Sue Devitt Victoria Falls Eye Intensifier Pencil

The chubby Eye Intensifier pencils from Sue Devitt have been part of my makeup arsenal long before starting this blog. They are wickedly efficient multitaskers that require very little skill or effort to give one a pretty look. They work both as an eyeliner (medium to thick line) and an eye shadow, can be smudged, sheered and create the perfect smoky eye. The Eye Intensifier pencils are also my go-to item for a simple casual look (aka "just dropping at the dry cleaners/post office/corner store before getting back into jammies and slippers") that still gives my eyes depth and definition. So, yes, Sue Devitt has earned her place in my shortlist with this one.

Victoria Falls is a gorgeous rich almost navy blue. It's one of the colors I find most flattering on me, both for my skin tone and eye color. It's not too bright and doesn't look age inappropriate (I keep everything else nude/neutral), but definitely noticeable in a very good way. I've been playing with Victoria Falls in several combinations and looks- top lashes, bottom lashes, paired with nothing but a black mascara or smoked out with some Chanel Bois Bleu eye shadow. The pencil always works and looks much more sophisticated that the 30 seconds per eye it actually takes.

I use a primer, of course, and the Eye Intensifier stays put without creasing or fading for about 8-10 hours (depending on weather and activity). Topping the pencil with an eye shadow cements it in place until I bring on the makeup remover. The one thing I wouldn't recommend is using this product on the waterline. Not that it's meant for that in the first place- the Eye Intensifier is many things but it's not a kohl, as I've learned the hard way- it made my eyes water and sting when I tried. It was my fault, though, so I now keep it on the outer side of my lashes and all is well.

Bottom Line: highly recommended.

Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil ($22) is available from Barneys, Bloomigdale's and Ulta, as well as through the company's website (suedevittbeauty.com), which right now offers a 20% discount for the holiday weekend (no code needed).

All photos are mine.

Rosie Jane Cosmetics Eye Definer Beech Tree

Rosie Jane Johnston is an Australian makeup artist with a small line of products based around the idea of an effortless, beachy glowing look. I like the idea in theory, even if my twisted brain connects it to Australian surfing soaps such as Home and Away and everything blonde.

Rosie Jane's Eye Definer in Beech Tree was part of a previous BeautyFix kit. I liked the faceted rectangular shape of the pencil and the fact it allows for drawing a thin or a thick line. I admit I have yet to figure out how to get it close enough to the lash line- even using the thin edge is still not as efficient as a thin brush or pointy pencil, so this is a major issue. However Beech Tree is a medium bronzed brown that's too light for me to use as a liner anyway, so I have to supplement with black or espresso brown at the lash line.

The texture of Rosie Jane's liner is soft and pliable. If you're pale/blonde/blue eyed it would make a very flattering bronze smoky eye. It requires serious cementing with a primer underneath and a powder eye shadow over it, because it's almost as soft as a cream eye shadow, so while the look might be effortless it doesn't cut corners in application.

Bottom Line: Not my color, but has potential.

Rosie Jane Cosmetics Eye Definer ($15) is available from beautyhabit, b-glowing and rosiejanecosmetics.com. Mine came with a free BeautyFix press kit.

All photos are mine

Burberry Midnight Blue (04) Eye Definer Eye Shaping Pencil

Since I'm obviously in denial about the holidays, holiday makeup collections and the existence of December, I thought I'd talk about items from permanent lines and maybe some unsung heroes. Like this one. Of course, I have several reviews brewing for more Burberry Beauty gorgeousness, but since the eyeliner pencils have yet to get much attention I figured it's a good place to start.

When I went shopping at Nordstrom in late August, an eyeliner pencil was not high on my list. But the Burberry rep who did my makeup used their Eye Definer in #04, Midnight Blue, and I loved the way it looked, especially coordinated with the subtle beige and taupe eye shadows from their line. I'm always surprised when hearing people with brown eyes who are afraid of blue. Yes, I also remember that late 1970s/early 1980s "rule" about brown makeup for brown eyes and blue for blue eyes, but it's wrong. There's nothing like a little blue cautiously applied to make brown eyes pop. And Burberry's Midnight Blue is the perfect color for that.

