Basicly Excellent! (Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner)

Member Name: I-tried-this

Product:	Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner
Date:	02/10/09 (83 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to use, very easy to apply, easy to take off and gives a smooth finished look.

Disadvantages: Expensive.

Now, for the past 5 or so years, I have been wearing eyeliner daily. I have tried pencils, pens and brush-in pots. I found that I preferred the pen nibs but they dried out too quickly, pencils were great but needed constant sharpening and woe betide a cold pencil with sharp nib- ouch! Brush in pot applicators are great but can be messy to apply if you don't have something to lean on and a third arm to hold up a mirror! The type of look I go for- the sort of Lily Allen feline brush stroke effect, which needs an effortless line or you end up with a large brick of a chunk and look more like Amy Winehouse!

So, I thought I had seen them all: Bonjours, No7, Clinique, Benefit, No.17...been there, worn that and moved on. Then, by fluke, I was invited to a make-over by Bobbi Brown. Never having tried their make-up before, I sat back and watched. (Well actually I sat on the tip of my chair so the make-up person could apply and make me look more human!).
She bought along a liner. Now having used liners any times before, I could not understand the need for an eyeliner like this; it consisted of a small pot and required a brush to apply- how inconvenient- you needed to buy the brush separately- I'd never be bothered to use that! I am used to fast and easy application, easy application and even application on-the-go. She painted on the liner with such ease that I imagined she must have had her job for many years- she didn't need to yank the skin of my eye to apply, and the result was a nice clean line that I had in all my years, never achieved. I felt embarrassed at all my past failed attempts and amazed at just how excellent this looked.

Now, it came to the end of my session, and I was asked the inevitable: 'what would you like to treat yourself with today?' I had worked myself up to say "no thanks" as I am more then broke- I owe too much money! But I found myself asking how much the eyeliner was (£15) and before I knew it, I was at the till paying for it!

Knowing that once in the bag, I was unable to get a refund, I felt a little stupid- I had no brush to draw the liner on, how was I going to use this!
I hunted round stores for a brush- the one at Bobbi Brown was £20 and there was just no way I was going to pay that much- in the end it was Boots that helped out with a lip liner brush. I was worried it would not work but on first use it was excellent!

The pot itself, is 1oz. The colour I bought was Espresso Ink- (black). On first inspection, what you see resembles a pot of black coloured lip gloss. To use, you brush the brush lightly over the surface, then you see its a little denser then a lip gloss, and a matte rather then gloss. It's easy to coat the brush, and then scrape off any excess on the side of the pot. Once coated, the brush is read to use.

Now I was advised to first apply the liner in small dots along the lash line to fill in any spaces, but I just went for it, drew on a stroke. And I was amazed at just how easy it was! I'm not sure if it's the fact I'm using a longer armed brush (I did try two of them and it's just as easy with both), or the gel formula or what it is. Its such a marked difference in end result that I can't even begin to think what the difference is- its just so much better, so much more even- the line I mean, normally I get an uneven line or too thick and too thin in random paces or its not equal on each eye- well not with this- I get even results, first time, with ease and even if I do decide to wipe it off and start again (which I only did on one occasion when I decided to change my look halfway through) it also comes off with a wet wipe, very easily.

I also love the fact I can apply makeup on top almost straight away- the liner dries so fast, but just leaves enough of a surface that if you wanted to, you could easily blend it in with your eye shadow to add depth and colour to it.

Overall, I would have to give this big thumbs up. Its not cheap- but going on my normal eyeliners costing anything from £4 and up to £7 a shot, they generally last about 6 months before I can see them clogging and thickening unevenly in the pots. This gel liner looks as though it may last at least that time and most likely much more. Add this to the ease of use, the first time results and the speed of drying; I can't fault this product at all. 4.5 stars as I would have loved it more had it been cheaper!

Summary: Will be buying this again.