Review: Max Factor Kohl in Black

Have you ever had that moment when you are away from home for a few days and you realise you have forgotten to pack your one essential beauty product? Last month, I went  away for the weekend to Aberdeen  and upon getting ready for my night out, realised I had forgotten to bring any eyeliner with me!

A quick dash to Boots was required, where I found this - Max Factor Kohl in Black. Now unlike many kohl which profess to be black and are in fact just a wimpy, washed out grey, this one is a super deep black.

I love how dark it is, yet it is still ultra soft and great for smudging for a sultry, smokey eye. I've been using it on the waterline and whilst I do find that it stays around without migrating underneath the eye, it does fade significantly after 5 hours. I haven't yet tested it on the upper lid as I tend to use pencils and kohls more on the waterline, but i would imagine it would last longer. 

Verdict

This liner was a true lifesaver in a 'make up emergency' (if there can actually be such a thing!) and gives a deep, dark look which is perfect for a sultry look. Lasting power is not fantastic however, and you may need to reapply throughout  the day.

3/5

Price - from £4.49

Where to buy- Cheap Smells, Boots, Lloyds Pharmacy

Review: Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Liquid Liners in Turquoise and Gunmetal

I think I've fallen in love!  And its with an affordable product, yippee!  Normally I fall hard for pricey lipsticks or extravagant palettes but in this case I have a new-found affinity with the Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Makeup.

When popping into M&S for my Friday lunchtime treat, I stumbled upon the Limited Collection makeup range.  For some reason, I had never really paid much interest to it previously, but a post by Charlotte at Lipglossiping on the Turquoise liner piqued my interest, and as they were only £4 each, they both 'fell' into my basket, along with a chicken and bacon sandwich and some wasabi peas - well it was Friday!

L to R: Gunmetal, Turquoise in Natural light

I can't emphasise just how much I love these liners.  There were three shades available at the store I visited - Turquoise, Gunmetal Grey and Black.  I opted to skip the black as I have lots of black liquid liners already but I was super intrigued by the Turquoise.  I have been wearing these liners constantly over the past few days.  The brush is small and fine but quite stiff which makes it perfect for a precise application of a fine line on the upper lashline.  The consistency of each of the liners is superb, with only one pass needed for a strong defined line and it stays put ALL day without budging until removed.  I've applied it at 7.30am and its still there at 10pm that night in perfect condition with absolutely no fading.

L to R: Gunmetal, Turquoise with Flash

Some other reviewers have said they take a while to dry down but I found them comparable with many other liquid liners in that they do take around 20 seconds to dry fully, but once set, they are there for the duration.

If I was going to pick a colour you must have, it would have to be the Turquoise, as it is the more unique of the two I chose.  I've been wearing a very thin line on the upper lash line with lashings of mascara and nothing else on the eye as it is enough of a statement itself during the day.  I have received so many compliments and people seem flabbergasted that it is from good old M&S!

Verdict

If you are a fan of liquid liners, or indeed just fancy a dabble in them, you must try these.  They are super affordable and stay put for hours without fading or migrating.  The Grey is the safer, more versatile choice, but for something a little different, the Turquoise cannot be beaten.  I really can't recommend these liners enough and I will certainly be investigating more of the Limited Collection makeup.

5/5

Price - £4

Where to Buy - Marks and Spencer

Review: Laura Mercier Eye Kohl in Stormy Grey

As a contact lens user, I struggled for years with using eyeliner on my waterline.  It used to make my eyes feel dry, sore and just generally  uncomfortable all day so I just used to avoid using it, for fear of becoming a red-eyed mess for a day afterwards.

Recently, I have been dipping my toe back into pencil and kohl liner and Laura Mercier Eye Kohl is one that I have been enjoying using a lot.  Laura Mercier’s packaging is very simple and chic and I much prefer this to overly cutesy, retro packaging (cough, Benefit!).  Saying that, if a product is well made and performs well, I will generally buy it regardless of its packaging!

So  what about the liner itself?  The shade,  Stormy Grey,  came as as part of a gift set I procured from Space NK and is a deep, dark grey.  The pencil is very soft, as is usual with a kohl, (I hate pencils which feel like they are scratching away at your skin) and colour payoff is superb with an opaque line in one pass. 

I find this very easy to pop on first thing and find that it has been lasting throughout an entire working day.  It does tend to fade a little after about 6 hours but I was amazed that it didn’t slide around or migrate to my under eye area.

Verdict

This was my first foray into Laura Mercier Eye Kohl but it won’t be my last.  Long-lasting and kind to sensitive eyes, this was a winner for me and I’m certainly going to be looking at more of the shades in the range

5/5

Price - £15.50

Where to Buy - John Lewis  (currently out of stock but it is a permanent product so it should be restocked shortly)

Bourjois Pinceau Eyeliner in Or Neo Classique and Noir

As a relative newbie to liquid eyeliner, and indeed eyeliner in general until about 2 years ago, I didn’t want to spend a lot on something that I wasn’t sure about and wasn’t that good at applying.  I chanced upon this gold liner from Bourjois in Or Neo Classique when doing a shop on ASOS (although I can only find it in Boots now)  and as it was only £5.99, I flung it into my virtual basket with abandon.  I liked it so much I recently purchased the black version, in Noir,  which although less forgiving to my unskilled, wobbly hands, is equally fab.

The liner itself has a fairly firm, thin brush which can be used lightly for a thin line or with a slightly firmer hand for a thicker line.   As you can see from my swatches below, the gold is an almost green-tinged gold, not a yellow gold, and I have found that it looks perfect for a polished look with a neutral base (I like Bobbi Brown’s Cream Eyeshadow in Shore) and a red lip such as Mac’s Viva Glam Cindy.

It lasts ALL day without budging or smudging, even through a particularly exerting run after work, and it is very easy to apply, although it does take a while to set so be careful to wait for a minute if you need to finish applying your eye makeup.  I would also recommend wiping the brush a little before applying, as it can pick up quite a lot of product at once. 

    
Verdict

This is an excellent affordable liner which is easy to use and does not budge until you are ready to remove it.  If, like me, you are not an eyeliner pro, this is very easy to use, especially the gold shade which is more forgiving of any errors and mistakes. 

4/5

Price –£5.99

Where to buy – Boots, Superdrug, Tesco