Luxe to Less: Eyeliners

I have a love-hate relationship with winged liner. It is a hard one to pull off on yourself and especially so when you are a little bit older than the models you see rocking it on the catwalk. However, if you can nail it, it can be an instant eye lift ... not to mention an instant mood enhancer. 

I have dabbled with many forms. When i'm doing makeup for someone else you just cannot go past gel liner and an angled brush. When i'm doing it on myself, I find it easier to use a thin pen-liner. Lately i've been using two, at vastly different price points. 

The Skinny by Eyeko was a freebie which came with a magazine a few months ago and I was impressed at first use. Yes you do still need a steady hand, but the pen is a lot easier to manage than a brush. This one is thinner than the normal Eyeko pen which means you can get an even finer line. Fine is key when starting out because you can build up as you go along. The Skinny costs £10.00 in the UK. If you are based in Australia you can buy it here with free international shipping.

I recently invested is a more luxe version, Le Stylo Penliner by Chantecaille. At £25.00 a pop it is a a lot pricier than the Eyeko, so is the extra spend worth it? For me, it absolutely is. The fine point that you can get with this liner is pretty unbelievable, as is the intensity of the black. The intensity of colour was a little lacking in the Eyeko, and a lot lacking the longer it had been opened. 

I think the side by side comparison (above) tells you a lot. If you are someone that loves this look and has the patience and capability at applying it, then the Chantecaille is the one for you. If you want to have a dabble without a full commitment, then the Eyeko is a fun and frugal way to try it out. 

Le Stylo has just been released in the UK and will be hitting Australian shores soon so keep your eyes peeled. Chantecaille is sold through Mecca Cosmetica and I can honestly say that every product I have tried from the brand is brilliant.

UPDATE: Le Stylo has arrived. It is $39 and you can buy it here. 

Pixi Beauty

It is always fun to make a new discovery and for me, this has been the best thing about relocating to London. I had never come across Pixi Beauty before I came to London. It is a really lovely makeup and skincare range by makeup artist Petra Strand that was created 10 years ago. They have a delightful store located in Fouberts Place, just tucked behind the Liberty department store - a part of town that is fast becoming a very tempting place to visit.

Petra Strand, creator of Pixi

One of the things that really impress me about the brand are the prices - realistic and achievable which makes adding her products to your makeup kit actually affordable. My picks of the range are the Endless Silky Eye Pens and the Sheer Cheek Gels.

T-B: Deep Plum, Sage Gold, Black Cocoa, Black Noir & Oyster Glow

Endless Silky Eye Pens - For anyone who has tried and failed to do their eyeliner with a hard pencil that drags on the skin, then these pens are for you. They glide on like a dream and then they do not budge. Period. I picked up a kit of these in store, which included 5 mini-sized pencils and a sharpener for £16.50. The colours included in this kit are Deep Plum, Sage Gold, Black Cocoa, Black Noir and Oyster Glow. There 11 gorgeous colours in the range. Cafe Gold ... i'm coming for you!
 

Sheer Cheek Gels - These are so lovely to work with and great for those who prefer a gel consistency to a cream. As the name suggests, they give a really healthy sheer colour to the cheeks and like the eye pens, once applied the colour does not move. I picked up colours Rosy and Natural for £12.50 and you can view the full range of colours here.

L-R: Rosy and Natural

There is plenty more goodies to explore. You can see the full Pixi range and shop online here . If you are based in Australia, you can buy Pixi from Beauty Bay or Asos with free international shipping.