Cheap Trick: Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner Pencil

The other day, I was trying to get away with a more 'natural' look. Not that I look like a crazy makeup-lady (at least I don't think I do!)-- but once in a while, I want to be just fresh-faced and fancy free. Well, I guess the reason I have a specific eyeliner and mascara routine is that I look washed out when I don't follow it. 

Case in point or point in case (I always get those 2 mixed up):

 The other day, while hawking ButterCream Bands, actually-- and after having all my friends express concern over my health and let me know I looked extremely tired, I slipped away from our little booth and ran to the nearest RiteAid hoping to pick up some cheapie Wet 'N Wild type of eyeliner to re-define my eyes. While there, I remembered that long ago I used to use Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Brown when I wanted to have a fresh, no fuss look while still feeling pulled together. I think the days of me surviving on brown are over (I was also really into um-- being a blonde at the time. It was a different life).  Anyway I spent the $7.99 (and P.S.: You can buy it for about $7 online) and remembered how much I liked this little cheap trick when I was in a rush or on the run. 

First off, let me tell you all the drawbacks (which is why I stopped using it on a daily basis as my main squeeze):

 The tip starts out sharp, but dulls over time, so even if you sharpen it with the weird built-in it comes with, you still get a sort of fat line. 

It sort of still runs and it also kind of "crumbles and crusts" around my bottom lashes (but a lot of eyeliners that are waterproof do this, so it's just a general waterproof drawback). 

Once you apply it-- and say you mess up on the line above your lashes-- you have a very small window of time to blend out the pencil. Hence, there is a lot of 'correction' you have to do (use makeup remover, let dry, the re-set etc.). 

Now, the reason I call it my cheap trick:

When you don't have time to apply something from a little pot (like the Bobbi Brown Gel Liner or SmashBox's Waterproof Jet Liner)-- and you need something on-the-go, that you won't cry a river over if you lose it, this is the liner for you. 

If you like a fat, crayon line and you want relatively strong wear, this is the eyeliner for you. 

If you work long hours, don't want to drag around a ton of makeup everywhere, but want to take your professional look to a more defined evening look,  (like say you want to get the inner rims of your eyes lined while out and about), this is the liner for you. 

The wear on it is good. Not exceptional, but really good for the price. 

It's a great little thing to keep in the makeup arsenal. If you recall, I barely carry around any makeup (except a compact I recently bought and about 5 tubes of sheer glosses-- lots of which are samples!). But I think I might add this to my minimalist arsenal, just in case I ever look "tired" and need to use a little carbon black pencil to make me look less fatigued and more 'smokey-eyed.'

Tricky Kisses!

S.