December empties #04: Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eye Liner in Blackest Black Review

And that is the longest title I've ever put on. Excuse my inability to abbreviate it in any form.

Why hello everyone! Welcome back to yet another post of an empty product of this month, have you been liking such December empties posts so far? I'd love to hear what you all think!

Well, let's a get a move on, shall we! I was on edge whether to publish this post either under a pure review post or under this month's empties because technically, I haven't finish using this product, but because it has been almost dried out and there isn't really any way to revive it, I unfortunately had to throw it away, I had to give it some kind of justice - which is by sharing my thoughts with you all. Enjoy :)

They say gel eyeliners are the easiest to master yet I find them the toughest to apply. Personally, I feel it's all about practice, I started off with liquid liners and kept on learning how to apply eyeliner till I succeeded. Be it pencil liners, liquid liners or gel eye liners, everything needs practice and with some effort you can easily master anything! This product is my first gel liner and I never looked at any other brand thereafter!

What is it? It is a gel eyeliner that comes in a glass pot with a screw-on lid. The glass pot of gel eyeliner also comes with a small, flat bristled brush with a dome shape for lining. I personally didn’t find the brush the right kind to line with (I prefer angled), but it’s a nice little bonus.

What I think of the product's look? Blackest Black is very much a true black. It doesn’t have much of a sheen, though it’s not completely flat, and it doesn’t have shimmer. The consistency is thick without being goopy and very smooth when applied. It's not creamy but can be blended or smudged. It doesn’t dry instantly, so you may have to wait a few seconds before you squeeze your eyes shut to avoid any transfer.

What I think after testing it out? After several tries of this product before it get dried out, let me just say, the wear is indeed lasting! Blackest Black didn’t smudge, budge, or fade on me throughout eight hours of wear though Maybelline does advertise “24-hour wear”- I haven’t worn it for THAT long yet! I found it was plenty black for me and I love me some rich black pigment so I was quite surprised at how well it translated onto the lid. I used angled brush to apply Blackest Black to my upper lash line, and it was smooth, easy to apply, and gave me good color intensity off the bat. I didn’t have to go back over to darken at all, which was yet another concern alleviated.

Verdict: At RRP $16.95 each (based on Priceline website), they’re on the pricier end for the budget beauty maven, but Maybelline (stock at various stores - like Woolworths, Coles, Priceline, Chemist Warehouse, chemists etc) frequently goes on sale, so at buy one, get one free or buy one, get one 50% off, I think they’re definitely worth picking up if you’re in the market for an affordable gel eyeliner. The packaging has a surprisingly “high-end” feel for Maybelline - they look and feel much like MAC Fluidlines.

Sooo...

Love it, leave it or just lust?

PROS

• Smooth and soft in texture
• the blackest of blacks 
• intense pigmentation - it is worth talking about! With a single stroke it gives a rich, intense and pigmented black line and I never felt the need to apply another layer for opaque touch. The color payoff is equally commendable for the waterline without any hint of irritation or burning sensation even when I wear lenses.
• impressive staying power - once it’s on, it doesn’t budge for nothin’!
• comes with its own brush for application 

CONS

• dry out fast
• not that easy to remove

Overalls, I 100% recommend this to you all! It is a drugstore product but with high-end quality!

And if you do end up buying this product, I would definitely recommend to use a different brush! The brush included with the product tends to harden and creates liner which is quite thick. This is definitely ideal for anyone starting out with makeup or a beginner at eyeliner (much easier to control than liquid eyeliners!).

PS. The reason for why my product dried out was because I didn't store it properly. I didn't know there was a way to be honest to store it! Until someone told me... Well here's my advice to you ladies! I would highly suggest storing all gel eyeliners upside down as it helps in preventing them from drying.

Hope you all love this detailed review :)

See you all next time!

Love,

Melon xoxo

*this is blogged according to my own personal opinions and was purchased by myself*