little white truths

I'm pretty sure these eyeliners don't need much introduction. I've heard so many people rave about them and I don't think I've ever seen anyone say they don't like them.

I can see why they're cult-favourites: they apply beautifully and they last well on the eye, plus they adhere to the waterline better than most and they don't budge as fast as most other liners do.

Mind you, I wish they were a little thinner. More on that below.

Marc Jacobs claims/product details:

• A gel pot eyeliner in a crayon that delivers intense colour and 12-hour waterproof wear
• Experience the luxury of a long-lasting gel eyeliner with the ease of a pencil
• Glides on effortlessly to deliver instant colour payoff
• Formulated with innovative gel ingredients, plus conditioning vitamin e and rosehip seed oil
• The super-malleable formula offers versatility of application: apply Highliner for flawless, precise lines, or smudge immediately after lining for an instant smoky eye
• Once it sets, it's budge-proof all day long
• Highliner contains a built-in sharpener at its base: to use, pop out the black sharpener and twist the tip of Highliner to sharpen; you can also sharpen Highliner against a tissue to form a precise point
• Available in a range of pigmented shades with two finishes: original shimmer or high-impact matte
• Formulated without parabens, sulfates and phthalates
• RRP $36 AUD

Now for swatches.

Below I've done light and heavy swatches in direct sunlight (note that I've smudged the lighter swatch after application, so you do have time to play with it before it sets):

Below I've wiped my finger over the swatches; I think the heavy one smudged because I applied it too thickly:

Below I've tried to wipe them off with a warm, soapy cloth; you can see that they're still hanging on:

Verdict

This is a great eyeliner and I can see why so many people swear by it.

It's a standard twist-up arrangement that you don't need to sharpen (which is my preference), and it glides on beautifully and smoothly without tugging.

One thing to note is that the pencil is too thick for my personal tastes. I find it quite difficult to line my upper waterline with this, and the thickness means that I sometimes manage to stab myself in the eye.

Now the product claims mention that the full-size comes with a sharpener, and that you can also sharpen the tip on a tissue. I've never tried that so it's something I may do in future, but I would honestly prefer that the pencil was just thinner. Then I wouldn't need need to waste time or product by sharpening it or shaving it down to a finer point (and I especially don't want to waste product with something that costs this much).

After application, you do get thirty seconds to one minute to smudge this before it sets (depending on how thick and therefore wet your line is), so the product should suit those who like to smudge out their liner for a softer, more diffused look.

Once it sets, this thing doesn't want to budge. I still have the swatches on my arm from yesterday, despite the fact that I tried to clean them off after application, went for a swim and then had a shower later on.

Do note, though, that the lasting power on the waterline isn't quite as good, which you'd expect because that's the same for most liners. Yes it's true that I normally don't bother reapplying this after lunch because although the product has faded by then, enough of it is still there - but it's worth mentioning that this doesn't stay as long on the waterline as some of the better gel liners I've used.

Overall I think this is an excellent liner and I would like to try the full-size in a medium matte brown. I can see why so many people love these, and although I don't normally buy high-end liners because you can find some good budget ones at the chemist, I would like to see if I can find my colour since liners last me a year anyway (I only ever line the waterlines), meaning it wouldn't be a bad investment.

A great product.