There's a Fine Fine Line... (ELF Pen Eyeliner Review)

Hello All! Here's another product review but this time, I'm reviewing liquid eye liners! I think each one of us is always in search of the best liquid eyeliner out there. Of course we have our own criteria but the most common things we look for are the following: opacity, ease of use and staying power. I am a fan of winged liners but it would be quite difficult to achieve if you're eyeliner is not helping. I've already tried so many brands but I still haven't found the ONE.

I bought this product hoping to find a quality yet cheap one that would be great for everyday use. Since I like pen liners (because it's easier to manipulate), I gave it a shot. So here it is, the ELF Pencil and Pen Eyeliner Case. I was just really planning to buy the pen eyeliners (in black and brown) but since this case costs the same as buying 2 eyeliners, I decided to get this set instead. And yeah, I got a free pencil eyeliner! Teehee!

As mentioned, the set consists of 2 waterproof pen eyeliners and one shimmer pencil liner. It retails at Php 249.75 and comes with a clear plastic (with zipper) packaging convenient for traveling.

ELF Shimmer Eyeliner

Let me start my review on the shimmer eyeliner which I technically got for free. The shimmer pencil liner was in Gunmetal shade, a metallic grey. What I really find cool about it is its cap that has built in sharpener. No need to worry about sharpeners since it's very accessible in case you need one. I don't really collect shimmer liners but this one is handy for smokey eye looks. You can also use this if you want to add a little dimension to your usual black eyeliner, especially on the lashline.

PROs:
1. Glides on smoothly (creamy texture)
2. Cap with built in sharpener is really smart
3. Very affordable (I even got it for FREE, technically)
4. The shimmer is not over the top and perfect for accentuating your eyes
5. Love the color!


CONs:
1. Staying power is just... nevermind
2. Too soft that it can break if not too gentle when applying
3. Since its not waterproof, this is not ideal for waterline application
4. Budges easily

Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5

I am not too enthusiastic about this product but I can work with it. If I want a smokey look with a little twist, this could be a great tool. But make sure to set it with metallic or shimmer shadow as well if you want it to stay in place.

ELF Pen Eyeliner

Now let's proceed to the real deal since this is what I paid for. The 2 eyeliners I got were in Black and Coffee shades. I decided to get two since both colors are perfect for daily use. It has the usual felt tip that has the right thickness to create your desired style. The body of the pen liner also fits my grip well so I find it easy to manipulate.

Here's a swatch of the eyeliners on my wrist. And it dried really fast and the opacity was great. I was really happy seeing it especially smudging it after 5 hours. It did not budge at all! I even tried putting water on it but the product remained on my skin. I was really impressed and can't wait to use it on my eyes.

(L-R: Gunmetal Shimmer Eyeliner, Black, Coffee)

Finally, I tried the black pen eyeliner on my lids since this will be the true test whether this product is really what it claims to be. After first application, the product seemed to be not as opaque as my swatch. But I still gave it a chance and tried adding more layers. It did turned darker so I ignored that incident. After 2 hours, I looked at the mirror and, lo and behold, it smudged! Apparently, this won't work for someone with oily lids. I was so disappointed after what happened.

PROs:
1. Felt tip is perfect for lining
2. Easy to use/manipulate
3. Would possibly stay longer for someone with dry skin
4, Cheap


CONs:
1. Felt tip fibers loosen after some time (no more pointy tip)
2. Not opaque at all
3. Budges for people with oily skin
4. The brown is so sheer that it blends with your skin (well, at least for me)

Overall Rating: 2.5 out 5

My biggest heartbreak! :(  (Hmm.. Not really. LOL) Well, good thing it's not too expensive. It will still be useful in drawing guide for my gel liner. I guess the trick for liners is testing them on your eyelids and not just on your wrist. I dunno why I forgot to do that!

Oh well, that means that my hunt for the best pen liner continues. I heard that Fanny Serrano and In2it pen liners are good. Do you know any great pen liner(locally available please)? Let me know and I would love try it out. Please don't say Shiseido cause it's too pricey! Hihi! Kuripot! :D

Comments? Suggestions? List them down below. :)

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