Category Archives: gel

Eyeliner Basics

Eye liner is very tricky. And can be very messy. For years I have been using liquid liner. I tend to migrate towards make-up that stays on for extended periods of time, and liquid liner generally lasts all day. A lot of women don’t trust themselves with something that is akin to a sharpie on their face. I totally understand. I didn’t start using liner in liquid form until after college. Somehow these two things are correlated. Maybe.
Regardless of which form of liner you are using, I have probably, at some point, tried it. Here is a list of some of the best working ones, along with my newest favorite at the bottom.
For those still using pencil:
Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner
It is a pencil, and comes off as such, but feels very soft. That is one of the things that I hated most about pencils: they felt like you had to dig them into your skin. However the softness is due to a more creamy texture, which does tend to smear a bit.
Covergirl Perfect Blend Pencil
This can be used for the dramatic lines, but can also be blended for a more smoky effect. I like to have the straight lines at the bottom and reserve the blending for up top. However, I have seen some women do the smoky lines at the bottom corners, and it can look very nice.
Maybelline Eye Studio Master
This is great for long lasting pencil lines. It can be used to create a smoky effect, but quite a bit of rubbing is involved since it tends to not blend or smear easily.
For those using liquid liner:
Milani Infinite Liquid Eyeliner
This one takes a little bit of getting used to since the texture is different from other liners, but I love the look of it (their mauve shades are incredible). It dries fairly quickly so there is very little room for error, but unlike some of the other liners it comes off with a quick rinse.
Almany Intense i-Color Liquid Liner
It goes on like regular liquid liner, and feels like it too (in case you are worried about using anything with a strange texture). I was not a fan of the brush it comes with, and actually used a different one. But that was a personal preference.
Not a pencil, but not liquid:
Revlon Colorstay Crème Gel Eyeliner
I knew gel liners were becoming a thing, but I just started using one last week. And it is my new favorite. It comes in a little pod and you use the brush to scoop it up and apply. This too takes a bit of getting used to, but the effect is wonderful. I haven’t yet mastered creating dramatic lines, so it looks like I am making my eyes super smoky. I wasn’t trying to, but I think I love it.

I Got My Nails Done – With A Story

I got my nails done today, and following the nail process tradition, there is of course a story to go along with it.
So I am going to a wedding tomorrow, which is what prompted this nail doing business. I went with a friend to this nail place, and opted to get the fancy gel stuff done again. Last time, despite the ridiculous price, the nails turned out really well, and they lasted for three weeks. So what the heck, I don’t do this often, therefore I did it again. Once more, they turned out very nice. I am happy with the end result.
However, I did not plan my primping very well. I planned to get my nails done this morning, followed by coming home and dying my hair myself. Because I wasn’t going to spend a small fortune on two salon experiences. What I had forgotten is that this gel treatment has a very bad reaction with hair dye. Last time, unaware of this, I did my hair a few days after my nails and the dye totally stained my nails, and would not come off. So my nails were no longer the color I had originally intended. It wasn’t horrible, but still I was unhappy.
This time, just as I was mixing the hair dye in the little plastic tube I fortunately remembered, and in my paranoia I put on several pairs of plastic gloves. I was super careful, and even bagged my hands while washing my hair to avoid any accidents. I was afraid of what might happen if the red hair dye even came into contact with my nails for a few seconds in the shower.
I was very proud of myself when I emerged form the process with my nails looking as perfect as they were before doing my hair. Then I looked in the mirror. I was so preoccupied with maintaining my nails I did not take into account the red hair dye that was getting spilled all over my neck and shoulders. After the dye sat on my skin for about 45 minutes it stained my skin.
And tomorrow I am wearing a strapless dress to the wedding.
I now have fabulous hair and nails. And my upper body looks like I tried to self tan very poorly with orange streaks all over the place.
In conclusion, I am a genius.