Top 10 of 2011: Eyeliners

Here are ten of my favorite eyeliners that were reviewed this year!

1. Stila Sparkle Eyeliners
2. Tarina Tarantino Eye Dream Hyperliners
3. Bobbi Brown Chocolate/Bronze Dual-Ended Eyeliner
4. Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners
5. Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Eyeliners
6. Estee Lauder Teal Kajal Eyeliner
7. Illamasqua Havoc Precision Ink Liquid Eyeliner
8. Tarina Tarantino Eyelicity Glitter Eyeliners
9. MAC Chromagraphic Pencils
10. Urban Decay Electric 24/7 Eye Pencils Set

What was your favorite eyeliner you tried this year?

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner ($23.00 for 0.058 oz.) is a new liquid liner that launched recently at Sephora. It claims to be “weather, tear, and sweat-proof color” and “100% waterproof.” There are fifteen shades in total (there is no #2 shade), all of which have been photographed and swatched in this post.

• #1 is a semi-sheer yellowed gold base with gold shimmer.
• #3 is a darkened forest green with olive and green shimmer.
• #4 is a medium-dark blue-teal with silver and teal shimmer.
• #5 is a bright blue with soft silvery-white shimmer.
• #6 is a blackened, cool-toned blue-purple with silver and blue shimmer.
• #7 is a blackened violet purple with blue-violet and purple shimmer.
• #8 is a medium-dark red-based purple with violet and fuchsia shimmer.
• #9 is a bright, neon pink with a soft sheen.
• #10 is a neutreal red with soft ruby red shimmer.
• #11 is a burgundy wine with fuchsia and pink shimmer.
• #12 is a lightened black with a touch of brown.
• #13 is a deep, dark black.
• #14 is a black-brown with multi-colored shimmer.
• #15 is a silvered black with multi-colored shimmer.
• #16 is a colorless base with white shimmer.

It’s clear that there’s a new liquid liner formula on the block, and a lot of brands have taken advantage of it: MAC Superslick ($17.50/0.06 oz.), Illamasqua Precision Ink ($27.50/0.06 oz., only available in Abyss and Glister), Laura Mercier Liquid Eyeliner ($26, only available in Gold Thread), Stila Sparkle Liquid Liner ($22.00/0.05 oz.), and Bobbi Brown Glitter Liquid Liner ($20.00/0.05 oz., only available in Silver and Gold during the holiday). I couldn’t tell the difference between the majority of these when it came to the formula (Laura Mercier’s I haven’t tried; Stila’s is chalked full of shimmer/glitter, so they feel a little different).

Make Up For Ever definitely changed up the formula and tweaked the packaging, which is something I didn’t see in the other brands. The brush is actually more tapered and shorter, though still made out of foam. The shorter length actually enables you to have a little more precision and makes it easy to never have too much product on the brush (this makes these edge out just oh-so-slightly ahead, but the longer applicator is still easy to work with). I also felt like the formula was thinner, almost watery, but it wasn’t watered down, because each liner was intensely pigmented. You also have to shake up these Aqua Liners (you’ll hear something rattling inside when you do) — and this isn’t something common to the other brands.

Aqua Liners are budgeproof, smudgeproof, and waterproof. These don’t budge until you’re ready to remove them, and they removed easily with an eye makeup remover like Lancome Bi-Facil or Make Up For Ever’s Sens’Eyes. MAC’s Makeup Removing Wipes also did a fine job of removing these from my arm. The product will flake off more than it will dissolve, but I didn’t experience any flaking while wearing–only when I went to remove it; the best way to describe it is to analogize it to tube mascara.

Though Aqua Liners have a different applicator and the formula is definitely tweaked (at least, in consistency/feel), but in wear, I’ve found that all of the variations on this new type of liquid eyeliner wear extremely well. Make Up For Ever has the largest range at 15. The two shades that overlap across nearly every brand is gold (for MUFE, it’s #1), though Make Up For Ever’s #1 seems a little darker, less metallic gold, more sun-gold, and plain ol’ black (for MUFE, it’s #15).

