With so many beauty launches each month it’s easy to forget about those good old staple products. Pencil eyeliners have been around for ages and are a must for every makeup bag as they can be used for various classic makeup looks. I don’t tend to spend a lot on eye pencils and neither should you. The drugstore has plenty of affordable but decent options to choose from and today I’d like to discuss two options from Rimmel that I’ve been using for years.
Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal
The Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal is one of the showpieces of the Rimmel brand and it has been for years. I don’t use eye liner that much but with 3 colours in my collection it’s safe to say this is my favourite drugstore eye pencil and I recommend this to anyone who’s really into makeup or just getting started. 001 Black is such a nice intensely pigmented matte black, 002 Sparkling Black is a beautiful dark grey with glitters that is perfect for a more festive look and then there’s 005 Nude, a matte nude colour that will instantly open up the eye when placed on the waterline.
The texture is incredibly creamy and smooth so the eyes don’t get dragged or irritated and yet they set really nicely on the skin. They’re waterproof and last a couple of hours before needing to reapply. My eyes are very watery, but these manage to hold on pretty well, better than the Exaggerate ones which I will discuss below.. The only downside I would say is that you have to sharpen them to be able to maintain a precise application. I find sharpening such a messy and product-wasting thing to do. I wish Rimmel would release this formula in a twist-up pencil.
Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer
The Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer has everything I’m missing in the Scandaleyes pencils: A retractable twist-up liner with a built-in sharpener and smudger at the end. No waste of product or having to bother looking for a sharpener with this one, which makes it a good option for traveling.
I have the colours 212 Rich Brown, a rich cool toned matte dark brown and 220 Perfect Plum, a beautiful metallic cool purple. The latter is a beautiful shade for the F/W season but I’ve recently discovered as I was planning to repurchase that this colour isn’t available anymore. Both pencils have a soft, creamy texture that helps them glide on smoothly and leave an intense colour. A little less intense than the Scandaleyes, but still really nicely pigmented. Rimmel promises a waterproof formula that lasts up to 10 hours, but as a person with contact lenses and sensitive watery eyes, I find this didn’t apply to me.
In case your makeup kit doesn’t have an eye pencil yet, I’d recommend to pick up the following neutrals before going all out with bold bright colours or finishes: an intense black for a wing or smokey eye, a brown for a more natural subtle look and a nude that opens up the eye (don’t use white, that’s too harsh). And as it happens to be, Rimmel offers all of the 3 options in the Scandaleyes line.
Do you use pencil liners? What are your favourite ones?
Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal – 7,50 €
Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer – 7,50 €
Available at the drugstore.
Disclaimer: Products were purchased.