Product Review ~~ Maybelline Define a Line Liner Pencil

I have been thinking about changing up how I wear eyeliner and since water lining has come back into favour, I decided that it was time for me to try it, again.

I normally line my eyes with Bare Escentuals Liner Shadow mixed with a drop of Visine. Works great for the outside lash line but the stuff just doesn't work for tight lining and lining the waterline. So, I decided to try a new liner pencil.

I went to a local drug store and picked up Maybelline Define-A-Line in Soft Black. I was hopeful that this pencil might be just the thing I needed. I used to line my waterline. Back in the eighties when all the girls did it. Black liner pencil, sharpened to a perfect nicety, held in the flame of a lighter for a mere second or two to soften it enough for it to apply smoothly.

Ah, memories. lol

I also remember the way that stuff used to smudge and run and move all over the place. I remember, along with everyone else, constantly running a finger along below my eyes to clean up the smudges and smears of bold, black liner trying valiantly to migrate down to my cheeks. I remember running to the ladies room to clean the black gunk out of the inner corners of my eyes, using a paper towel to clean up the smudges as best I could, then applying a fresh coat of the stuff, especially to my water line. Yepper. I and millions of other American gals looked so sharp.

If you call raccoons sharp. lol

In hopes of avoiding the repeat of the raccoon eye phase, I tried out my new liner. I decided to try it on a day I wasn't wearing makeup. That way, if it irritated my eyes or started to run or what have you, I wouldn't feel bad about having to wash my face. I applied the liner just to my lower water line and then I tight lined the inner upper lid, as well. And wore it around to see how well it performed.

First impressions of the liner were pretty positive. Soft Black is a good shade for me. I am fair and black-black is too overwhelming for my colouring. But the soft black is more greyed and worked well. The liner pencil, which comes in a swivel up case is soft and creamy smooth. It applied easily at a touch. No dragging, no pulling, no lighter required. The soft black shade made my eyes really stand out and enhanced my grey eye colour. So far, so good.

My eyeballs were a tad unhappy with me. It has been a long time since I lined that way and my eyes aren't used to it. I have very sensitive eyes and I was really pleased that this liner didn't cause any irritation or downright discomfort. After a little while, I got used to the liner being there and it stopped bothering me.

Unfortunately, this liner didn't work for tight lining. Like the liners of old, it ran, smeared, collected in the inner corners of my eyes. Yuk. What a mess. And it was the very dickens to wash off.

I think perhaps a good gel liner is what I need for this purpose. I'll have to grab one and see. :D

Pros of this liner:

Nice packaging. I like the swivel up liner. It is soft and creamy and easy-peasy to apply. I imagine it would be a nice liner for smokey eyes and smudged looks.

Cons:

This liner is not for tight lining or for use on the inner water line of the eye. It smears and runs like the very devil. And it is very difficult to cleanse away.

I will probably use this liner up, in time. Maybe. But I will definitely not be purchasing it again.