Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Product Review: Maybelline Gel Eyeliner


Now I've been using liquid eyeliner since the 8th grade, I prefer a liquid liner that has a felt brush that's skinny and long, but I'm always open to new products. I've heard so much about gel liners, I felt like I was missing out! I just had to try it.  I picked it up a while ago and just recently tested it out in black.


Here's the info about the liner from their site:
• Oil-free formula holds highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base
• Smudge-proof and waterwproof for 24 hours
• Most intense line for lasting drama
• Safe for sensitive eyes and ophthalmologist-tested
• Contact lens safe

In my own experience, here's my summary:

Pros:
• Easy to find and a great price
• The brush it comes with is actually really good. It's small, has a soft, rounded point, and firm bristles
• The black color is very pigmented
• No flaking
• Has a soft finish

Cons:
• This smudged all over my eyelid (I tried it alone and with eyeshadow)
• The finish isn't very intense like a regular liquid gives you (now this may not be a con to some, depending on what you prefer)

Other thoughts of note:
• The liner is easy to apply, but I'm used to using my liquid so it was weird for me to get used to the brush
• I had a difficult time knowing how much product to use, which would come with using it more obviously
• It lasted just as long as my liquid liner

Overall, I'm skipping this and staying with my usual liquid liner (I'm using Maybelline Line Stiletto). I do think that my review is somewhat biased only because I've used liquid for so long. I thought I gave this guy a good chance, I used it for a whole week before I went back to liquid.  If you usually use gel, I would definitely recommend you to try this one. My friends who use gel all enjoyed it (it was from their recs that I bought it!).

Do you wear eyeliner? What kind do you prefer?

13 comments :

Katy said...

Stila Smudge Stick in Stingray is my latest eyeliner preference!

Meg O. said...

I am a huge gel liner user (use Bobbi Brown and MAC) and I think the ELF cream liner is really great and dries almost instantly! Other than that, MAC fluidline is the best.

Anonymous said...

I've actually used both the gel eyeliner and the line stiletto at different points in the past. I liked them both but moved on from both also... My issue with the line stiletto was that it wasn't water-resistant in any way, shape or form. If my eye so much as teared (typical with contacts), it wiped right off!

Amanda Leigh said...

I love this eyeliner! Ive been using it for about 2 years now.. and I dont think I could ever go back. Before, I have used the liquid kind and the stick kind. Both of which I liked, but now that I have been using the gel, what I love the most is that it doesnt give me such a harsh line. It also lasts all day, when the stick doesnt. The best part about the gel is that you can apply it very gradually depending on what kind of line you are going for. It took me awhile to get used to the gel, because it took me longer to apply, but now I use it everyday. Also, about the brush, I actually have 2 very expensive eyeliner brushes, and I prefer the maybelline one over both of them!

Angie said...

I love ELF Cream liner. I have used MAC Gel liner also, but prefer ELF cream liner in either black or coffee. The Elf cream liner comes with a small brush, but I use a MAC 208 brush instead. Love it!

Varsha said...

I had the same experience that you did with this eyeliner - it smeared and smudged like crazy. Bobbi Brown's gel eyeliner is the best, hands down!

Chelsea Mac said...

I switched to gel not too long ago. Of all of my makeup expertise, eyeliner is the least on my talent list. I do love MACs version though. I found that in this case the drugstore versions were more difficult to use.

Schnelle said...

I've never used gel liner because I have oily skin and I always felt like it would smudge easy. I use liquid liner(Almay and elf) and pencil liner (Stila and Urban Decay)

REBrown said...

I used to use liquid eyeliner but switched to pencil recently. It's a lot easier to blend for me.

Laura Darling said...

I've been using Milani eyeliner my whole -- it's a pencil but it's really soft, I love it! I am intimidated by gels and liquids!

Rebecca said...

awesome review girl!

Anonymous said...

i very rarely use eyeliner (too lazy and my hand shakes too much) but i actually love this product. i never had smear issues with it (that i recall) and i sometimes wear it in a charcoal color...not black. i think i like it b/c i have more control with it than regular eyeliner.

Rachel L. said...

I am in dire need of a new eyeliner! What liquid one do you use?? What pencil do you reccommend?