This or That: The Eyeliner Edition, Part II

How to play

Pick one or the other for each of the questions below, and copy/paste your answers in the comments. Can’t wait to see your picks! Mine are listed below. 💋

This or That: The Eyeliner Edition, Part II

• Smudgy or crisp edge?
• Edgy graphic eyeliner: yes or no?
• Soft or stiff pencil liner?
• Cake liner or cream liner?
• Matte or metallic?
• Eyeliner stickers or an eyeliner stamp?
• Oversized or skinny pencil tip?
• Liquid liner: wand or pen?
• Pen tips: short and stiff, or long and flexible?
• Pencil or a twist up?
• What happens to you more: liner smudging along your lower lash line, or liner that transfers into your crease?
• Spend or splurge on your liner?

Smudgy or crisp edge?

I like both equally (smudgy because it’s forgiving and so much easier to do when I’m in a hurry, and crisp because it looks more pulled together), but today I’ll go with a crisp edge.

To be blunt, I’m working my way through a winged liner phase, and sharp, crisp edges have been doing a lot for my makeup soul.

Edgy graphic eyeliner: yes or no?

Yes, let’s do it! 😁

Cake liner or cream liner?

Cream for the longer wear time on my lids (but I also like that I get to skip a step by not having to wet my brush and mix it into the cake liner!).

Anything to save a few extra nanoseconds, ya know?

Matte or metallic?

Hmm… This is a surprisingly tough one for me to answer. I want to say matte because I love the classic look of a striking matte liner, but sometimes the flat finish seems borderline harsh on my 40-something lids.

That said, I love how a flash of shimmery liner on my upper lash line instantly brightens my eyes with very little effort, but I feel like it doesn’t pack the same punch as matte liner does (and, dare I say it, it can look a little dated sometimes?).

I’m torn, but I’ll go with the matte option this time… Seems like it stands the test of time better.

Eyeliner stickers or an eyeliner stamp?

The stamp! — because I can just see the stickers falling off my face at inopportune moments, haha!

Oversized or skinny pencil tip?

Skinny, so I can draw those crisp edges without any drama.

Liquid liner: wand or pen?

Pen. Seems more “writerly.”

Pen tips: short and stiff, or long and flexible?

Long and flexible, with lots of glide!

Pencil or a twist-up?

Twist-up, a la the Chanel Stylo Yeuxs.

What pains you more: liner that smudges along your lower lash line, or liner transferring up into your crease?

I feel like liner smudging along my lower lash line is a bigger pain because it’s more obvious. At least when it’s up in my crease, it’s only really visible when I’m looking down for an extended time or I’m sleeping, both of which don’t really happen all that much throughout the day.

Spend or splurge on your liner?

Splurge on it, baby!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Tuesday to you! Good morning! 👋 I’m back in the Bay Area and ready to rock ‘n’ roll this month. Here’s to a great July for all of us.

What are you up to?