As we all know, Maybelline went kind of ham on their latest batch of new releases. I picked up pretty much everything, so be prepared for lots of Maybelline reviews. In fact, it has already started with their Loaded Bolds Lipsticks, which created a pretty high standard for me.
I didn't have high hopes for this liner, but for some reason it caught my interest. I usually talk about the packaging of a product last, but today I am doing that first. I feel like one of the main reasons I like this product is because of how it is designed. It isn't your standard skinny, eye liner pen. It is much shorter and wider. I thought this would make application difficult, but it actually makes it a lot easier. It is much more ergonomic and comfortable. Then there is the marker like tip, which is oval shaped and flexible. The combination of the two make it easy to get close to your lash line and you have the option of doing a thick or thin line with ease. The tip also makes doing a wing a piece of cake. I typically use the side of it to line my upper lash line, but when I am ready to trace out my wing, I use the very tip. The result is a nice, sharp wing.
Overall, I also like the formula a lot. It easy to work with in that it doesn't skip or tug. The pigment is excellent, so there is no need to go over the same line to build up color. It takes a few minutes, but it does dry down to a matte finish. The only negative is that is not completely smudge proof. The first few days I had it, my eyes were a little itchy in the tear ducts. I rubbed them, thinking the liner wouldn't budge as a lot of liners do not after a couple of hours. Boy, was I wrong. Luckily I was already at home because it looked like someone had punched me in the eye. Luckily I haven't had that problem since then. If itchy, watery eyes are a common occurrence for you, you might want to stay away from this eyeliner.
This shows the varying thickness you can get with this liner. For the first line, I just used the very tip of the applicator. For the second line, I positioned the applicator slightly on it's side. For the final line, I used only the side of the applicator.
With the exception of the smudge factor, I really like this liner. I have achieved some great looks with this baby, and I don't think my liner has ever looked better. It isn't 100% perfect, but it is a solid product that I can see myself re-purchasing.
I found mine at Walgreens for around $8 before it was available anywhere else. Now it is on Ulta's site and I am pretty sure Wal-Mart has it in store as well. I would probably wait until Ulta has BOGO 50% off on Maybelline or use your $3.50 off of $15 coupon.