This pencil has a slight iridescent finish- not quite metallic and not obviously shiny, just a little light-reflecting. The texture is smooth, not very creamy but soft enough for an easy application with no tugging or skin-pulling (It's my biggest pet peeve about the pencils from some high-end brands. Paying nearly $30 to feel like I stabbed myself in the eye is not my idea of a good beauty moment). Burberry found a middle ground between  softness/blendability and precision/control in this pencil, and while I'd probably love it more had the texture been creamier, I still enjoy it a great deal.

Bottom Line: Pretty!

Burberry Eye Definer Pencil ($27) in Midnight blue and other colors can be found at Nordstrom, online and in select stores.

Photos are mine.

Laura Marcier Eye Liner

I never fully understood the appeal of cake eyeliners until I got acquainted with Laura Mercier's. I noticed its quality every time I had my makeup done by a Laura Mercier rep, but didn't quite get it until I bought my own and started experimenting.

Laura Mercier Eye Liner in Black Ebony looks deceivingly simple. It's a pressed black powder with a matte finish- not exactly the stuff dreams are made for, right? But as soon as I had my brushes in it and played with various amounts of water (you need very little, by the way. I find that results are best with a damp+ brush) I could see why it has so many fans. Liquid black eyeliner is not exactly revolutionary, but this one gives you a lot of control over the finished look. You can draw it as thin or as thick as you like, manipulate the level of pigment and use it with various brushes.

I've found that it takes very little practice to get the hang of this eyeliner. Beginners would probably like to keep it a little more dry and use thinner and short bristled brushes, but Laura Mercier has created a very versatile product here which works with just about any brush or method you favor. The official recommendation is to apply with a flat brush, but my current favorite is actually a thin angled eyeliner brush by Eco Tools, of all things.

There's something about the velvety finish that is incredibly flattering. It's not glossy so it's never as harsh or retro as some black liquid liners can be. But it's also not too muted or boring. It's just right. Most surprising, though is the staying power. Applied over a lid primer but without using a sealing gel/waterproofing solution, this eyeliner stays put all day with no smudging or fading.

Bottom Line: I'm going to buy the blue one, too.

Laura Mercier Eye Liner ($22) is available from Sephora and most department stores.

Photos by me.

Bobbi Brown Denim Ink (28) Gel Eyeliner Fall 2010

Bobbi Brown has fully redeemed herself from a year of blah with her fall 2010 Denim & Rose Collection. Tomorrow I'll show you the gorgeous face palette and next week I'll discuss the Denim mascara. Today is about the new Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner color, Denim Ink (no. 28).

Bobbi Brown's Gel Eyeliners are among my favorite products. They are ridiculously easy to apply, stay on all day without budging or smearing and the colors are always beautiful and never look garish even in the bolder shades. The new Denim Ink color is right up my alley- it's a very dark navy, a bit on the gray side (at least on my skin- if you're pale and very pink the blue might stand out a little more). The color is darker on skin than it's in the pan  and has a little shimmer. I was surprised the name the gave this color doesn't indicate the shimmer, but I don't really mind. Bobbi Brown knows how to keep things elegant even when she goes to the frosty side.

I apply it with either Bobbi Brown's Ultra Fine eyeliner brush or even with thinner brushes when I want to really keep it close to the lashes. Both work well with the gel's wonderful texture.

Bobbi Brown Denim Ink (28) Gel Eyeliner ($21) is available from most department stores and bobbibrowncosmetics.com

All photos are mine.

Tarte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner (Brown Bronze)

Sometimes it's hard to find your way through the distribution maze of Tarte Cosmetics. The products are sold at Sephora, Henri Bendel, QVC and the company's own website (by the way, there's a 30% discount code on their front page that's valid until July 5th). Each venue seems to have a bunch of products that are not available anywhere else and following what to buy where takes more mental energy than I'm willing to spare for one brand. It's too bad, really, because Tarte offers some great items. My sister is a devoted fan of the Park Avenue Princess bronzer and I just sent her the Kabuki brush which she loves.

As an eyeliner addict, I've been very curious about Tarte's various formats and formulas. Once again, each venue seems to carry different items. The inner rim pencils come directly from Tarte's website, Sephora has the emphasEYES aqua-gel pencils, QVC mostly sells trios of colors and who knows what's available at Bendel- they don't have e-commerce. Seriously.

