Wow, this post is long overdue, I planned on doing it months ago...I'm such a slacker. In any case, I'm finally getting around to it, so I hope you still enjoy it.
If you're anything like me, you have a hard time finding eyeliners that don't smudge, smear, or wear off. I myself am still on the hunt for the perfect pencil eyeliner, but in the meantime, I have been preferring gel liners. My skin seems to prefer their consistency over regular pencil liners, which I'm not really sure why, I don't have oily or dry lids....I don't even know if that really matters or not. Anyways, I know there are a lot of different brands of gel liners and I thought I would share 3 of the ones I've used and let you know what I think of them.
So here they are from left to right: Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in Blackest Black, MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack, and Sonia Kashuk Dramatically Defining Long Wear Gel Liner in Ebony
Prices
Maybelline - $6.99
MAC - $14.00
Sonia Kashuk - $8.99
Packaging
All three liners come in solid glass jars, with the Sonia Kashuk one being frosted glass. The MAC one has a heavy twist on cap, while the other two are plastic screw on caps.
Availability
The Maybelline can pretty much be found at any drugstore. The Sonia Kashuk is only available at Target stores. MAC can be found at any beauty counter that carries MAC or the MAC stores.
Formulas
I've read that a lot of people think the MAC and the Maybelline liners were similar in formulas, and I definitely agree. They are both extremely smooth and glide on effortlessly, while providing lots of pigmentation. The Sonia Kashuk glided on pretty well, although not as well as the other two and doesn't seem to be as dark either.
L to R: Maybellline, MAC, and Sonia
Using the right type of eyeliner brush will definitely make application a lot easier. While I don't want to tell you which brushes to use, find one that works well with your eye shape and that is comfortable enough for you to maneuver around your eyes.
Staying Power
Although these liners stay on better than pencils, they still do end up smudging a bit. Out of the three liners, the MAC stayed on the longest and smeared the least. The Sonia Kashuk liner tended to get kind of dry and flaky, while the Maybelline smudged underneath my eyes. The MAC smudges minimally, especially if you seal the liner with black eyeshadow, this helps it to last longer than by itself.
Expiration in jars
I'm not sure how long gel liners can last, but they do tend to get dry after awhile. I don't even use the Sonia Kashuk anymore because it has gotten really dry and kind of flaky. The Maybelline and MAC ones are pretty good still, in fact the MAC one isn't dried up at all. If your eyeliner has dried up, try removing the top layer with a kleenex or cloth, that way you'll have a fresh new layer to work with.
Overall thoughts
Out of the three liners, I would definitely say the MAC is the best one; it smudges the least, glides on the easiest, and doesn't dry up. But if you can't afford it, the Maybelline works pretty much the same, just smears a bit more. The Sonia Kashuk one is okay, but if you can afford the other two, go with them instead.
What are some of your favorite gel liners? Please share!