Saturday, February 11, 2012

MASSIVE EYELINER SWATCH/REVIEW

Here's a pile of eyeliners that I have accumulated over an extended amount of time, and I have used them extensively! For all types of eyes, small, hooded, double and oily, here are my tips and recommendations.


ROUND ONE: Liquid Liner

Elianto glitter liquid liner vs. Face of Australia liquid liner
blobby nib, I see you
rrp: 20rm/6.50ishAUD
eye type: single lid or defined eyes- ideal for small thin, wing
what it's good for: A glitzy night out full of sparkle
pros: glitters, when haven't I found them dazzling? ^3^. A very unique eyeliner that will make you stand out from the crowd. A nice change from normal black eyeliner
cons: the nib is too blunt, I'm not sure if I got a faulty one but it is not tapered. Will also melt off in the heat for oily lids like me.


superrrr thin nib
rrp: around $9 at Priceline
eye type: most non rounded eyes, works well for a sexy elongated cat eye.
what it's good for: jet dark, clean lined look
pros: jet black! Dries matte and is very versatile for all girls. Thin nib is easy for the wing.
cons: the nib is too thin, if you are after thick eyeliner you'll find yourself drawing for yonks. Crackles on dry skin, also not as waterproof as I was hoping.

FACE OF AUS vs ELIANTO
Both products offer different things catered for different needs. In terms of wear, both hold up at about the same pace, though Elianto wins by a smidge as I find it smudges a tiny bit slower than the FOA liner.  Both nibs also have their pros and cons, but personally, the short, stubby Elianto nib was slightly easier to use (even though it is bad at getting a fine line) because I had more control. To create the fine wing it was much easier to just wipe away the mistake, whereas the long, fine nib of the Face of Australia liner meant that you would need superb control of your hand, and for my case the wing would always be slightly wonky and I'd have to keep drawing it outward and thus creating a thicker line to get a clean, streamline line. It also took longer to apply because I'd be "colouring in" my line due to the thinness of the tip, and the main problem was the extremely slow drying formula. The matte effect is beautiful, and it is definitely very pigmented but I'd be sitting there for about 10 minutes with the fan in my face for it to dry. If I blinked before that there'd be a horrid smudge.

The Verdict? 
price: Face of Australia
packaging: Elianto
formula: Elianto
wear: Elianto
ease of application: Face of Australia

Bottom line: FOA's slow dry formula is the main fault that makes Elianto the winner even though both products were only average at best.


ROUND TWO: PENCIL LINERS
ltr: in2it 'very black', Rimmel Long wear, Designer Brands Kohl Liner

I'm not an avid pencil user due to their smudgy nature and the extremely oily nature of my lids, but I thought I'd throw this in here too seeing as I've tried a fair few. These 3 are my most used pencil liners.


The Verdict? 
price: Designer Brands
packaging: Rimmel 
formula: In2it
wear: In2it
ease of application: In2it

Bottom line: The winner was pretty clear here. Just judging by the smudge test I did, In2it wins hands down. The other liners aren't opaque and smudge like crazy. I knew there was a reason I had started using pencils again after I bought In2it! It's my HG pencil. Below I am using the In2it very black, apologies for the horrible job as I was rushing. 


ROUND THREE: BRIGHT LINERS

l to r:In2it Aztec Gold&Silver Gel Pencil Liners, DB Silver Kohl Pencil, Models Prefer Innocent White Kohl Pencil

DB'S Silver Kohl Liner
rrp: unknown (really old)
eye type: any eyes
what it's good for: subtle everyday look to brightening the eyes
pros: The subtlety of this silver liner is great for everyday. It really does it's job without being too noticeable. Not only this, but is very long lasting, barely any smudge.
cons: Sometimes the formula can be abit too hard, so anyone who is sensitive or is bad with aim might be seeing tears easily.

Models prefer 'innocent white' kohl liner
rrp: $7/Priceline
eye type: small eyes, very pale skintones
what it's good for: Anyone needing strong definition, stage makeup
pros: the formula glides on very easily and is very pigmented! The pencil comes with a sponge on the other end handy for blending.
cons: Personally the colour is too white for me and is very noticeable and looks silly at times. This liner also smudges like crazy.

In2it Aztec Gold Gel Pencil liner smudged with UD Half Baked
rrp: 16RM/$4
eye type: neutral/yellow undertones, most eye shapes
what it's good for: sexy, glowing night looks
pros: Amazing price! Formula is unbelievably pigmented for a 'drugstore' product and is soft and easy to use for the waterline. It also lines my waterline easily without any smudging or running!
cons: not many, but at times can be very annoying as you have to keep sharpening due to the soft formula you cannot get a fine line with this product.

In2It Silver Gel Pencil Liner smudged with UD Virgin

rrp:16rm/$4
eye type: any eyes, pale-medium skintones
what it's good for: innocent frosty look in winter/ cool edgy eye makeup
pros: the formula glides on very easily and is very pigmented! The pencil comes with a sponge on the other end handy for blending. (same as Aztec Gold)
cons: this is abit different. I'm pretty sure I got a faulty product as the pigment stick wobbles around in its wood casing. It's impossible to sharpen and control but is okay for waterlines as it requires minimum control.

The bright eyeliner battle

All of these products are very good in my opinion. DB is a great everyday brightener, whereas In2it liners are perfect for the special occasion. Models Prefer is probably not suited to me but for others looking for a white liner, it's very pigmented and affordable.

The Verdict? 
price: In2It
packaging: Models Prefer
formula: In2It
wear: DB
ease of application: In2It

Bottom line: In2It liners win by a smidge. I cannot get over their pigmentation for the price!


Here are all the swatches put together for a comparison.
l to r: In2It 'very black', Elianto Glitter (two coats), In2It 'Aztec Gold', Rimmel Long Lasting, Elianto (one coat),  In2it silver, Designer Brands Black Kohl, FOA thick line, DB silver kohl, FOA thin line, Models Prefer innocent white

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I want to have no limits and gain the confidence to wear whatever I want.

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