Review: Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen

There are 2 makeup products I cannot live without: concealer and eyeliner. Without these two, I don't think I will feel confident walking out of my house. 

I have already found my HG concealer (L.A. Girl PRO.conceal HD Concealer). I have also already found multiple HG eyeliners (Urban Decay's, K-Palette's, etc.), but I'm more open to trying out new eyeliners from various brands than concealers. Concealers are more tricky. You apply concealers straight to your skin and when you have a lot of blemishes, once you find a great one that has amazing coverage + doesn't break you out, you STICK WITH IT. Eyeliners, on the other hand, allow me to be more adventurous and experimental since I don't really have sensitive eyelids/eyes. 

This post will be about my current go-to felt-tip eyeliner - Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen. I got it during the recent Essence Warehouse Sale for S$3-S$4? Ya, damn affordable. Normal retail selling price is also still affordable when compared to other drugstore brands! Definitely less than S$10 for one eyeliner. 

Claims:

• 24hr wear
• maximum waterproof formula
• maximum smudgeprood formula
• precise line

Some of the claims are definitely far-fetched. It's like a newbie trying to throw darts for the first time - MISSING THE BOARD ALTOGETHER. Ok, maybe not so bad lah, I sometimes exaggerate. :P  

But I still like to use it. Strange I know. READ ON. 

Packaging: Fuss-free and minimalistic. I don't like the blue fonts but it's not going to affect my usage so I'm not going to dwell on that too much. It's compact and the perfect size for your makeup bag.

Brush/Tip: The Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen has a refreshingly sturdy felt-tip applicator. The usual felt-tip eyeliners in the market endorse the more flexible and bendable applicator (going for flexibility + control), but such eyeliners are more suitable for those who are already used to applying eyeliners. I think beginners will be more comfortable using the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen! The tip is not bendable and a shaky hand will not cause the tip to accidentally swerve from the line of application and mess it up. This kind of tip actually makes application a breeze and to be frank, quite fool-proof. It's only when you venture into the realms of cat-eye eyelining that you will meet some challenges. Overall, great brush/tip for beginners who are looking at a simple eyeliner look.

Pigmentation: I got the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen in 01 Ultra Black, and no joke, the pigmentation is certainly ... ultra black. I especially like it because there is no downtime when I use it. Sometimes, the tips of felt-tip eyeliners/pen eyeliners get really dry, and when you open the cap to use it, you have warm up the product at the back of your hand first to make sure you get maximum pigmentation on the first swipe. This eyeliner needs no warming up! I opened the cap and applied it straightaway and I got the below pigmentation after two strokes. Quite remarkable! Saves insignificant seconds but makes a lot of difference when you are in a rush.

Swatch after two strokes

Smudgeproof? Not really. I don't see the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen as a smudgeproof eyeliner. After 5 minutes of application, I tried to rub my index finger back and forth the applied area, and some of the eyeliner was smudged almost immediately. Maybe it's not fully dry yet, but 5 minutes should be enough time for eyeliners to dry during application! This is an indication that you SHOULD NOT rub your eyes when you use this eyeliner. There was one day when I suffered from a really itchy right eye and I subconsciouly rubbed it - good bye front half of eyeliner!! Fortunately I brought the eyeliner pen out and I could reapply right after I realised the disaster.

Swatch after a smearing attempt 5 minutes after application

Waterproof? This depends on how you define waterproof. As a product name, it's claimed to be "splash-proof", but in the description, it's described as "waterproof". I agree that the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen is splash-proof; I dripped some water on the applied area and the eyeliner didn't budge. I ran it under running water and I have no melting mess to handle. So yay for that. HOWEVER, the slightest swipe after it has touched water will cause the eyeliner to go haywire. Below is a photo of the swatch after I SLIGHTLY slid my finger down the wet area. It's almost gone! WHAT?!

This only mean one thing - you can cry all you want with this mascara. You can even be caught in a thunderstorm with no umbrella. But you have to make sure you don't touch your eyes AT ALL while crying or being trapped in the rain.

Swatch after a smearing attempt with water

Application: Easy peasy for a normal eyeliner look (no cat-eye, no winged look). Extremely quick application also. I think I used less than 5 seconds per eye for a normal eyeliner look. When it comes to the more elaborate eyeliner look, the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen will not be as user-friendly. Because the tip is sturdy and not as flexible, it's difficult to get the perfect winged look. If your hands are still shaky while applying eyeliner, that's it man, you cannot use this for your cat-eye look. I apply eyeliner almost every single day and I had trouble matching the winged eyeliner on both eyes. Aiyoh. But of course, practice, practice, practice! I'm now very comfortable with using this eyeliner!

Longevity: I have never tried leaving this on for 24 hours, so I'm not sure how factual this claim is. However, the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen has a great longevity. The longest I had it on was from 730am to 11pm and it stayed put throughout. You must be careful not to rub your eyes though, if not the eyeliner will FOR SURE rub off. This is not the eyeliner for people with oily eyelids and looking for a longlasting eyeliner. Even though it's splash-proof, it's not oil-proof. It will 100% smudge in presence of oil.

Will I buy it again? Surprisingly yes. It's not the most waterproof. It's definitely not smudge-proof. But...I use it every single day. I think the breezy application process won me over. Moreover, the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen is REALLY cheap. So yes, I will buy it again!

Hopefully this has been a good read! Have a great Friday guys! :)