This arte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner is sold at Bendel and was part of a recent GWP there (QVC has this in a trio of colors- black, brown and navy). The color you see here is Brown Bronze and I like it a lot- it's perfect on a summer morning but still dark enough to provide good definition. The pen is small but easy to control and the tip is precise. Staying power is great- morning to night without smudging or flaking even in humid weather (I always use a primer).

Bottom Line: Next time I'm in Henri Bendel I'll probably get this in Navy.

Tarte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner ($21 for a single full size or $32.76 for a trio) can be found on QVC or in store at Henri Bendel.

Photos by me.

Shiseido Ocean Summer Collection- Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil Black Sand (BK904)

The limited edition Ocean Summer collection is the most exciting release we had from Shiseido in quite some time. Makeup Artistic Director Dick Page has put together a line of deceivingly low-key colors that create an almost sheer summery look that accentuate lips and eyes with just the right amount of drama. While I passed on the gold eye shadow (I already have enough of them) and the bronzer (ditto), I had to have Black Sand (BK 904), the limited edition eyeliner pencil and also the lip products that I'll show you tomorrow.

A quick rummage through my makeup drawers revealed I don't own any other Shiseido eyeliner, and that's going to change soon because I'm very happy and impressed with the Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil's performance. It's soft enough to glide easily without pulling the lid, which is a major consideration for me. The line can be drawn thin or thick and smudged with the sponge tip on the other end of the pencil. Smudging doesn't dilute or fade the rich pigment which stays in place over a lid primer for as long as you need it. I've worn the eyeliner throughout a couple of hot and humid days with several outdoor forays and it didn't budge until I removed it at night. An accidental eye rubbing didn't do much damage, either.

Black Sand is a gorgeous almost black color with a hint of dark olive green and fine gold shimmer. It can be the focus of a dramatic evening look if applied heavily and smudged into a smoky look, but the mellow not-quite black is also very daytime appropriate because it lacks the harshness of a true black. I can't think of anyone who can't pull it off, it's really that easy and flattering.

Bottom line: I wish Black Sand would become part of the regular line.

Shiseido Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil ($20) and the rest of the 2010 Ocean Summer Collection is available from Sephora and most decent department stores, including online.

All photos are mine.

Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil (5L, 20L)

The Make Up Forever display at Sephora is so big and engaging it makes me forget and ignore how much the store itself annoys me. It's all about the colors, and I've been in the mood for some interesting eyeliners. Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Pencils come in 24 shades, from the classics to some that are really out there (metallic fuschia and yellow, if that's your thing).

The pencils are, indeed, waterfoof. Still, they glide on very smoothly without tugging or pulling and can be nicely smudged to shade the lid (see swatch). They maintain their texture in heat and humidity, don't melt even after a hot shower and require a good makeup remover when you want to take them off. I'd predict these Make Up Forever crayons are going to be my summer staple, especially for long days spent outdoors.

20L is a blue based dark green. I've been after this color for a while and this is perfect (use with sand or beige eyeshadows and blend with a little taupe or mocha color on the lid to keep it from looking too 80s). 5L is a golden khaki with a metallic finish. It's easy to wear and would look flattering on many a skin tone, tan (fake, please!) or not.

Bottom line: As good as it gets.

Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Pencils ($17 each) are a Sephora exclusive, also available online.

Photos by me.

Guerlain Terracotta Kohl Liner (Bleu 03, Mirage 06)

If there was one thing to learn from the celebrities' makeup at the Costume Institute Gala last week, it was that heavy eyeliner is the hottest look for evening. Most of us don't walk the red carpet too often and should probably avoid any exaggerated look, but going a little bolder with our eyeliner is quite flattering. Especially if we keep it sophisticated and use colors other than black.

Guerlain Terracotta Kohl, a loose powder eyeliner/eye shadow, is considered by many to be one of the scariest makeup products around. It's the wand, you see. We tend to have that fear of stabbing ourselves in the eye. But once you get acquainted with this kohl it can become a true love very quickly, thanks to beautiful pigments and the soft texture of the powdered pigment.

There are several schools of thoughts regarding wand usage. I've heard about swiping, closing your eyes over the wand while holding it on the water line, applying only to the upper lid/lash line and allowing the fallout to reach the bottom lashes and there are probably more ideas out there. Then there's the question of inside (the water line) vs. all around the eye. According to Pamela Morgan, Guerlain's national makeup artist, no matter what you choose, the only thing not to do with the kohl and its wand is holding it like a pencil. It simply doesn't work this way. The secret is to swipe it quickly and lightly, which is a lot easier than you think. I'm a royal klutz and still find it very easy to do, despite my mortal fear of getting anything inside my eyes. Pamela also suggest you try using a regular eyeliner brush, flat or pointed, for a more traditional application, above and under the lash line. This is a great technique for a dramatic smoky or goth-inspired look.

