Maybelline Lasting Drama Black Shock 36h Gel Liner

While Benefit's They're Real Push-up Liner caused quite a splash, Maybelline quietly released their version of what looks to me pretty much the same product. What they hoped to achieve was to create an eyeliner with a gel formula that doesn't require a separate brush, rather it has a build-in silicone nib to do the job. Well, they certainly got the formula right, but the application method needs some improvement.

It's a twist-up eyeliner and the product comes out of the silicone nib, however, there is no way that you can apply it straight on the lid, but you have to apply it on the back of the hand first, get the nib covered with the product and then go ahead to do the line. The fact that you need to apply the product on the back of the hand means that there is a lot of wasted product which I'm not to happy about. The nib has a nice shape that due to the diagonal cut enables to create a flick very easily. I managed to do a very thin line, however, it took a lot of time and patience, so it's more of a liner you'd use to create a thick line. The problem is that it is incredibly difficult to create a super sharp, even line, instead it's more like a diffused line on the edges, which is not a bad look, but I'm just warning you that's it's not as precise as felt tip or liquid liners. 

The formula is a complete winner for me. It's intensely black and stays on like nobody's business. I even tested it on my holidays and I can confirm it is pretty much waterproof, though I wouldn't exactly go snorkelling with it. It is almost impossible to remove it without an oil based remover, micellar water removes it just partly and it smudges everywhere, so for that reason, I would advise you use a sticky tape on the back of the hand during application or a small plastic plate (even an old DVD is nice), since it's ridiculously hard to remove it from the skin and you wouldn't want to walk around with a black smudge on your hand all day (soap hardly touches it).

I don't want to show you just the eyeliner looks came out nice, but also when the application wasn't the best. The fact is that it's a hard product to work with and I want to show you what to expect. I spent a lot of time applying it, but I just couldn't get the edges even, however, from far away it really wasn't that noticeable.

I love the formula and I plan to check out whether their pot version is the same one. The silicone nib was a lovely idea, however, it leaves much to be desired. The ability to do flicks easily is nice, however, it takes a lot of time and faffing around to apply it decently and I really wish the application would be smoother as well as more even. This is not an eyeliner for beginners or for those with little patience and I still prefer my L'Oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim for a quick and precise application, but I like this for those days when I want my eyeliner to stay all day.

At 13 € it's not the cheapest liner, but it's worth checking out if you're looking for a very long lasting formula and are prepared to put more effort into application. By the way, it's not available in Slovenia yet, so check for it online or in other countries.

Have a great day!