Everyone knows that a good liquid pen liner is a necessity - but why is it always so expensive? After the cap of my K-Palette eyeliner fell off and the pen completely dried up, I've decided to use my Innisfree Gel Liner instead because chances are I will open another $18 liner and then completely forget about it - so I'm going to use what I have already opened.
I always tend to buy gel eyeliners but I never end up using it more than a handful of times. It's because they're inconvenient. They take up more space than a regular pen or pencil liner in my make up bag, they require a bit more patience and effort than a pen/pencil liner (at least for me) and also they need constant brush washing. This is why I need my gel pots to last longer than 6 months.
When I first bought this eyeliner, I didn't really like it that much. I thought it was too wet. Whenever I applied it, it would get on my bottom lash line as well. However, after two months, it has dried slightly to a less wet version that is still smooth, pigmented, and easy to work with. It is now my favorite gel eyeliner.
Claims:
- flawless expression of lines
- Free System: doesn't contain any harmful chemicals so you can use the product around sensitive areas
- contains green tea extract to sooth the skin
It comes housed in a square plastic container with a simple white lid. Innisfree offers two colors - brown and black. Since I already own a lot of brown eyeliners - I went for the black. You can not go wrong with either colors though. In fact, since I've grown to love this gel liner so much - I've decided that I am going to get the brown as well. Although It doesn't say how much product is in the container, it seems like quite a lot.
(It contains 9g. Source: cosmetic-love website)
BanilaCo Eyelove eyeliner (left) - 1 swipe , Innisfree Eco Gel Liner (right) - 3 swipes
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*Update - February 9th 2014
It's been almost three months since I made this post and six months atfter opening this product so I would like to do an update on how the product is doing.
I have to say, this gel liner is still holding strong. The texture and quality of the product is still the same as it was back three months ago at the time of this post. It's still very creamy, pigmented and smooth. It hasn't dried out at all and I haven't encountered any problems with it yet. I still have tons of product left as well.
Here are some updated swatches: Innisfree Eco Gel Liner in Black
Please keep in mind that this picture is extremely zoomed up. On my hand, the one swipe looks pretty darn solid and pigmented. You may see some shine on the multiple swipes swatches - that is because the product was freshly swatched and is still somewhat wet.
It's very mess free on the waterline. You can blot your liner brush on your hand to remove excess product to get a clean line.
I've also bought the one in Brown now. That's why there are a few new pictures added onto this post.
Swatches of the Innisfree Eco Gel Liner in Brown
You can read the review for the Innisfree Eco Gel Liner in Brown here.
*end of update
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Consistency:
Initially it was just as creamier than the Tony Moly Backstage Gel Liners, but now that it has dried a bit it is a bit thicker. It's still very smooth, creamy and easy to work with,
Performance:
Initially, it was too wet for me although it was still pigmented but after two months, it is now the perfect consistency for me to use. Not too wet, yet smooth and pigmented that I can have more control over it yet still produce a very pigmented line with just one swipe. The liner is a dark and solid black - not gray or watery at all, yet is doesn't crunch or clump as some other liners do. It is intense enough that I can replace my liquid eyeliner with it and soft enough to replace my pencil liners. It takes a minute to dry but once it's dry, it will not budge. While it is still wet, you can smudge out the line for a softer pencil effect.
There is no information as to whether this is smudgeproof, waterproof, or water resistent. However, it has stayed on my eyes for a decent amount of time without smudging or running. I swiped a line on my liner and even after washing my hands and rubbing my hands, the line was still there.
I wore this out and I saw very very slight smudging after 5 hours. Keep in mind, I've only encountered one eyeliner that hasn't smudge on me. I like to use this product on my upper waterline. Although the liner isn't as perfect as when it was first applied, quite a bit of it stays on the waterline even by the end of the day which is more than I can say for most of the eyeliners, gel or pencil, that I own. The thick consistency of it makes it easy to tightline cleanly. If you blink right after application, the product will smudge but once it sets, it won't really budge,
I've only had this product for 2-3 months so I'm not really sure how long it would take for this product to dry up. If you tend to use gel liner everyday, then you might definitely use your money's worth before it dries.
What I Love About It:
- very intensely pigmented
- very water resistent
- affordable
- soft and smooth
- large amount of product
- easy to use
- stays on my waterline better than any other gel liner
what I Don't Love About It:
- initially it was too wet for me to use (personal preference)
Score: A
This is my favorite gel liner and it's probably one of the most underrated gel liners in Korea. I think in terms of what it has to offer - it is definitly one of the best affordable gel eyeliners in the market. If you are looking for a great basic black or brown liner to tightline with, I recommend this over the Tony Moly Backstage Gel Liners beause it is more pigmented and lasts longer. I would buy this again, even if I have to wait 1-2 months after opening - that is how much I love this product.