The powder is richly pigmented and has a light iridescence. Bleu (03) is a tad shinier while Mirage (06, the newest color in the series) is muted. Bleu is not glittery at all, despite the appearance in the packaging. The texture is very soft and pliable, so with little practice you can create many looks. While black can appear a bit harsh on many of us, the neutral taupish brown of Mirage is very flattering and versatile. Bleu is a gorgeous teal. I love it combined with sand and bronze- it's summer perfection.

The one big issue with Terracotta Kohl is the fallout. I haven't found a way to avoid this, and there's quite  bit of it even when Pamela did my makeup. My advice would be to apply the kohl before you do anything else, including face primer and foundation. Cleanup is easy enough- a fluffy brush and a makeup removing wipe is all you need. The latter also works on cat paws, as I discovered (not before I got blue paw prints all over my dressing room. See Giselle in the last photo). A minor annoyance is the shape of the bottle/tube. It's beautiful, of course, but obviously can't stand on its own, so I either hold it in my left hand while applying or leave it lying on its side and hope it doesn't roll away (with or without feline help).

The thing I like best about Guerlain's kohl is the formula- it manages to be very gentle and never irritates my eyes, even when I use quite a bit on the water line. Still, the color remains vibrant and doesn't fade for 6-8 hours. When used on the lid over a good eye primer it stays put like any liner or shadow and Bleu maintains the soft glow. Any regular eye makeup remover works fine with it, so no rubbing needed.

Bottom line: Love. A great choice for a summer night.

Guerlain Terracotta Kohl Liner ($35 each) is available from most decent department stores and Sephora (Mirage is an online exclusive, for some reason). I received mine from the company's PR department.

All photos are mine (and Giselle's).

Chantecaille Eye Define Palette

Chantecaille Eye Define Palette looks like an eye shadow set. However, if you try using it the way you'd normally approach a Bobbi Brown or a Lancome  palette you will soon realize that these mostly dark colors with their intense pigment don't really work for a traditional highlighter-crease-liner look. Even the shimmery gold is too dark to highlight your brow bone, and using two or three of the palette's colors together is more likely to turn one into a reject goth.

So what's the story here? It's all in the name. This Chantecaille palette is really all about defining and contouring. The colors are dark gold with a very warm undertone, milk chocolate, an intense tealish blue, a very cool toned dark inky purple (no red in there, so it will not make one look bruised) and a dusty charcoal. Each one of them can work as an eyeliner, even the gold. You can use them dry as I did in the first swatch or apply with a damp brush for even more color intensity. Each color works perfectly on its own, and while you can always experiment  with layering and mixing, this is not the best palette for it- it's an opposite approach to Le Metier de Beaute's kits and kaleidoscopes and the final result is decidedly different, but no less fetching.

The textures are near perfect, as you'd expect from a Chantecaille product. The charcoal is the only color that had minor crumbling, but the debris is easy to clean and doesn't affect application or the finished look. The shadows/liners stay firmly in place and maintain the color integrity even when you blend and rub them for a softer look (see third swatch). The palette is sleek and elegant and the included eyeliner brush is of good quality and quite useful.

The one thing missing is either a real highlighter or a light neutral base color to make the look more polished. Some people actually prefer to only wear a strong eyeliner and leave the lids otherwise naked, but my opinion is that it works better on the very young, while the rest of us need a little more than that. Thus, I always have to use an extra eye shadow or two with my chosen color from this palette, making it less than ideal for travel and quick fixes.

Chantecaille Eye Define Palette ($68) is available from top department stores, online and in store. I bought mine from Neiman Marcus.

All photos by me. Finding them on other sites with no credit makes me cranky and also creative in finding ways to hunt and haunt content thieves. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Illamasqua Sealing Gel (Eye Liner Cake- Revisited)

Remember this?

A few weeks after my review I finally managed to find the Sealing Gel (it seems the shortage has finally ended. I see it at Sephora all the time now) and started using it with Zeal, the green eyeliner cake.

