Barmy about theBalm

So we're back with another cringey title so please excuse my latest excessive use of puns. TheBalm Cosmetics, for me, is a new brand in my collection and one that has a lot of 'talked about' products (*ahem* Mary-Lou Manizer) that are completely deserving of the hype. I have tried a selection of their products be it lip glosses, eyeshadows, blushers and highlighters - all of which have had great results. Yet, the Schwing Black Liquid Eyeliner has easily been the most outstanding. I'm a liquid liner fanatic so I rarely go a day without lining my upper lash line to the point that I actually look 'incomplete' if I go without. So, because of this, I am always on the hunt for an easy breezy liquid liner that doesn't take my upmost concentration to apply. I recently wrote a raving review of the Benefit Push Up Liner (here) and have in the past confessed my love for the Lancôme Artliner (here) - both times claiming that these are the best eyeliners I have ever used. So clearly, I am not very faithful, but I am going to throw it out there and say now that THIS eyeliner is the best I have used! I picked this up on a whim, partly because I was overwhelmed to find a stockist for theBalm products in an actual shop and not online (easily pleased I know!) and partly because I never experiment too much with my liner likes so I felt like pushing the boat out slightly. I am now very glad that I did. TheBalm Schwing liner is blacker then black with incredibly staying power and an ultra fine nib that allows to you do a flick with no major casualties. The liquid formula allows for smudging time if this is the look you are wishing to achieve but also sets quick enough to avoid that black-on-upper-lid look that sometimes occurs with other products and is the bane of my life! With a bit of pressure the flexible nib caters for all your liner needs so if you like a thin line purely to accentuate the lashes or something a little thicker - this liner is the one for you! Priced out only £13.49, the quality is an equal match to its higher end predecessors or even slightly exceeds them in some cases. I strongly recommend you check this out and find out for yourselves! If you would like to this in action check out my Instagram (here)!

Let me know what you think.

What's your favourite fool-proof liner?

Benefit's They're Real Eyeliner

This is without a doubt a revolutionary product on the Beauty Scene. Slightly over dramatic, I know but Benefit really have pulled out all the stops when it comes to their new Ultra-Black eyeliner, one of the three components to the They're Real collection. I knew right from when I saw the product spoilers that this had to be mine. I'd previously been loving Lancôme's Artliner (review here) and I was convinced that my 'perfect liner' search was over but how wrong was I. I've been lining my top lashes for a good five years now and I'm willing to say that after years of practice, I'm not too bad at it. So I don't deem it necessary to find an eyeliner that's simple and foolproof but that's not to say that the Benefit They're Real eyeliner isn't an easy invention that everyone will be able to master after a small amount of practice. Yes, it really is 'criminally easy'. I personally love the look of gel liner more then any other formula but HATE the transfer it creates when it sweats onto the underneath of my brow bone after just a few hours. Not cool! Then there's liquid, I love the easy application and the no transfer guarantee but ultra-black liquid liners that stay black all day come far and few between and that's just something I couldn't deal with. Then the Benefit heavens opened and dropped down the perfect little partner for my eyes, wrapped up in all black, sleek, quilted-patterned packaging and my 'eyeliner life' changed forever. 

Here we have a gel formula liner in a pen contraption - Brilliant, I know. The easy to hold stick along with the accu-flex nib enables one to apply eyeliner with great definition as well as the nib allows you to really get right in to that lash line. Therefore meaning thin lines or fat lines, flick or no flick, whatever you want this pen can do it! Benefit claim you need one twist from the bottom of the applicator and thats enough to get you going. Here I have to disagree. I find two to three twists brings enough product to the surface to perfect one eye and begin the other. It glides on effortlessly, ultra-black (perfect!) and then stays put ALL DAY. It's almost laughable how good the wear time is, to the point where Benefit have actually brought out a They're Real eye make up remover to help get this bad boy off. As well as its fab neighbour the They're Real mascara, another gem that doesn't budge once applied. Put it this way, I went swimming with this liner on and by the time I got out the pool the liner was still perfectly in place. There really has only been one negative I have found with this product so far and that's how quickly the nib gets clustered with dry product after most applications. Yet, one quick swipe with a wet wipe and the ultra-flexible nib is back to normal again. Not a massive issue but I felt it needed to be said!

All in all, the Benefit They're Real eyeliner is a product I have really been enjoying using right from the first application. I honestly feel like everyone needs to give this a go. I would love to know about your personal experiences with it in the comments! Now I'm going to go through and count how many times I wrote the word 'liner'. 

Let me know what you think.

What's your favourite fool-proof liner?