Pencil, Gel, and Liquid Eyeliner: What's the Difference?

Hello, dear readers! Today I will be discussing the differences between pencil, cream/gel, and liquid eyeliner. What makes them distinct, and how you use them. Read more after the jump! :)


First off, pencil eyeliner is good for beginners. Pencil liners can come in kohl, or straight out pencil. It's very popular, and this is the eyeliner most teenagers start out with. I think my first was a Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner Pencil. Pencil eyeliners don't last very long, the most I've gotten out of one is 3 hours. It's good for smudging, but not a straight and smooth line. I have a lot though, some in black, in brown, charcoal, and blue. They come in a variety of many colors. Truthfully, they aren't my favorite. But I always like my occasional kohl. In summary:

Pros:
-Most all pencil eyeliners are easy to use on the waterline
-Come in a variety of colors
-Easy to use, can erase any unwanted lines with a wet Q-tip
-Able to smudge to create smokey looks

Cons:
-Can easily break
-Have to be sharpened countlessly
-Don't last very long
-Not the eyeliner for smooth, sharp lines.
-Can be rough if not a good formula


So, I kind of love gel/cream liner. So much. It's very versatile, you can use it on your waterline, you can use it for dramatic, or even everyday looks. If you wiggle it into your lash line (otherwise known as tight-lining), you can get subtle, yet bigger and defined eyes. It's a good trick to make your lashes also look longer and more intense. They also come in a variety of colors, and you can get multiple pots without a bunch of pencils lying scattered around. But, you have to get a specific brush for gel liner, usually a small pointed brush or an angled eyeliner brush. I would invest in a good angled eyeliner brush for lining under your eyes with eyeshadow as well. It has multiple uses. It's very long lasting, and most of them are waterproof. Gel liners aren't as hard to remove as liquid liners or waterproof mascaras, so no worries. It's just like a pencil plus a liquid eyeliner, so it's very easy to make a fluid or smudged line. The only bad things I can find about gel liners is that if you don't use it too often or quickly enough, it might dry out in the pot. And you might also, if you don't have one yet, need to get a new brush just for this amazing liner. In summary:

Pros:
-Easy to create countless looks
-Easy to apply
-Usually has a long-wearing time
-Is usable on the waterline

Cons:
-May dry out in the pot
-Need to have a specific brush

And last, but definitely not least, the ever popular liquid eyeliner. Liquid liner is used for dramatic looks quite often. These are not for beginners. If you do not have a steady hand (coughI don'tcough), then these will be harder to use, and I advise that you stick to gel liners for precise lines. ;) These last pretty long, but liquid liner, just as waterproof mascara, is more difficult to remove opposed to gel liner. Liquid liner is very smooth and easily creates winged looks or cat eyes, and it pretty versatile. DON'T USE IT ON YOUR WATERLINE. This is the one eyeliner that you should not use on the waterline. It has chemicals in it that will damage your waterline/eye severely, so please don't do it. These also come in a lot of colors, but can be less vibrant. These can also dry out, but in the brush/felt tip, whichever tip you wish to buy. It can create both thick and thin lines, but you need a pretty steadyy hand to master any of this.

Pros:
-Come in multiple colors
-Have different types of tips
-Very fluid, can create a smooth line
-Long-lasting

Cons:
-Can dry out fairly quickly
-Hard to remove
-Not usable on the waterline
-Need steady hands

Thank you for reading, and as always, stay beeyootiful!

Your rambling beauty addict,
Mai