Pencil, Gel, or Liquid?

There is always a debate as to what type of eyeliner is the best. I tested 5 different eyeliners from 4 different brands to see which brand and eyeliner works the best.

In order from left to right

• Almay Intense I-Color in "Black"
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in "Zero"
• Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in "Intense Black"
• L'Oreal Infallbile The Super Slim Liquid Eyeliner in "Black"
• Stila Smudge Pot in "Black"

Swatches

• Almay is very buildable and can easily be used to smudge and make a smokey eye. Nice consistency and lasts all day on the upper lid and will wear off in a couple hours on the waterline.

• Urban Decay has a very nice creamy consistency which feels totally different from the Almay pencil. It's very intense and has nice color payoff. It does smudge even though it says they're smudge proof. Lasts all day on the upper lid but does not last in the waterline like people claim. I personally don't really like this eyeliner because it's expensive and you have to sharpen it after every use because the creamy consistent wears out extremely fast.

• Stila liquid eyeliner has a very shiny black intense colour. However it bleeds waaay too much on the skin and on the upper eyelid. It's hard to get a smooth line because it bleeds. The felt pen is easy to use and it has amazing colour payoff. It will not smudge and is definitely waterproof. 

• L'Oreal has a very intense black colour that isn't as shiny as Stila's. The felt tip is easy to use and it does not bleed on the skin! It will not smudge at all throughout the day. My only complaint is that it dries out a bit quicker than normal liquid eyeliners, but it still lasts quite a long time. It is somewhat waterproof but it will still come off quite easily in water.

• Stila's gel eyeliner is a bit softer in colour. It's more of a very dark grey than a black. The consistency is nice and smooth. I think it goes on better with an angled brush compared to a thin eyeliner brush that is shown in the picture. I find that you have to use a lot of product in order to build up the intensity.

After Smudging

As you can see Almay's pencil and Stila's gel liner smudged the most. Both liquid eyeliners stayed in place which are what they claimed to do, and Urban Decay pencil does smudge even hours after you apply it which Urban Decay claims "it will not budge".

The Verdict

Pencil Winner is Almay Intense I-Color

The price is great and it lasts forever. Perfect for smudging for a smokey eye or it can make a strong crisp statement when sharpened.

Liquid Winner is L'Oreal Infallible The Super Slim Liquid EyelinerThe price is amazing and so is the quality. It wont bleed and it's very easy to control and perfect for doing winged eyeliner. It wont smudge when you rub it with your hands and you get a very intense black colour with one stroke.

I couldn't be bothered repurchasing Stila's Smudge Pot. For the price it's not worth it. It has a great consistency and texture but the color payoff isn't the best and it's harder to work with.

My overall favourite would have to be L'Oreal Infallible Liquid Eyeliner. I hope this helped you when choosing a new eyeliner