P.S. — I’m still waiting for a few Stila Sparkle Liquid Liners, and then I’ll post some comparisons for any shades that do compare.

The Glossover

	Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners Swatches, Photos, Reviews A+
	The color range is amazing--it's exactly what I'd expect from Make Up For Ever and totally useful for liquid liner fanatics. There are fun, brightly colored shades, but also some interesting takes on black. And then it's delivered in a formula that holds on all day, through showers and workouts!
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4.5/5
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See more photos & swatches!

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Illamasqua vs. MAC vs. MUFE vs. Stila (All waterproof – this is post-running my hand under a faucet)

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner Sneak Peek – Photos & Swatches

I’m not quite done with all of the photos/swatches I need for the review, but I’ve tested these, and they’re amazing! Definitely long-wearing and waterproof. They look a lot like some of the other felt/foam-tipped liquid liners we’ve seen come out in the past few months (MAC Superslick, Illamasqua Precision Ink, just to name a few), but the applicator on these is actually a little different–all of which I’ll go into greater detail in the actual review.

See more photos & swatches!

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner Launches

Staying true to our belief of never having to sacrifice color for performance, MAKE UP FOR EVER introduces another vibrant addition to our award-winning Aqua range – new Aqua Liner. This eye-catching, highly pigmented new collection of waterproof liquid eye liner was developed to outperform even in the most extreme environments. Aqua Liner was created to provide make up artists with the ultimate liquid liner that boasts precision, a 100% waterproof formula and a bold assortment of colors.

As the official make up sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami, MAKE UP FOR EVER put artists to work at the top 2011 swimwear shows testing Aqua Liner on models backstage. Their challenge was to create bold, show-stopping make up looks that wouldn’t melt or fade while on the runway under hot lights, performing in the water, or in the humid Miami climate. The end result? Aqua Liner guaranteed intense weather, tear and sweat-proof color that lasted through the shows.

Aqua Liner is formulated with acrylic copolymer, a hydrophobic macromolecule that forms a flexible film to lock water out. It contains 50% more polymers than traditional eyeliner formulations to ensure a long-lasting, waterproof result, as well as essential amino acids derived from apple juice for high-color intensity and bold pay-off.

Available in 15 vibrant shades with matte, iridescent and diamond finishes, Aqua Liner can be used to match all moods and styles. The long and dense, yet flexible applicator is designed like a make up brush handle to ensure easy application, with a specialized foam tip that delivers the ideal amount of texture for drawing an ultra precise line with a buildable result. Aqua Liner goes on evenly and dries quickly for a look that lasts all day and all night long.

• #1 Diamond Gold
• #3 Iridescent Emerald Green
• #4 Diamond Lagoon Green
• #5 Diamond Turquoise Blue
• #6 Iridescent Navy Blue
• #7 Diamond Black Purple
• #8 Iridescent Electric Purple
• #9 Iridescent Fuchsia
• #10 Iridescent Red
• #11 Diamond Burgundy
• #12 Mat Mocha
• #13 Mat Black
• #14 Diamond Multicolor Black
• #15 Iridescent Anthracite

availability: Sephora, $23 each

Check out face charts and step-by-step liner tutorial!
Make Up For Ever’s National Educator, Jessie Powers, gives a lesson in Liquid Liner 101 with these four steps:

1. Draw a thin line of liquid liner centered on the upper lash line directly above the pupil.

2. To create the liner “tail”, choose the end point of your tail slightly above and outside the natural lash line. Then, with your eyes open and focused forward, draw a line from the tail’s end point down toward the outer corner of the lash line.

3. Next, with the eyes open and focused forward, draw a line from the end of the tail connecting it to the liner on the center of the upper lash line. Continue these strokes until the tail is completely filled in.

4. Finally, draw a liner from the inner corner of the upper lash line to the middle of the upper lash line, connecting the two sections.