Fall Must-Have: Little Black Liquid Liner

Love this look! Louis Vuitton 2007

Liquid liner has been lingering for a few seasons and this Fall is no different. From plum, to navy, to classic black liquid liner is the way to make a beauty statement. Just like an LBD, liquid liner can be worn so many ways. Wing it out, keep it subtle, or make it dramatic with a sexy kitty-cat eye.

Liquid liner is one of those beauty products most women shy away from. I get it - liquid liner can be intimidating and not the easiest beauty product to use. As a beauty expert, I think every woman should own a LBLL. All it takes to go from girl-next-door to drop-dead-glamourous is all in the swipe of a line. But not all LBLL's are created equal. I tested out 3 that are hot on the market - see which one came out on top!

1. L'Oreal Paris Telescopic Explosion Waterproof Eyeliner ($9 + CDN): This liner has a lot of good and a lot of bad going for it.

The good: The slanted felt-tip brush allows for ease of application. I found it really easy to achieve a thin or thick line. It didn't smear or smudge on me and is the cheaper of the 3 liners.

The bad: When you first apply, the formula is way too runny and wet. Even after shaking the bottle, it was still too runny. At the same time, the liner also dried fairly quickly causing a lot of gaps and making it difficult to work the line across the eye. I found this especially annoying when using on my clients. Even though it was smear-proof, I found if you rubbed your eye it would rub off. I believe this has to do with the shiny plastic-like finish. Taking off the liner was a mess because it came off much like a tube mascara.

2. Hourglass Calligraphy Liquid Liner ($32 USD): There's a lot that I love about this liner!

The good: The packaging is chic and shaped like a marker. My grip was comfortable and the felt-tip liner made it really easy to line the eye and wing out. The brush is more on the firm side but that's usually how I like it. Less chance of making a mistake - at least for me that is. The moisturizing formula dries much like a marker does and really "hugs" the lash line. I also love the matte finish. I wore it while working a 17 hour day on-set and it didn't smear or move all day. Bonus: it's formulated without Sulfates, Synthetics, Phthlates! 

The bad: The price! $32 USD is a lot of money to spend on a liner when there are cheaper ones that are better or comparable. Once this runs out, I'm not sure I'll be dishing out money to purchase it!

3. Benefit Magic Ink Liquid Liner ($20 USD): I have to admit, I had low expectations for this liner. My experience with Benefit mascaras and the waterproof pencil liner have been a smeary-mess. I've also never been a fan of liquid liners with a thin brush, but the results left me pleasantly surprised!

The good: You want jet-black? Then look no further. The black is really black. The finish is the perfect balance between shiny and matte and it has some serious staying-power. It does not budge at all! Don't be fooled by this tiny little brush. I thought it would be flimsy but it is firm with some flexibility. I can get really close to the lash line and build the line to my desired thickness without it moving all over the place. It dried pretty quickly but allowed enough time to work it across the lash line. The price is also pretty reasonable and a good compromise between the L'Oreal and Hourglass liners. And as always, it comes with a mini-tutorial on how to line your eyes using the "jimmy-jimmy-dot" method. Say it aloud and make a dot every time you say "dot". Dot for natural looking volume or connect the dots for a sleek line.

The bad: Nothing really but I find with most liners that have a similar brush it's hard not to get the formula on the lashes. My lashes end up sticking together and I have to clean them off right away before applying my mascara to avoid a clumpy mess. Otherwise, I pretty much love it! 

Tip: The best way to achieve a smooth line and symmetrical shape is to sweep the brush across using short strokes. I don't know about you but my hand can get shaky so using a short stroke helps. Another great trick is to create a guideline using an angled brush and a black powder shadow. This way you can avoid mistakes and wing out your liner that much easier.

Have you tried these liners? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em?

Products were sent for editorial consideration.