Friday, October 26, 2012

REVIEW: Essence Sun Club 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen - Ultra Black

I love liquid because it's bolder and sharper than pencil liner but doesn't require a separate brush to apply like creme liner. I hate brush tips as they're too flexible and take longer to apply in my opinion.

I've used Maybelline's Line Works Waterproof Eyeliner with great results but I wanted an applicator tip that was slightly more flexible. The Maybelline is a felt-tip applicator but quite stiff. I have also tried L'Oreal's Waterproof Lineur Intense and the longer, slighty bendier applicator along with the budge-proof jet black pigment won my heart over. It is a great liquid eyeliner and if you use Lancome's Art Liner, this is a a great dupe. (see Beautiful Me's comparison of Artliner vs. Lineur Intense)

Heart being fickle, I decided to try MAC's Penultimate Liquid Eyeliner in Rapidblack. What an insanely precise pen! Unfortunately...it smudged. And by smudged, I mean within an hour, I had black under my eyes and unlike eyeshadow which ends up smokey, smudgey liquid eyeliner looks like Monet stippled your undereyes with a black paint brush.

Fed up but not wanting to return to L'Oreal with my head bowed in shame....I decided to go downmarket instead of up this time. I picked up Essence's Sun Club 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen in 01 Ultra Black (mouthful much?) for all of $3.49.

Compared to Stila's Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

I like the packaging - it's nothing fancy so I don't feel guilty throwing it into a junky makeup case. It's slim and the snap on cap holds its place with no wiggle. I like the applicator - It's thin enough to be precise but thick enough for a speedy application. It's long enough to stay out of the lashes if you dot between them like I do, but the conical shape means the base is sturdy enough that the brush does not bend too much during application.

Ultra black is also a true black - no green or red or bluish tinge. It has an eggshell finish (painting walls also on my mind, clearly) meaning neither matte nor glossy. A perfect finish as I hate glossy eyeliner but really matte eyeliner looks out of place when paired with shimmery shadow.

As for staying power? It's pretty good but not great. After 12-14 hours, it is still about 80% there if I use it to line just above the upper lash line. However, I usually line only under my upper lash line and this does smudge a couple hours in.

I would say the staying power is about the same as the MAC Penultimate which is not waterproof. However, at $3.49US/$3.49CDN vs $18.50/$22.50CDN, this is an absolute steal.

Conclusion on this cheap thrill? I would still fork out a few dollars more for the truly smudge-proof Maybelline or L'Oreal eyeliner to line under my lashes but this is a great felt tip liquid eyeliner for lining above the lash line. And seriously, at that price you really can afford to have a couple on hand.

On a side note, I do not generally purchase higher end liquid eyeliner or mascara as I go through them really REALLY fast and it's just not worth it for me.

Essence Sun Club 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen is available in Canada at Shoppers Drug Mart and in the US at Ulta for $3.49US/CDN.

3 comments:

  1. I'm so glad you reviewed this, so now I won't be buying it! I'm starting to get into liquid liners at last and want a good one without shelling out enormous amounts. How's the Stila compared to the L'Oreal?

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  2. awalkinthecloset10/28/12, 3:47 PM

    Hey Liz, thanks for commenting as it made me realize I referred the Stay All Day liner instead of the Sparkle, which is what's actually pictured. I've since corrected the post.

    I can say however, that the Stay All Day has some incredible reviews both from beauty bloggers and on Makeupalley. As for the Sparkle, it IS very long lasting - waterproof and smudge proof. However, the liquid dries more to a film than sinking into the skin like traditional liquids so when removing, you can actually peel little pieces off. If you try to take it off with makeup remover, it doesn't fully dissolve but flakes off. This formula is why it stays on for so long when dry though, IMO.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks, Lindsay! That sounds a lot like the MAC one that went out in my last empties post. It was also budgeproof but peelable and flaky during removal. I'll have to check out the L'Oreal and Maybelline ones. :)

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