high-end eyeliner that I bought. The name mentions 24/7 which refers to it long-lasting and smudge-proof properties. However, this eyeliner did not last on my eyelids. It smudged badly and I ended up looking like a raccoon. It has a very creamy texture that glides one easily. You are supposed to wait 30 seconds before it sets to dry. Once it dries, it supposedly would not budge. Though, I beg to differ. Even with eye shadow primer, it still smudges after an hour. Overall, I will not recommend this Urban Decay eye pencil. 


Stila Kajal Eye Liner

I use Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Topaz (pictured above) to line the lower inner rims of eyes to create a wide-awake effect. Perfect for those mornings when you are sleep deprived. Glides on easily and its peach/flesh tone looks very natural. However, the staying power is awful. The liner smudges after an hour or two.

Milani Liquid Eye Liquid-Like Eye Liner

This is a gel pencil liner. It has a very creamy texture, creamier than Urban Decay 24/7. It is a drugstore brand that supposedly rivals UD 24/7 and Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes. Similar to UD 24/7, you have to allow eyeliner to dry for 15 seconds after application then it will set. It is supposed to last throughout the day. When I tried it, it lasted about 5 hours on the upper lids without any primer. On the waterline, it lasted even shorter, 3 hours only. However, I do find that Milani eye liner does stay on better than UD 24/7. Comparing the value for money, I rather recommend to Milani to those in the States.

NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner

One of my favorite eyeliners. The shade Madison Avenue is a slate grey color. It has a slight blue tone and is not as dark. But it is suitable for everyday use.

It is the best long-wearing pencil liner. Most “long-wear” eyeliners (Milani Liquif, Urban Decay 24/7, Revlon Colorstay, even Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner) smudges to my lower lids in 2-3 hours, but NARS Long-Wear Eyeliner does not cause a raccoon eye effects. Though NARS claim it will lasts for 12 hours, it does start to smear on my upper eyelids after 8 hours (without eyeshadow primer). However, the smearing is less than that of Urban Decay 24/7 or Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner. Plus, it only smudges on my upper eyelids and does not transfer to my lower lids like the other liners.

It glides on easily, and yet is not creamy like Milani Liquif or Urban Decay 24/7. With Milani Liquif and Urban Decay 24/7, I find them too creamy so you have to sharpen often which is a waste of product. Also, there is no drying time - you don’t have to keep your lids closed to set it. The twist up liner and built-in sharpener is convenient for travelling. I will definitely recommend this eyeliner to you!