Whenever I have free time these days, I just sit and stare at my blog or read manga. For most part, I just read manga. Mangas are so gut-wrenchingly good that it takes my mind off most of my daily troubles. These days, I'm re-reading one of my favourite childhood mangas, 'Gakuen Alice'. It had an anime version too but I guess they stopped after season one and when Animax was removed from the cable lines in our state, I died a slow death. After several years, I'm simply glad that I'm able to re-read the manga without anyone trying to stop me (take that, Assam government!) and just be a happy person. But to be honest, reading books in my Class XII curriculum and reading mangas has made me look like a zombie. I'm not complaining about the looking-like-a-zombie bit, but when I have to go out and face the real world, three things come to my rescue and make me look like a, well, human being. *coughs*
The Clinique Chubby Stick, the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil and the Maybelline Colorshow Liner have slowly become my go-to products. The fact that white, yellow or nude eyeliners, when used on the waterline, makes you look more awake and widens your eyes is a universal truth. While white, occasionally, is rather harsh, nude eyeliners will blend right into your waterline and make your eyes look brighter and more awake. I also highlight the inner corners of my eyes when I'm feeling fancy. Then, I just coat my short, sparse lashes with some mascara and rush out. Nothing beats looking awake. Especially when you're just sleeping with your eyes wide open.
Swatches of the eyeliners.
They're all of the same consistency even though two can be used as an eyeshadow base or a simple eyeshadow. The third one is just a crayon khol. And to be honest, it lasts more than the expensive ones.
1. Clinique Chubby Stick for Eyes in '01 Bountiful Beige'.
Bountiful Beige is a shimmering beige shade with a slight pink undertone. It is extremely lightweight and it layers well. It glides on smoothly. I do doubt its longevity at times. These cost $17 (when converted to rupees, they're ₹1054 approximately). I don't exactly remember what I paid for this little guy, but I believe it was around ₹1025 for a 3 gram product. It's a little difficult to get it precisely onto the waterline due to its, well, chubby size; but it's a factor that can be overlooked given its gorgeous colour and pigmentation. It also scores major points for being one of the few twist-up eye products available out there.
2. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in '611 Yogurt'.
Yogurt is a stunning rose-gold shade. It glides on like a dream and lasts for a long time. For ages, I've been trying to get their best-selling white version of the jumbo eye pencil, called 'Milk', but it's unavailable almost everywhere. I thought I'd just call it quits and go for this gorgeous shade instead. Honestly, it did not disappoint me. It's made with a blend of mineral oil and powder. What I don't like about this line of products is that it needs to be sharpened. It's too much of a hassle; you waste product, you screw up the product entirely and what not. But, 5 grams of product for ₹425, makes them a good investment. Plus, they go on sale all the time, (I got mine for ₹383 from Jabong) so you can check them out without hurting your pockets. NYX is also cruelty-free; do I hear a win-win?
3. Maybelline Color Show Liner (Crayon Khol) in 'Shiny Beige'.
Shiny Beige, true to its name, is a shiny beige hue. The pigmentation is intense and it's just an absolutely dream to work with. These are the latest addition to Maybelline's plethora of amazing products. They cost ₹325 each and come in three other stunning shades. It's thin enough to work on your waterline and is twist-up. And inexpensive. The only downside to this guy is that it doesn't have enough product.
So, in conclusion, my manga reading days are nowhere near being over, thanks to these guys. They're all of amazing quality and pigmentation. If I were to choose a favourite, though, I don't think I'd be able to - they're all good and each has one little thing better than the other two. Now, it's time for me to carry on with my manga.
Until next time,
ganbatte!
~AB.
