Finally after years of seeing MAC products pop out of every youtube beauty gurus videos and also strolling past the MAC counter and crying on the inside from all the prices. I did buy a few MAC products that I recieved a few months ago, back in my PriceUSA post
here if you havent read it.
I find eyeliners somewhat of a long treacherous journey to review since I have to use it for a long time and see how it lasts in heat, sweat, oil and rain.
I have been using this gel liner for about 3 months now and I can say that it is the best gel liner I've used but it is pretty average for an eyeliner.
I think the last time that I used a gel liner was back in 2011 when I was still a beginner in makeup. I still have photos back then of all the makeup mishaps and one of them was the panda eyes that I would get especially from gel liners, so I have strayed away from gel liners until this year I thought I would give it another try but with a gel liner that has the best reviews and raves.
I have tried most of the drugstore gel liners back in the days (WetnWild, Maybelline, Essence, ELF) but yes they were all horrible at staying on my super oily lids, they just did not last the heat or sweat but they did last the rain but not my watery eyes sadly.
I actually really love mac packaging, it just looks so sleek but yet somewhat simple. I absolutely love the matte design of the lid and even the matte packaging of the lipsticks and their other products (sounds silly but it makes it look like a good quality product).
The texture of the liner is sososo creamy but I find that it isnt as pigmented as I would like it to be so I usually go over the liner twice. But I love how versatile it is, I can smoke out the liner or do a nice crisp line with it.
My everyday eyeliner consists of winging the ends out either straight or winging it up. I use the Real Techniques Silicone Liner brush to do my gel liner.
Im going to try my best and keep this short by saying that this eyeliner just did not last very well during the hot days, it always transferred down under my bottom lash line giving a very obvious ring on the bottom lashline. Even with primer it still transferred down so I found that I had to not wing out my eyeliner and keep it as a simple line.
On the normal days I found that the wings faded after 5 hours of school and it also slightly transferred down and it just made my eyebags look so dark. Primer did slightly help but I still got transferal.
As for the colder weather, the eyeliner does stay put and very slightly fades without primer, and slightly transfers but with primer it lasts a long time.
Though I find that the eyeliner does not last near the ends of my eyes (where it gets water) it leaves a black liquidy streak inbetween where I have to use a cotton bud or my fingers to wipe off everytime I visit the bathroom or look into a mirror.
But I can say that the eyeliner does last around 3 hours before it starts to smudge and fade when Im out at school or with friends but I find that it lasts past the 5 hour mark if I'm not doing much for example, working or going out shopping by myself.
Gel liner does take longer to apply but it is easier to use than liquid. If I wake up late for school I dont reach for this liner since I know I will probably take around 5 minutes trying to perfect the wing.
The picture above is actually after 5 hours of wearing it out with primer underneath it (have no idea if it was after work or after shopping). It slightly faded on the ends and at the start and it also slightly transferred. I assume it was during a normal day no heat nor rain.
I have been using it most of the time I go out for 3 months and the eyeliner hasnt started drying up nor has it reached the bottom, I still have tons left that will last a year or so before it starts drying I assume.
TIP: after dipping the brush in, leave the liner upside down until you need to dip your brush in again to avoid it drying up quickly.
I would definitely recommend this liner for people who dont have problems with eyeliner smudging or oily lids since it will last a lot longer. I will keep using this liner up and probably go back to liquid when I'm done.
