You know, when you’re immersed in beauty and seeing the newest and latest come out in the beauty scene week after week, you quite often get … for want of a better word… jaded. Let’s be honest. It takes A LOT to wow me these days. Otherwise it’s usually “Yes, that’s pretty but haven’t we already seen something similar?”
So, when I tell you that here’s a product that made me sit up and pay attention about 2 months ago, you betcha it’s something quite impressive. And it’s coming out of left field for me because it’s coming from Bobbi Brown, a brand from which I never quite expected a product that leaves me absolutely BURSTING to tell you all about it! 😀
Even better when it’s a product that isn’t all that revolutionary – eyeliner. How much more revolutionary can you get?! Ah but these Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Gel Eyeliners are so good!
Imagine if you will, the smoothness and lasting power of the iconic Bobbi Brown Longwear Gel Liners but in a pencil form. No more faffing about with brushes and little tiny pots. Just twist, swipe and go! Not new right? True. But these stay on all day long, all through a vigorous house cleaning session and a quick yoga workout. Now how many eyeliners can boast that? 😀
The Perfectly Defined Gel Eyeliner is new from the Bobbi Brown stables and I was first introduced to it in a preview by BB Makeup Artist, Kai Vinson a few months back. He showed me this new product and used Pitch Black to line my eyes. The colour is truly, as the name implies, a pitch black! If you’re looking for a true black liner, this is it! I have been waiting for these to launch since then because I just knew, I was going to go crazy!
There are 6 colours available, of which I was sent 2 by the lovely folks at Bobbi Brown Malaysia, and the minute I knew they were out at counters, I ran off to buy another 2. I couldn’t decide on the balance 2 which is why I only have 4 for now, but they are permanent so I have time to decide 😀
This operates like a retractable pencil liner. Twist it up to expose enough product to draw a line and then twist it back to avoid breaking. My advise is not to twist up too much, because it can and will break off and that will be heart breaking because they are rather pricey.
When they come brand new as you see from Pitch Black and Sapphire, the tip is fairly sharp so you can draw a thin line very easily. Scotch and Violet Night are used and have been sharpened (a little more on that below) so you don’t get as precise an appearance.
Bobbi Brown calls these Gel Eyeliners, and if you can imagine, they are rather like the gel liners but in pencil form as opposed to being in a pot. The product is very creamy and very pigmented and it draws a line very smoothly on skin, without skipping or tugging at your lid.
The best part is their lasting power. I’m serious, it’s incredible! After Kai used it on me, I went home, cleaned my house (yes, with a full face on makeup on – you mean you don’t do that? 😛 ) and then did a quick half an hour session of yoga. When I went to clean off my makeup, I was quite stunned that after all the vigorous activity, I only have the mildest of smudges under my eyes. For the most part, the eyeliner was intact. That takes a hell of a lot of doing!
If you apply it on your hand (though I’m not sure why you will) you will realise just how hard it is to remove it. You do need a waterproof eye makeup remover or cleansing oil for this one so take note of that!
Here are the swatches of the colour I own in relative natural light drawn with just 1 swipe down my hand. I’ll describe it for you thus:-
- Pitch Black – a matte deep black
- Violet Night – a deep violet with some shimmer
- Sapphire – a matte deep dark sapphire blue
- Scotch – a medium toned brown with shimmer
Scotch and Sapphire are colours you can wear on their own without any eye makeup and with Scotch, if you apply a thick line and blend out the edges, you can even wear it like a cream eyeshadow. It makes the colour very versatile and I like wearing it that way. On its own.
Violet Night looks like a black when you draw it on, except that there is some shimmer (not as much as in Scotch) and gives a softer appearance as opposed to black. Pitch Black is as the name implies, a deep dark black. As you can see, the pigment is very strong and the texture is very smooth and creamy. Absolutely freaking fabulous!
Here are some swatches I took in store under store lighting. The other 2 colours are:-
- Steel Grey – a medium toned matte dark grey
- Chocolate Truffle – a matte dark brown
I may pass on Steel Grey but I may go back and get Chocolate Truffle. The reason I didn’t was that I wasn’t sure if I already had it or Scotch but it turned out I had Scotch! Chocolate Truffle reminds me of the pot gel liner in Sepia, which is a colour I used to the last bits. The reason I stopped using them was mostly due to the hassle having to use a proper brush etc etc. But now with this, it’s just a twist, swipe and go!
I must say however that although it is pretty much budge proof, I do get some shadow on my lower lid when I use it on my lower lash line, to tightline and when I squeeze my eyes shut when I sneeze or laugh a lot. If I don’t do all that, I’m pretty much smudge free for most of the day.
