Written Reviews

I wish I could give this five stars, because it is a wonderfully opaque liner and I haven't been able to dupe the color in almost a year that I've had it. Some of the dupes on this site are close, but not enough. Here is why I can't: the 'smudge' part of 'smudge' stick also means that on my (admittedly deep-set and oily) eyelids, I have an involuntary cut crease on at least one eye by the end of a work day. Also, these are a royal pain in the ass to twist up and you go through them quickly as the product is quite soft. You'll never do a precise wing with it because you can't really sharpen it (or maybe just I can't). You also don't get a TON of product - I snapped mine up during an annual ULTA sale and will probably repurchase at a sale price but am not sure I'd repurchase for full price. That said, it literally is opaque in a swipe. I love red/purple/berry eyeliners but they are frequently lacking in intensity or true color once it's on the lid, and this product does not lack in those areas at all. It still looks great at the end of the day where I put it - it is just also looking great in places I did not want it.

For starters: I don't frequently use lip liners, and when I do I usually am trying to keep sharper lines and prevent feathering as opposed to extend wear. Now - I picked this up after I tossed my NYX Retractable Lip Liner in Nude because it was too old even for me to be comfortable using anymore. This shade is a bit more red, a bit darker, and the formula is obviously less creamy/more matte than the retractable. That said, it stays put and it's a normal old wood pencil so obviously you can sharpen it which the retractable I just had to kind of smoosh back into the semblance of a point. I still think I prefer the smoother application of the retractable for the nude/MLBB shade usage of "just want a base similar to my lips before I apply color" and will probably go back, but this isn't bad. I don't have any stunning insight, just wanted to drop in a review since there weren't any. It works. It smells like new school supplies. It doesn't seem to smear or move around. It drags a little and obviously feels pretty dry, but it's also only $4. If you wear lip liner a lot you might want something better. If you just want to get a funky color to more sharply line your funky colored lipstick buy this.

I personally found the formula to fall flat because it falls between the Butter Gloss (not much staying power but light and soft) and the Liquid Suede (thick and a bit drying, but stays well and is vibrant) with many of the downsides of both. The formula is quite thick and feels heavy on my lips, but also slides and wears off about how I'd expect a gloss to wear. Sadly there is no light vanilla/marshmallow scent of the butter glosses either, just a plasticine scent that I can taste if I breathe in through my mouth for about ten minutes after applying. Colors are nice, I suppose, and it is a bargain, but if you're looking in the NYX price range I'd personally pick a different formula. The color is pretty true on application and they are certainly more opaque than a gloss. Aside from stickiness, it does feel smooth/creamy.