Share: Tell us what you love and hate about Eyeshadow Pencils!
my answer: I like that they can be easier to apply than a cream eyeshadow (or at least, more convenient), but I find myself so rarely reaching for them.
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No rant here. I love shadow pencils. They’re so convenient.
I find – the few that I have – they crease easily. But my eyelids are CRAZY oily!!
I love shadow pencils for the days when I don’t feel like or don’t have time for eye shadow. My only criticism is that they break easy. My Urban Decay Sin pencil broke about 1/4 of the way down after one use. I find the Rimmel ones the best quality (but their color range isn’t great).
I have never own any, and I’m pretty indifferent to them. I’m a traditional kind of girl- I’ll stick to powder eyeshadows for now.
The only eyeshadow pencils I’ve ever owned have been UD’s Stash set. The blue was a bit too bright for me so I gave it to my daughter, and the purple (Delinquent) I use as an eyeliner. The rest of the shades I use on the outer lid/crease or as a highlighter, and even though I like them, I don’t use them that often.
I love them because they can be so easy to use, and good formulas stay put very well. I also like how they subtly change the pressed shadows you layer on top. It’s like having even more ways of playing with your favorite pressed shadows!
I find myself using them as a base more so than as a quick eye solution. Why, because for some reason pencil formulas seem to sheer out and crease on me without a powder shadow on top. They work much better as a base for me. I prefer long lasting cream shadows in a pot for simple eye looks.
I love using creamy bases, in general, but I don’t prefer any one medium over another. Also, on the one hand, pencils are more sanitary, but they have to be sharpened (usually), while pots can be better sealed, and don’t dry out as fast. There are pros & cons, so I just go by color when facing a choice.
I want to add cream shadow pots are usually a better deal in terms of price/quantity, as well.
Rave! I use them when I’m running late to work. Which is constantly. They are quick and easy to use. I only have a problem with creasing when I don’t use a primer.
This is the only time I count myself lucky to have dry skin around my eyes. I have a lot of shadow pencils, mostly Clinique and UD, and they never crease. I have no rant or rave for them, they are just another tool for applying eyeshadow. I will say they are a lazy girl’s dream product on those days when you just want a swipe and go.
The Clinique chubby sticks for eyes are my favorite. They have a good color selection, and I have found that they don’t crease, even after several hours. The lighter ones are great for layering with powder eyeshadows as well, especially matte ppowders in the crease because then the luminous pencilness seems like its glowing from within the powder on your lid.
I love them because they are so convenient, but most pencils crease on me.
I love them! I have two of the NYX jumbo eye pencils- Milk and Iced Mocha. I also have A MUFE aqua pencil which is gorgeous! I love love love eye pencils. They are so convenient and give a beautiful colour on the lids. I find that they don’t crease on me and stay on all day and you can pop them on the waterline also!
I used to buy them for bases- I can’t really use them on their own because they crease. Since the color tattoos have come along, however, I’ve switched to those.
I have almost every single one by Urban Decay, and I dont plan to buy more. (well except for Mushroom, the newest neutral…maybe)
I reach for them when I want to do one single color on my lid. I find them very hard to blend. Sometimes I “color” on my cream shadow brush and then apply to control it better but that can have mixed results.
My eyes tear a lot so I find that they crease and fade by the outer corners of my eyes, even with primer. I also find that the pigment inside breaks off a LOT, with about 75% of the ones I own so that is annoying and yes I close them well.
So…after all of that…I do like them, but use them only when I travel and dont want to take up a lot of space for makeup.
The only eyeshadow pencil that I tend to reach for is the NYX Eyeshadow Stick in Millk – just because it makes my eyeshadow colors pop. Otherwise, I stick to the basic eyeshadow pans.
Paint pots / or color tattoos are better
I like Urban Decay, Clinique, and Marcelle shadow pencils. I find they’re only useful in neutral-ish colors- I’m pale, so light browns, peaches, mauves, taupes, creams. In a rush, I apply those evenly on the lid and that’s it, it’s quick. Brights and darks, they never end up looking nice for me when I use a shadow pencil. They’re also not as good if you want a look with more than one color.
They are a lifesaver for me! I’m incredibly nearsighted and they’re the only way I can do my makeup the days I wear glasses. I adore the Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks in particular since I regularly get 16+ hours wear with minimal smudging.
I hate that they don’t have a sharp point. I don’t have lots of lid space so the average size of a shadow stick’s point won’t allow color placement at my lash line. Instead, the color goes all over my lid in my experience. -Terese Leigh
I tend to go through phases with shadow pencils where I use them constantly then not at all, but really I LOVE them. I like how they are mess free (unlike paint pots) and make for a perfect simple eye look. My favorite is the Urban Decay in that I can wear them without a primer and they don’t crease. However, I also really like the new Clinique Chubby Stick cream eyeshadows. The colors are lovely AND no sharpening required. I do need to put a primer on with those.
Needs to be sharpen so you waste the shadow. Convenient if traveling.
Love them for summer vacation, since most are waterproof. I also love them for allergy season because when my eyes are watery they take longer to wear off, and I can pop it in my bag for touch-ups. I haven’t found most blend well, since they’re meant to “set”, so I don’t use them when I want to be creative.
Have you tried the urban decay shadow pencil brush? I use it with all my cream pencils and shadow pencils to blend the edges when I use more than one color at a time. I find that if I work on one eye at a time and then blend quickly it works well.
It’s a great concept. Easy, fast and convenient to use and you can use them for touch-ups during the day. However there are many eyeshadow pencils that are drier in their consistency and they tug and pull at the lid, which is uncomfortable.
I wanted to love the Clinique eye shadow chubby stick I bought in Big Blue. It seems like it would be so convenient and quick. But as gorgeous as the color is, it takes 10 swipes for me to even be able to see it on my lid. Then it’s splotchy and it does not blend with my other shadows. Not to mention my lid is sore from all that coloring on it! I always wear a good quality lid primer and have no issues with regular shadows.
I might try other colors/brands, but the one I have tried was a bust.