The thin nib allows you to apply the product very close to your lash line so tightlining isn’t quite necessary, and the tip also allows you to do a cat eye flick if you like that. I will say however, that for a more precise line, the pot gel liner and a brush does a smoother, cleaner job but this pencil gel liner version makes it more convenient.
I do find that it blunts very easily and I only found out in store that the back end hides a mini sharpener! So if you want a sharp tip, you can sharpen it quite easily. This explains how I got the Scotch and Violet Night to have the tip again, in the picture above. They were already flat 😀
The other down side to the price is that I forsee it to finish quickly if you use it often. The texture is so soft that drawing on your liner results in this being used up fairly quickly. Of course, if you just draw a thin line and not thickly line to define it’ll last longer than someone who does, but it’s a point to note.
Otherwise, this my friends, has me bouncing up and down in my seat with glee at its arrival. If Bobbi Brown discontinues this, I think I’ll cry. And my eyeliner wouldn’t budge even then 😉
In a nutshell
The Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Gel Eyeliner is a pencil version of the pot gel liners that the brand is famous for. I like how creamy they are and how easy they are to use. It is thin enough that you can get close to your lash line and draw in a nice strong line and there is a hidden sharpener at the back to allow you to get a sharp nib if you want. The colours are fairly dark and incredibly pigmented and opaque. One pass is all you really need especially with colours like Pitch Black or Violet Night. For me, they last and last through sweat and tears and thus far, have been the only product to have truly wowed me. Absolutely worth trying, if dark, pigmented, budgeproof liners are your thing!
Pros: Longlasting, Deep dark pigmented colours, Creamy and soft, No tugging or skipping on skin, Easy to use, Mini sharpener allows you to get a fresh sharp tip if you want, Budge-proof
Cons: Pricey, Soft texture results in you using up more product more quickly
Who will like this: Anyone who has trouble using pencil eyeliner, Anyone who wants a deep dark black liner, Anyone who likes using gel liner but wants something in a more convenient packaging
Here’s an idea of what it might look like when worn. I wore Violet Night here (you can’t even see the shimmer although you can in Scotch) and this is the same look in this post if you want to get an idea of an overall look. If the nib is blunt, it’s harder to get a defined cat eye flick, so for that, the pot gel version might be a better way to go.
Am I raving too much? I am aren’t I? I’m all *flaps hands* “Oh gawd! These are like, you know, the bestest liners everrrrr!!” Ok I’ll shut up now 😛
Does this product interest you? Do you like the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner?
I used to have Sepia, Cobalt and Hunter. The one I used up eventually was Sepia but I found having to use brush daily was a hassle so I never repurchased. It might interest you to note that I’ve replaced my old HG pencil liner (Guerlain Kohl pencil liner) with this one, and I tightline with the Wayne Goss Brush 8. Yes, it’s that good! 😀
Paris B
Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Gel Eyeliner comes in 6 shades: Pitch Black, Sapphire, Violet Night, Scotch, Chocolate Truffle and Steel Grey Price: RM90 Availability: Bobbi Brown counters and stores
lin elier says
If u like long wear gel liner in pen form, I recommend you try out KATE gel liner in black. Same concept, overall but without the sharpeners Bcoz….the tip/rod is so thin, 2-3mm diameter, so u need not the sharpeners! I could do tightlining n lining between lashes in a breeze! The best part, is the price. These things, finishes fast…so having the price less than rm40 is perfect. I go nuts stocking up during their sale. Trust me Paris, go n try it out. Staying power is not bad. Though I suspect BB may be more superior at rm90.
Paris B says
Thanks for the rec for Kate Lin 🙂 I knew they had an eyeliner in a pot but I didn’t know they had one in pencil form too. Will take a look the next time I head out to the pharmacy. I like the Kate liner for tightlining though, the 3-pronged one? It’s super cute and efficient!
Tine @ Beautyholics Anonymous says
Hmm your Holy Grail eh? That’s it, I gotta get one and try! 😀
Angela says
Hi Paris! Have you tried the Clio Gelpresso pencils? They are exactly like these Bobbi Brown ones but much cheaper and they DO NOT SMUDGE. Not even when I press my eyelids together (and I have very oily lids). Most of the colours do have shimmer though so I’m not sure if you’d like them @@ even the black has gold shimmer @@ But I just thought I’d share because I love those to bits =D I’ve collected four and I’m not stopping ^^
Paris B says
Haha you’re about the 3rd or 4th person to ask me in this post if I’ve tried Clio pencils and I haven’t but I guess I should? 😀 I’m not crazy about having shimmer in eyeliners but we’ll see how I like it. I’ll try to find them but I can’t remember where I’ve seen them before. If it’s Sasa then the chances are I won’t have coz I don’t like going in there LOL
Victoria says
You can find it in Watson. It looks exactly like the Bobbi Brown ones. Unfortunately the black liner from Clio has golden shimmers which I really do not like. I definitely would prefer if they were just black 🙂
Paris B says
Ah I’ll have to keep my eyes open the next time I’m in Watson’s then. Someone mentioned it contains shimmer and I’m like you. If it’s a black pencil I’d prefer if it was just plain black. I’m more adventurous with other colours
Sze Ling says
Major enabling post!
