Using eyeliner is like an education of sorts. First you start of with pencil liners that you experiment with liquid liner, then felt tip ones and finally graduate into mastering gel liners.
For the longest time, I avoided using eyeliners that came in liquid form because frankly, it’s too easy to make mistakes and can get pretty messy to clean up. However, my gripe about pencil liners is that they fade very quickly and you sometimes need to tug on your lashline to create a distinct, visible line which can lead to premature wrinkles and saggy lids in the long run.
Then came gel liners which was raved to be the best of both worlds and so we picked up drugstore brand Maybelline’s Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner to test if it lived up to its claims.
This gel eyeliner comes in a little frosted pot which makes for very I like that both gel liners’ pot are made of glass so that the products won’t dry out really fast. Avoid buying gel liners with plastic pot packaging because it won’t last long for some reason.
My first pot of Maybelline gel liner in black lasted up to five months before it started drying up and even when that happens, all you have to do is to let it sit in a bowl of warm water for the product to melt slightly and it’s as good as new!
The black liner is a matte black formula but there seems to be a hint of shine or glitter in the Brown liners but its really subtle and is great for days where you want to tone down your makeup for work or college.
Surprisingly, the free brush that came with it was of great quality, stiff yet soft at the same time. It’s great quality and value for something that comes free with the product. Alternatively, you could use an angled liner brush.
To clean the brush, pour some oil based makeup remover in the palm of your hand and swirl the brush around in it until all the product is removed. Do screw the cap back on as soon as you get enough product onto your brush even if you’re doing one eye at a time. That way it’ll last longer.
If you have oily lids, do not, we repeat, do not use this liner on your lashline without a base such as a primer, eyeshadow or even some pencil line otherwise it will fade throughout the day. With a base, the liner lasts and lasts.
The gel consistency is creamy and glides across the lashline smoothly without any tugging. This gel liner is extremely pigmented and stays on all day, no transfer, no smudging, no nothing. After application, wait for a few seconds before blinking to let it dry. You can use this liner over eyeshadow or before to smudge it out as a base for smokey eyes.
Another plus point for this liner is that it’s waterproof but can be removed easily with Maybelline’s own Eye & Lip makeup remover or Biore’s Makeup Remover Cleansing Oil. I had it on for 12 hours and you’ll be happy to know that it didn’t transfer to the lower lashline at all.
On a separate day, it even went through rain and sweat without smudging! So is this product a win in our books? It’s a definite yes! I personally can never go back to using pencil or liquid liners because gel liners are so easy to use.
The Maybelline’s Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner retails for RM35.90 at all Watsons, Guardian and Caring pharmacies nationwide.
