Liquid Eye Liner - Trial and Error, But Mostly Error

Liquid liner is already a pretty tricky business. It is generally dries fast, smudges faster and can be a real pain to put on the way you wish it apply. It is why I pretty much stuck to pencil eyeliner for years. Still, every now and then over the years I would find a liquid liner I thought would be different. I would spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to put it on only to find it was too harsh or just messy looking. I think the major reason for my temptation to try and fail at liquid eyeliner is that it is probably one of the only things that will last on your eyes without smudging underneath.

Recently, I got back into my liquid eyeliner trial and error. I realized that based on watching a Tiffany D video, part of the issue is the applicator you use. She recommended probably my favorite liquid eyeliner in this world, Loreal Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner. What makes this eyeliner so great is that it has a strong felt tip, which makes application a lot easier than using those little flimsy applicators that come with most liquid eyeliners. You gain a level of control with the felt tip that makes it similar to applying a pencil eyeliner. Even better, it stays on like a dream and lasts for a long time. I think my most recent tube has lasted me three months or more and hasn't dried out yet. BUT, and there is a but, my issue was that it only came in one color of which is black. For my skin tone and eye color, black can be rather harsh for daily wear. See, black eyeliner has the power to make eyes stand out or it can make your eyes appear smaller than they are. This has been a problem for me, so I was definitely happy to see when I was planning this post that they make it in two brown colors as well. Still, if you are like me, you notice that even though brown is a better option, sometimes the browns have too much red in them and it makes you look tired. I will have to try their new browns to see if they are any better and report later when I find one at a Walgreens. 

I digress; however. So, in my search for liquid liner, I have had a hard time. I tried an NYX felt tip liner, but the liner never seemed to adhere to the tip as well as my loreal eyeliner. I then decided to try a Hard Candy liquid eyeliner I purchased from Walmart. That product had a ton of colors, but they never showed up on my eyes. Then, I found the one that I will warn you about. I was at an Ulta and found the brand LA Splash. If you have been to an Ulta you know they have two sections for make-up. They have their prestige lines, which are your more expensive brands, and then they have your drugstore brands. The LA Splash was in the drugstore brand section and had a ton of different color options. I
immediately went for the olive green thinking, this would be great, no more reddish brown or black liquid liner for me. Well, I got it home and immediately I hated the brush. I guess in all of my excitement I forgot to see if it was a felt tip. Plus, perhaps I was thinking that my felt tip experience made me a better candidate for using the flimsy brushes. Neither of these details mattered because what happened next was just uncalled for. I applied the eyeliner below my bottom water line and above my top lashes as to avoid getting the product in my eyes. However, this mattered very little. It burnt my eyes so bad I had to rinse them out and wash off all of the make-up I already put on my eyes. It was horrendous.

To make matters worse, I don't even have sensitive eyes. I am a contact wearer for maybe the past decade and a half, so I have my fingers in my eyes all of the time. Still, this eyeliner made my eyes water and produced a burning sensation like you wouldn't believe.

So...if you are ever at the store and wish to purchase an eyeliner, please, please, please avoid LA Splash unless you are really daring. There other products may be great, I'm not actually sure, but their eyeliners are just simply not suited for your eyes.