If there's one makeup item I can't live without, aside from foundation, it would definitely be eyeliner. Ever since I discovered the wonders of it back when I started college, I've never been without it in my makeup collection. I'm also a big fan of the makeup styles from the 40s, 50s, and 60s when eyeliner was an absolute must.
Because my eyelids aren't perfectly smooth and have these natural lines and creases on them, then I have difficulty using gel and pencil eyeliners to line the top of my eyes. I always end up having to tug or stretch my lid just to get an even line. That's why I love and have always used liquid liners. I know some people find it intimidating or difficult to work with, but trust me, it's all about practice!
Last week, Etude House was having a sale so I decided to try out their Oh m'Eye Line liquid eyeliners. It comes in three shades: #01 Black, #02 Gray, and #03 Brown. I didn't see the gray one so I got black and brown instead which is perfect anyway because they're the two colors I use most. I use brown more often because it looks a little softer and more natural, so it's perfect for everyday. I opt for black when I want to define my eyes a bit more intensely.
The packaging is nothing fancy and isn't the typical 'Etude House cute', I guess. I've seen some reviews calling the packaging cheap looking, but I don't think they are. The bottles are made of seemingly sturdy plastic, have a twist off cap, and they hold 5ml of product each.
The applicator itself is a soft, fine-tipped brush. I have tried other eyeliners with an even finer tip, and for me personally, the finer, the better. But I think this brush is just right and it'll please both beginners and those who are already used to working with liquid liners. I like how the brush doesn't pick up or hold too much, or too little, product each time too. If you need less, then you can always easily wipe away the excess back into the bottle.
Swatches of both colors. Top two lines are the black shade, and the bottom two are the brown. Since the brown one is very dark, it looks almost similar to the black and under artificial or dim light it's hard to tell them apart. I wish the brown was just a little bit lighter though so that there was more of a difference with the black, know what I mean?
You can see that it's easy to create either a thick or thin line with the brush. It all depends on how you angle it. I like how the product also comes out evenly and very opaque already. It saves time on having to go over any gaps and uneven color which I find frustrating and time-consuming sometimes.
Drying time is another good point as it's fairly quick. It's dry to touch within a few minutes and has an almost matte finish. Of course, the thicker your line, the longer it'll take, but above swatches only took a minute or two to dry completely. Once it's dry it's also virtually smudge-proof. It took very vigorous rubbing for it to start fading, and even then, the thicker lines were still mostly intact while the thinner lines disappeared. So unless you rub your eyes raw all the time, which I hope you don't, then don't worry about accidentally touching or rubbing your eye a little with this on.
Now for the water test. After running my hand under some water for a few seconds, I was pleased to see the swatches didn't budge.
Once wet though, the eyeliner 'weakens' and can come off very easily if you start rubbing it again. However, there is a plus side to this. Notice there's no streaking or running? When it comes off, it sort of clumps and 'peels' instead which means you won't be getting any panda eyes from this even if you start crying or sweating. Just remember to not rub your eyes after or during!
Here I've used the brown one to create a simple cat eye which I love sporting everyday. Because of the flexible and fine tip brush, you can easily create a nice wing with it and make the entire line as thick or as thin as you want.
Also, when I say easy, I mean it. I've tried every kind of eyeliner out there and have had a lot of liquid varieties including those with felt tip applicators but this is seriously one of the easiest ones to work with that I've used so far. I can actually line my eyes faster using these! Because the brush is so soft and fine, and the liquid product itself already comes out both smoothly and very opaque, I'd even recommend this to liquid liner beginners!
Wear time is really good too. After five hours, most of it still stayed put and there was only very minimal fading, mostly just towards the wing. This is without me applying a primer beforehand and with my naturally oily lids too by the way. Safe to say, I'm really impressed overall and I'll most likely be re-purchasing both these colors once they run out if I don't find a better alternative. Hopefully I can try out gray next time!
WHAT I LIKE:
- Quite affordable at less than PHP200.
- The brush is very soft, flexible, and has a fine tip.
- Quick drying time.
- Doesn't easily fade even after hours of wear and with my oily lids.
- Has a semi-matte finish.
- Doesn't run or streak when wet.
- Easy to take off with makeup remover and no need for harsh rubbing like with a lot of other eyeliners. I'm actually able to just use a facial wet wipe to remove this.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE:
- The formula becomes weak once it gets wet and is no longer smudge proof until it's dry again.
ANYTHING ELSE:
- No ingredients listed, all info on the accompanying sticker is in Korean.
- I find the formula is waterproof, provided you don't really touch or rub the eyeliner while it's still wet.
Price: PHP198.00, Purchased from: Etude House (Greenbelt 3, Makati)