Now I’m glad I hold back on getting the Smashbox retractable liner during the recent Sephora sale. I can now get these without feeling guilty. 😀
I’m thinking Sapphire and Chocolate Truffle. Or maybe Scotch. How I wish they have an olive green one too. I have a weak spot for that kind of colors. 😛
Paris B says
Hahaha I do hope you like it Sze Ling. I’m now so scared that people go and buy it and then it smudges everywhere >.< Now that you mention Olive Green liner, reminds me of some pretty ones I had way back from Silkygirl. Gosh, those were awesome!
kel says
Just when I thought I found my HG of eyeliners (some jap brand sold in BHG) im so heading to the nearest bb counter during lunch today…hahah…
Paris B says
Oh dear I hope it works for you Kel – do let me know if it lasts? I’m deathly afraid now that it’s only working for me LOL
Jamie says
I swear you are psychic! I was just lamenting, rather dramatically mind you, how panda my current eyeliner was making me and I read this post. I shall have to pay a visit to Bobbi Brown counters this weekend I am in KL.
Dang you, Ipoh! Nothing good beauty wise ever comes here, well … maybe except Dior :p
Paris B says
Ahhh I do hope the Bobbi Brown liner works for you Jamie 🙂 Take care to only use it on the upper line though. I do find it can still leave shadows when used to tightline or on the waterline. For me anyway. Oh I heard there’s a Chanel in Ipoh now so you’re getting there! 😀 Hope you enjoy your trip to KL 🙂
Sam Still Reading says
Oh wow, this is what I need! Hardly ever do gel eyeliner on work days because the brush takes too long (and I’m not willing to get up earlier!). Must go look this week!
Paris B says
I hope it’ll work for you! I too gave up on using gel liner coz of the brush thing. Takes too long for me to get it right 😛
Angela says
I find mine at Watsons 😀 They’re about RM45 each. I don’t know how they fare in the tightline (since you prefer tightlining) but on the lid they are fantastic! 😀
Ting says
This looks so similar to L’Oreal’s Gelmatique gel liner! I have one in bronze and absolutely loving it. Having said that, Violet Night looks tempting!! 😀 Yep definitely interesting. Now we don’t have to worry about product shrivel up in the little glass pot, do we? :p
Paris B says
Oh wait, L’Oreal has something similar? Now I’m curious. I haven’t been out trawling beauty stuff in what seems like YEARS! I know, I’m slacking on my “duties” haha And yes, I absolutely hate it when cream/gel products dry out. I’ve told myself I am not allowed to buy anymore cream shadows or stuff like that because I don’t use them often enough and then they harden and shrivel and I have to toss anyway. Bah
Ting says
Yes, L’Oreal has one, even packaging is similar (although the cap is plastic). If you can’t find it there, let me know so I’ll bring for you next month. 🙂
kel says
So funny that the SA didnt even know it has a sharpener at the end. Told me that it can get quite blunt so its not so suitable for tightlining. Instead she ask me to use my fingers to ‘mould’ it before using it if I want it sharper..haha
Paris B says
OMG LOL! After seeing the training that SAs go through, I can safely say she wasn’t paying attention in class! I hope you showed her the sharpener to educate her? 😛
Gerrine Huang says
Hi, have u tried solone eyeliner (smoody pencil) Its a taiwan brand. Its smudge proof. I have oily lids n its the only pencil liner that does not smear on me
Paris B says
Hi Gerrine, no I haven’t tried as I haven’t come across it before but it’s great to know it works for you! Isn’t it great to find one that works? 😀
kel says
To be honest, I wasnt paying any attention to her coz I just wanted to grab it and go..after I came home & I thought about what she said then I realise she wasnt that educated with the product.
On another note..it works like a charm…I can even apply it on my lower eye and it wont make a panda at the end of the day!!
Oh my new HG!!! Thanks p!!!
Paris B says
HURRAH! Happy that it works for you even on your lower lid! I can’t wear it on my lower lid because it does smudge a little but it allows me to line my top lid properly now without worry of smudging 😀