Good morning and welcome to my blog in 2013! It feels so strange to be entering yet another year...

I focused a lot on lip products and brushes in 2012, but there was a product family that I was continually hitting pan on, repurchasing, and then just never blogging about. Yep, you guessed it: Eyeliners! Admittedly, the clue was in the title ;)


Maybelline 'Master Drama' Kohl Liner
I actually own this in black and brown. I bought the brown first on a whim, as during the Summer Maybelline released a load of new products and these were included in the line up. As I was going swimming later and was fully aware that a certain rugby player male type of eye-candy would be there, I decided to invest in some waterproof cosmetics. You know, just completely coincidentally.

Anyway, after a long discussion between myself and a friendly sales assistant in Boots who told me she owned this very pencil and used it on her eyebrows, I walked home with this. And it is incredible - so, so robust and waterproof. It lasted me two hours of swimming, which I was more than impressed with. On the hand, it persists for about a day with just casual handwashing.

I haven't actually tested out the black on the waterline yet, but I'm hoping it'll be more of the same story. Best part? This liner was about a fiver, and as Maybelline was 3 for 2, it worked out to be considerably cheaper.

The only downside for me is just how soft they are - it's easy to overapply if you're a little heavy handed (as I often am). I end up having to sharpen these fairly frequently, maybe every four or so uses. I'd still recommend them to anyone looking for a budget, waterproof kohl liner.


MUA Extreme Felt Eyeliner

This was my first felt liner (yes, I am always late to the game, and what?) so I have a little soft spot in my heart for it. It doesn't last too long, usage wise. Perhaps three weeks to a month of use before it dries out and the ink gets grey. But at only £2, it fits squarely into that "cheap and cheerful staple" category.


MUA swatch


Maybelline Swatch (closest brown to camera)


Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner - Black
This Maybelline offering is my second gel eyeliner (the first being Sleek's InkPot) and it has left a much better impression on me than my first.
It looks like the sort of thing that will stay moist for a long time - the lid is sturdy and seals tightly each time, and the frosted glass looks quite classy and evokes ideas of higher end brands such as Bobbi Brown. So I'm more than happy leaving the pot on my makeshift vanity.

For me, this is not a 24 hour liner, though. Out of all the liners I've posted, this gel liner actually survives the least amount of time before running; about six, seven hours. By the end of my college day, I end up with visible smudges by the corners of my eyes. It's quite disappointing. I've tried to remedy the problem by extending my eye primer over the parameters where it'd usually be, but it doesn't always stop the smudging. Boo.

 

 Be honest, who didn't see these and immediately mentally scream 'Pout Polish!' I know I did...


However, though these greatly resemble Pout Polish in their packaging, they're really not the same product once you open the lid. For one, these are far more moisturising than I've ever personally found the Pout Polishes to be. For me (and I can vouch for this, look back under the 'Sleek' tag for all my Pout Polish reviews, I say the same thing) Pout Polishes are a little more moisturising than Vaseline, with a bit of colour. I use them for their colour, not for moisture, because they simply don't give any. These, on the other hand, are really hydrating. They leave my lips feeling nice and soft at the end of a day wearing them.


Even the way they feel on the lip is different from Pout Polishes. Pout Polishes feel like they're going to slide off as soon as you dare to eat or drink - these are comfortably hugging, almost a little tacky, so they stay put a little longer.



The colour isn't bad, either - there's a solid tint when on the lips, which is layerable.
Swatches:

These cost £2 each from Superdrug, which is a good price considering the Pout Polishes are pushing £5 now. :/
All in all, very pleased with this offering from MUA. I'm going to try and collect more as they don't seem to be limited edition!