I love to surround myself with people who color outside the lines. But when it comes to my eyeliner, I’m enlisted in the Anal Army – nothing but smooth precision will be tolerated, Sergeant!
For over 10 years, I used mechanical black pencil eyeliners (no sharpening!), but as I walked through the makeup aisle in Loblaws, something caught my eye – Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner.
Find out out why this is my holy-grail eyeliner now!
Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner Pictures:
Sorry, my brush is a little dirty!
Ingredients for Blackest Black
Claims: TRUSTED
√ More intense than liquid liner & more precise than a pencil
√ Silky gel texture
√ Safe for sensitive eyes
? Waterproof & smudge-proof for 24-hour wear
Key Notes
- Name: Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner
- Amount: 3g
- What I Paid: $10.99 CAD
- Price Per Unit: $3.66 CAD
- Colors Available: Blackest Black, Brown, Eggplant & Charcoal
- Where to Buy: Most drugstores & some grocery stores
Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner Review
Gel-liner virgins, rejoice! This is super easy to use, and the soft synthetic brush it comes with is partially to thank. It fits in your hand just like a pencil liner and helps you create a smooth line.
The Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black is highly-pigmented and doesn’t dry out quickly as long as you tightly close the cap after each use. In the 3 months I’ve used it, it’s as creamy today as it was on Day One. Plus a little goes a long way – you won’t find yourself running out to buy another one soon after you buy it.
I also have Eggplant and Brown. Their pigmentation is good, but the formula is drier and doesn’t go on as smoothly as Blackest Black. Eggplant has subtle shimmer and Brown is matte like Blackest Black. I didn’t buy Charcoal because I’m not a fan of gray eyeliner.
This Maybelline gel liner never smudges even after a long day at work. Can’t say whether or not it’ll withstand 24 hours of wear since I rarely sleep with my makeup on. As for being waterproof, it didn’t budge even when I cried while watching a sappy movie.
I also like the packaging. It comes in a small clear glass pot with a black plastic cap. The Maybelline gel eyeliner pot has a solid weight that isn’t flimsy feeling. For those who travel a lot or just don’t want their dresser cluttered, this is perfect.
| Pros |
- Affordable
- Easy to use even for beginners
- Readily available at drugstores
- Comes with soft, synthetic brush
- Highly pigmented
- Doesn’t irritate eyes
- Stay-put formula
Cons
- Eggplant & Brown are drier formulas than Blackest Black
- Very difficult to remove without makeup wipes or a good eye-makeup remover
- Maybelline tests on animals
Final Verdict: 9/10
Not only do I highly recommend this, but I’ve already bought 2 backups! This is one of my favorite affordable drugstore products. It’s easy to find, goes on sale sometimes, and doesn’t irritate my sensitive eyes.
Do you use gel liners? What is your Holy Grail gel liner?
This product was Mary’s winner for the 2010 Best Duet Award.
Too bad they haven’t launched the egg-plant over here. Its such a beautiful purple
Nivedita recently posted: LOreal UV Perfect Advanced Fluid Protector
Hey Nivedita,
Yeah, the eggplant liner is pretty, but I found the formula to be drier than the creamy black (which I use more often). Then again, it might’ve just been my pot that’s like that.
Mary, if the formula is more dry its still better for me. Because Indian summers are too extreme. The moment you step out everything would get washed out. That’s why I like using liquid liner. never tried gel-liner before. I’ve been reading a lot of good reviews about this one. So, thinking about giving this one a try next.
Nivedita recently posted: LOreal UV Perfect Advanced Fluid Protector
You’re gonna really enjoy the gel liner, Nivedita. I find that you have greater control with where you put the product with gel compared to liquid liner.
A little tip if I may,you find it difficult to remove eye make up, use pure coconut oil rub it gently on the eye-area or the make up and either wash off with a face wash or a wipe or in cotton soaked with your cleanser. Its the most gentle way I’ve ever come across.
Nivedita recently posted: LOreal UV Perfect Advanced Fluid Protector
Never tried coconut oil. Good tip. Another gentle oil you can use is jojoba oil, and I’ve heard that some people use olive oil.
having Asian monolids, eyeliner is a MUST step, and when i found this eyeliner i was super excited because it was way better than alot of the liquid liners i have that feel kinda “heavy” on the lid and actually flake off, plus pencil/crayon liners that just sweat off after an hour or so because of where i live! i started absolutely LOVING this liner, swearing never to splurge on any other liners until i realized that it wasn’t really waterproof… long wearing yes, but i actually forgot to wipe off my liner and bathed (clueless, i know) and it kind of flaked off… which was abit of a disappointment! 🙁
Hey Veredith!
Aww…sorry to hear that it left you disappointed. Do you wear it to go swimming? I think that in normal circumstances (i.e. if you’re just wearing it not in the pool), it holds up pretty well and lasts sooooo long. I’ve never went swimming with it on, so I can’t say how it worked for me, but once I accidentally left it on while showering and it smeared a tiny bit, but didn’t flake. I guess everyone’s a little different and maybe it also depends on the shape of the eyelids, too since some rub the eyeliner more than others.