The truth is, I'm actually a late bloomer. Back in High School, dressing up meant getting the first thing on top of my boring pile of shirts and wearing chuck taylors to pair with my non-skinnies. A tomboy, as I would describe it, and believed that make up is too girly for my body to handle. But of course, with the constant peer pressure from my friends telling me to start taking interest about makeup and Pete Wentz sporting dark rimmed eyes, I thought I might give it a chance. I was a sophomore when I had my first pencil eyeliner (from Personality Development class, yes, it exists) and that Nivea Lip balm everyone used to have. My younger self fell in love quite instantly, and continued on buying the same pencil liner until fourth year high school.
Hallyu wave hit me during my first year of college, and I guess that was the time I really started collecting make up-primarily korean brands like etude house, tony moly and face shop. Of course, eyeliners were on top of my list and I guess I pretty much tried majority of what those shops had to offer.
Liquid liners became my best friend, and I just couldn't go out of the house without lining my eyes. I know, it sounds really petty but trust me. I'm really insecure and wearing eyeliner makes me feel better, prettier. I don't see like it's a problem or anything. whatever. You see, I thought nothing could separate me from my liquid liners-well, not until I met "gel liners."
I got my first gel liner last December while Maybelline's having this 30 % off sale in Robinsons Manila. I was with my friends that time, and it just so happens that my friend was in the middle of shopping for makeup. We passed by the Maybelline booth, and I eternally screamed when I found out about the sale.
My first pen liner was from Maybelline as well (they take pride on their eye make up products like eyeliners/eye shadow/mascara and I believe everyone's raving about it on the web) and they're quite pricey for my "student's low-budgeted wallet." As much as I wanted to get another pen liner, I thought of getting the gel liner instead because I've been hearing good reviews about the product. So yes, after minutes of intense pressure and weighing of pros and cons, I decided to close my eyes and buy it! Haha!
(click read more to see full review!) Product name: Maybelline 36Hr Lasting Drama Gel Liner
Price: Php 449 ( slash 30% since it was sale so it's Php 315 I think)
Okay, I was really confused when I opened the package because the pictures I saw before had a different packaging. The one I got was in plastic, while the ones I saw online had a glass tub.
But then, after stumbling across someone else's blog, they said that they redesigned the liner and decided to omit the glass tub since most people were saying it's such a pain and adds weight to their makeup kit. Plus, it's somehow a new formula so it lasts longer. :)
The Gel Liner comes with a travel-size eye liner brush that comes with a cap. I think there are two colors for this one, but yeah, I got the black 01 because I sort of like that deep, dramatic eye-look para mataray ang peg lol! (english: fierce look)
The Claims:The box says, "New improved formula: more intense, up to 34h lasting and smudge + water proof." Well, that's pretty straight to the point.
Swatch:
I've swatched it on my hand and made different strokes for you to see how easy it glides on my skin. The brush is both a blessing and a burden because it's so easy to use and it doesn't fall out. The only thing I find so troublesome is that I have to wash the brush completely because the gel liner tends to harden and that might ruin my brush.
You can see that it is insanely black! Building up the color is easy, but the more you add, the longer time it would set. If you want a shinier, more precise-looking eyeliner, I would suggest liquid liners.
Performance:
Did I mention that it's great for waterlines and lower lashlines? YES. Gone are the days where you'd get panda eyes because of your pencil liners! I doesn't smudge even if you accidentally scratch your eyes or something! Though, I haven't really tried crying my eyes out to check if it's water proof.
In summary..
Did the product stick to it's claim? YES. This has become my new staple, wearing it whenever I go out and it hasn't failed me!
What are the pros for this product?- long lasting
- easy to use esp for beginners
- comes with a brush that's also very nice
- easy to remove with soap and water or facial cleanser
- readily available in the malls
- cheap. come to think about it, 400+ bucks isn't so bad because the product outweighs the good stuff than the bad. plus, there's a lot of product that can suffice for at least a year.
- the more product you put, the longer time it sets.
- brush cleaning :/ sorry, i'm just really lazy.
- can't use this on rush hour like my pen liners because it takes a lot of concentration to get it right.
Will i repurchase? Definitely, that is, if I'd be able to finish the product! haha!
In totality, I'm pretty much in love with this product and I think I'll lay off the liquid liners for a while. It's perfect for everyday use and it really does help make your eyes look prettier and well defined. :) If you're starting out, I strongly recommend this product because it's really easy to use!
Well, I guess here ends my first review for the year! Hoping for more reviews to post in the future! Stay tuned~ ciao x
