21 January 2014

Review: Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner.



Delusional. Delusional is what I am. I've been off Facebook for the longest time ever, and just a few minutes ago, I made the concious decision to log back in. And it did not go well. I felt sick to the bone, I felt suffocated. The façade, the lies, the theories, the conclusions. The reason why I left Facebook, and people have been asking me this for ages, is because it ate me up. It ate up who I really was - a girl who lived in her own little bubble of thoughts and had little to no friends. I don't mind not having any friends. I've previously lied just so I could have friends. I've pretended to be a different person, I've been very, very rude to people and pretended to be a completely different human being; just so I could fit in. I left the social networking site after I realized that the only way to be the real me with everyone, was by detaching. And also, that I didn't need all those friends at all. Because, eventually, through the test of time, only a few have stood up for me. To be quite honest, I almost had a breakdown. I knew I had to calm down, and not burst into tears and feel nothing but hatred for myself. I instantly deleted my account for good and I looked at myself in the mirror and started to draw on my eyes with a gel liner I had bought a few weeks ago. Somehow, somewhere, I calmed down. I saw myself in the mirror again, not the ugly person I once was. That's why I love makeup and art in general - it lets me breathe through it.




Whoa. That was creepy. But I needed to get it off my chest. It has been carrying so many burdens for far too long. Maybe it's time I treated my chest right. 
Okay, time to get on with the product in focus.

 


Whenever I get ready, the question for me, is to whether or not to draw a feline flick on my eyes. It's usually my go-to eyeliner look - a feline and straight cat line as close to the upper lash-line as possible. Of late, I decided to give my much loved felt tip liner a break and get my hands on the new and improved formula of the Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner. The previous formulation claimed to last for 24 hours while this one claims to grab on to your lids for 36 whopping hours. I could not test whether or not it lasted as long as it claimed, but, I can tell you one thing - this thing does last. And it lasts good. One sweep of this over your eyes and it grabs on for dear life. It lasted me for an entire day without smudging or creasing. I had to remove it using a makeup remover before I went to bed. I have to admit, I was quite skeptical about trying out gel eyeliner in general. I was also skeptical about my skills; drawing a precise line with a brush is scary. But, I guess, if you are good at drawing and if you have faith in yourself (not joking, you do need it) you'll be able to glide right through. I don't suggest that people who are just foraying into the world of eyeliners use this. There are felt tip eyeliners for you to begin with. Gel eyeliner needs more time, more precision and practice. And by practice, I mean, practice, practice, practice. You need love and time to master this product.


The colour of this gel liner is a very dark black, darker than your average black eyeliner. It's more intense and more pigmented than its predecessor. According to the website, it is because of "Our oil-free formula can hold highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base. So color is more intense and lines resist wear for hours". The formula is amazing. It glides on and isn't chalky or feeble and won't stop you from create one fluid line. It dries quickly and dries to a matte finish. It claims to be smudgeproof and waterproof; which, in eyeliners, are the quintessential traits these days. I must say, it won't smudge at all once it dries and won't let you down if you go out wearing it and somehow wind up crying. Being waterproof, it will stay intact. The brush comes with the gel liner and is a lovely, soft one and it's rather unique too. It's sharp, so it's easy to create lines but is dense enough for you to fill up gaps in a jiffy. One little tip, though, do wash the brush as soon as possible because the formula of the liner settles into the brush and grabs on, becoming quite solid. Which is what pretty much happens on your lids too.


Overall, I am thoroughly impressed with this product. For around 3 grams of product, you have to pay ₹450. The price may sting a little, but, it's well worth it. The application is a dream, the staying power is flawless and the brush is a darling. I can't really complain much. Maybe a little more product in the pot wouldn't hurt for the amount that you have to pay. 
Remember, you need time and patience to create perfection with this product. 

Until next time,
keep being you.
~AB.