Eye Define

Due to having very small eyes, the backbone of my make-up collection is undoubtedly my mascara and eyeliner combo.  Most make-up pro's tend to advise against dark eyeliner on small eyes, seeing as it makes the eye look 'closed up' and smaller.  I've tried all the alternatives such as the white eyeliner in the waterline of the eye, or applying the eyeliner below the waterline to 'widen' my eye, but I always come back to my fail-safe..liquid eyeliner along the top lid, pencil kohl eyeliner in the waterline and lashings of black mascara.  My attitude is, if they are small, they might as well be well-defined!

I never got on well with the high-street style liquid eyeliners. My eyes are sensitive and I found the majority of these tended to either sting (resulting in eye watering, never ideal) or take ages to dry (resulting in eyeliner imprint-age on my upper lid).  I know people who swear by the Collection 2000 / Rimmel type liquid eyeliners, but I just couldn't get on with them.  I found them hard to control and difficult to get an even line.

I used the felt tip pen style eyeliner for a while and was a big fan of L'Oreal's Superliner.  But for the price (and being a student at the time) I found it frustrating how quickly the pen dried out.  They were easier to control and gave a more quick-drying line, but they barely lasted a month.

So after seeing them touted on various make-up blogs, I graduated to the gel eyeliner pots.  I got a Bobbi Brown one as Christmas present.  It was in "Caviar" because the Bobbi Brown make-up lady told my sister that black would have been too harsh on my blue eye/blonde hair complexion.  I'll be honest, I railed at this at first.  Harking back to my love of dark definition on my eyes, and coupled with my hatred of brown mascara, I was dubious.  I hold my hands up...the colour is gorgeous.  Probably because it is a high-end range which means the eyeliner still packs a punch despite not being a true black.  The caviar is apparently a "deep black brown" but to be honest I think it gives the illusion of being black still, although somewhat softer. 

But I'll be honest...and here is where I will probably fly against popular opinion...I've found a better alternative to the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner.  I found the BB one to be very soft. Ideal for application purposes, but I did find it to smudge around my eye quite a bit, which in my opinon went against the 'long-wear' promise.  Yes it stayed on, but not necessarily where I put it!  On a whim one day I thought I'd try the Maybelline alternative, and I haven't looked back since.  I've had my Maybelline pot for well over 7 months and barely made a dent in it despite using it everyday.  I find it is a thicker and harder gel, but I find this easier to control and its staying power is second to none.  At less then half the price of the Bobbi Brown one, I'd definitely recommend it.  I do keep coming back to the Bobbi Brown one, but my ethos has always been that if you can find something just as good for half the price, then go with it! Cosmetics are expensive enough as it is :)

I'll do a post about different eyeliner brushes and application in a bit...