There's a learning curve, that's for sure. I'm used to Paula Dorf's product that takes only the tiniest drop of liquid to mix with the pigment. Illamasqua's gel requires quite a bit more than that, but you still need to make sure not to overdo it, otherwise all you get is a green slushy soup that dries instantly and leaves you with a mess. Once I figured out the alchemy part I had to find the right brush. While I preferred an angled brush while applying the eyeliner mixed with water, once the gel was in the right consistency a thin eyeliner brush worked better. The swatch shows three different brushes. The precise thin line was drawn with Sephora's Professional Series eyeliner brush.

The great thing about the sealing gel is its durability. Even without a primer (gasp!) the eyeliner doesn't smudge, move or flakes, no matter what you do. It stays put until you go at it with some serious eye makeup remover. It also dries instantly, so this is not a product for beginners. But once you know what you're doing, it's a great tool to have on hand.

Illamasqua Sealing Gel ($12) is available from Sephora, online and in store.

Photo by me.

I have to apologize again for not keeping up with my posting schedule. As I've mentioned earlier today, our cable is out and my computer is connected through the wireless network on my cellphone. It's a dial-up and drops dead every time a cat even looks at it, not to mention sits on the phone (Buffy's favorite way to amuse herself). I'm also dealing with a cold that's making my head and sinuses look and feel like a war zone, so no fragrance review today. I'll do my best to make up for it over the weekend.

I'll leave you with this clip, since we're in the final minutes of St. Patty's Day. Many thanks to Jessica M. who posted this on Facebook.

Lancome Spring 2010 Ink Artliner Teal Delight

All things considered, it's actually surprising I didn't have a teal eyeliner in my stash until this season. I had teal eye shadows in every texture and finish, but no real liner. So when Lancome came out with their Spring 2010 Collection that included the Ink Artliner in Teal Delight I had to have it.

Ink Artliner is a relatively new format for Lancome (launched last season with Indigo Charm), as the company didn't have a gel eyeliner until now. Teal Delight is actually softer than Indigo Charm and you can actually see it in the swatch photo. I really like this texture and find that it works with most eyeliner brushes I have. I prefer to use it with wider ones (like Lancome's or the classic Bobbi Brown) that are a bit stiff, but that might just be me and my unsteady hand.

When I opened the pot I was surprised that the color looked dark and not very teal. On skin, however, it has a lot more green and looks exactly right. I've tested this liner as part of several makeup looks. It's a personal preference, of course, but I'd rather not pair it with other colors from the same family (like the Lancome Pop n Green quad I'll talk about tomorrow) because it's just too much. Muted neutrals look better on me when I'm wearing a bright liner, but as always, your mileage may vary.

Lancome Ink artliner ($23.50) is available from just about any department store and online. I bought it from lancome.com.

Photos by me.

Chantecaille Le Stylo Liquid Eye Liner (Brown)

You will never catch me not wearing an eyeliner. Never ever, not in a million years. It's my absolute must-have makeup item, even more than mascara. I try everything and have quite a collection of liners in every shape and form, but the felt tip pens might be my favorites- they're easy to apply and tote around with no need for an extra brush. The quality of stylo pens varies greatly between brands. I was sorely disappointed with the one Nars launched last season and delightfully surprised with Smashbox.

Chantecaille Le Stylo joins the ranks of the greatest eyeliner pens. The felt tip is excellent- thin enough to draw the most precise line and stay as close to the lashes as possible. You can also tilt it a little for a thicker look. It feels gentle, doesn't pull or tug and dries instantly. The color stays put from the early AM until late at night with no smudging, creasing or flaking, and at least in the case of Brown, the color's integrity is never compromised.

I have enough black eyeliners at the moment so I went for brown. This is a medium shade, a bit sheer and at least on my skin it has an almost khaki quality. It's not dramatic enough for evening, but makes an excellent daytime look that doesn't steal the show from my lashes or any other part I want to enhance. I like it and wear it often because it's so easy and neutral, but I'm pretty sure this brown would look better on a lighter skin tone and be really stunning on blondes.

Bottom line: Next time I'm buying this Chantecaille eyeliner in black.

Chantecaille Le Stylo Liquid Eye Line ($26) is available from top department stores. I bought mine at Bergdorf Goodman.

All photos by me with the assistance of Kosh.