Trials: MAYBELLINE Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner

An eye well done is a face half done- that's the makeup manthra I go by. That's why, long, long ago

when my friend Remya, who FYI is on her way to makeup "Jedi-hood", told me that she landed an fantastic eye-liner which doesn't wash off and that has "amazing" finish, I wanted to try it. This professed eye-liner has stuck to her eyes like glue even after a good dip under a waterfall. Boy, I wanted one of those! I was ready to look over the fact that it came in a pot and needed a steady hand to apply. God has blessed me with an adequately steady hand, unless I'm lending someone money. But then she said those words that froze my feet to the ground -"It cost me a bomb."

I'm a modern, fashion-conscious girl, on a budget. So all my fashion choices are extremely budget based. So, I put my plans to buy the Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama gel eyeliner on the back burner. And yet, fast forward to present day and I have one. Ask me why? Swinging by the television and movie industries I found that all the professional makeup artists swore by the gel eyeliner; and hence I had to find what the rage was about.

Let me begin by stating on record that the Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama gel eyeliner is not for the shaky handed folks on a budget. It needs some getting used to. And, you'll get used to it faster if you ditch the awfully fat brush they hand you in that beautiful packing. Oh yes, the packing is really pretty. I even loved the cap for the brush-very neat and hygienic. But the brush itself is quite hindering. I like to make thin lines on my lash-line for an everyday look. I find it that the winged look also comes out well with thin brushes, especially the tip of the wings. But the given brush wasn't helping me in either. All it gave me was the thick, dramatic lines on the lash-line and crooked lines on my water-line. So, I invested another Rs.60 on a pretty looking, thin bristled brush to add that luster to my 'apple-of-my-eye' eyeliner. The matte finish the eyeliner gives you makes sure that you get used to the creamy gel texture and the solid colour. But the down side of getting addicted to it is that you start keeping aside some eye-makeup time in your morning routine. With my adequately steady hands I take close to 5 mins everyday to get the look right, and I still almost always go for the natural-winged-everyday look. Next, you should essentially also invest in a good makeup removing product. Maintaining the brush involves a serious cleaning routine, else lumps form on the brush totally spoiling the results for you. And, it goes without saying that you ABSOLUTELY MUST remove the product from your eyes thoroughly before you hit the bed. I bought the eyeliner from a Maybelline counter of a beauty shop and the lady there suggested I buy the Maybelline Total Clean Express Make-up remover, with which I wasn't disappointed one bit.

So, for one last time, here's listing the pros and cons of the eyeliner that costed me Rs. 475/-.

Pros:

• Good matte finish
• Solid colour
• Lasting stay on lash-line; moderate stay on water-line

Cons:

• Pricey
• Brush could have been better
• Needs a cleaning routine that should be followed religiously after every use

I'm totally in love with the eyeliner and wear it every single day; all day long or even if it's for a brief outing with friends. So, if you are big on eye makeup and like to experiment around, give it a shot. Also, let me know what you think about it. Don't forget to let me know of what else you'd like me to write about.

Signed

The Fashionable Budget-girl