I am Asian, Chinese to be exact, and trying to find an eyeliner that won’t smudge or smear due to the way my eyelids fold has ALWAYS been a challenge. I was a Maybelline Line Works Washable Waterproof Liquid Liner consumer, but any time water in the form of rain, snow, pool etc hit my eyes it would peel right off. NOT very sexy. Then I found Milani Infinite liquid eye liners. Marketed not to smudge OR smear for 24 hours!
The Milani Infinite liquid eye liners came out in 2010, just in time for my trip to the Bahamas. I was again in the market for a new eye liner that I could wear IN THE pool and still come out of it looking like a million bucks! (LOL, yes we are vain sometimes!) I get to the Milani section at my nearest CVS and see these great colors, but of course was very wary of their marketing scheme of “no smudge or smear”. Anything that usually says that, my eyes prove them wrong. So before I put any money down on them ($6.50) I decided to check the World Wide Web for any videos of a review. What I found convinced me that I should get them and try them out for myself!
I bought all five colors in the Milani Infinite Eye line (Infinite blue, Endless purple, Eternal green, Forever gold, and Everlast black) and the Milani Liquif’Eye pencils in brown and black. I decided to use the purple liquid liner as my first tester. The color was very rich, the line smooth. The brush was a perfect length and stiffness. These are oil based liners so they take more time than a normal liquid eyeliner to dry. I used some paper or something to fan my eyes for about a full minute before opening. Then I did the shower test! I washed my face with soap, rubbed at the eyeliner a few times, and you know what happened????? Nothing!!! The color was just as brilliant as before I got in the shower and it did not smudge! I was sold!
The Milani Liquif’Eye pencil is good too. Not as permanent as the liner, but I use the pencil on my bottom lids, where the oil glands and blinking does not help with the staying power. However, I must add that it does stay on longer than any other pencil I have had. The colors are rich, but the brown does not last as long as the black.
The Infinite liners are removeable only by an oil based make up remover. I use Clinique’s Take the Day Off Make Up Remover for Lids, Lashes, and Lips. It takes the liner and any makeup off really quickly. Just make sure you wash your face thoroughly with soap and water after to get that oily feeling off of your face. Or if you’re in a real pinch try any lotion and a cotton swab for quick corrections. Some lotions work better than others.
I used the liners in the Bahamas and they worked as marketed. But I will warn you be careful with your sunscreen/tanning lotions. As they are lotions, they will take the make up off. I would lotion up FIRST. Wait for the lotion to soak in, then put the eyeliner on.
I have slept overnight with the liner still on. When I wake up the color was a bit faded, and there was some flakage, but still not bad.
So all you Asian ladies with the eyelids like mine! There is hope for our eyes in the eyeliner department! Thank you Milani!
E Rating (1 E= meh, 5 Es = Eenae Endorsed): EEEEE
*Photo of me in video still from John Eye’s ‘Ride’ music video
Update 05/28/2012: They finally have Chocolate Brown liquid liner! Yay!
Check out my blog about waterproof mascaras here.