I get so excited every year when new holiday kits start coming out. There's usually quite a few brands I keep an eye on around this time, but nothing gets me quite as excited as the "Sephora Favorites." These offer the most popular products from high-end brands at a huge discount. It's rare that any other brand puts out kits with a better bang for your buck. I went on the website to repurchase my all time favourite liner Stila's Smudge Stick (as seen in my Top 5 Makeup Products) which retails for $22 but came across the Draw The Line sampler which included the same full-sized liner along with 5 other products for only $8 more, so I decided to give that a go instead. Aside from the Stila liner, the only other product I had tried was the Urban Decay liner so I was excited to play with some new products. There's not much variety with one brown, one purple and four black liners but it is practical. The kit contains 3 full size and 3 deluxe size products and retails for $30 with an estimated $88 value.
 |
| (Left to Right) Smashbox, Stila, Tarte, Kat Von D, Urban Decay, Sephora |
Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Liner in Sumatra (Full Size)
As the name would suggest, this is a self sharpening liner. I had no idea how much I would enjoy that feature until I started using it. There's something so satisfying about twisting off the cap and being greeted by a perfect point. It's a dark chocolate brown colour, which is great for when you want something less harsh than a black. I don't have any major issues with this transferring and overall it's a good liner.
Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof liner in Stingray (Full Size)
I've talked about my love for this liner before (read here). It is my favourite pencil liner and it wears well no matter where you put it. All of the colours are rich and it never transfers or smudges on me. I've yet to find any other pencil that works as well for me as these do. They are everything you'd want in a retractable eyeliner and this Stringray shade is perfect for every day as it's a very deep black.
Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Precision Longwear Liner in Black (Full Size)
I didn't expect to like this product at all. The felt tip is a lot longer than I'm used to, but I've grown fond of it. It allows for a very thin precise line. If you're a fan of bringing your eyeliner down past your tear duct, this is perfect for you. It says on throughout the day and has decent colour payoff. It is more of a brown-ish black. You need to make sure you shake it well before every use otherwise it will come out thin and streaky. I've been using this as my daily liner since I first got the kit and it shows no signs of drying out.
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper (Deluxe Size)
This is the one liner I was really excited about. Everybody raves about how this is the best pen liner and offers the deepest black line. I will agree that this is a true black, but I am not a fan of the formula. This is by no means the worst pen liner I've used, but it's far from the best. The application is smooth and easy which is nice. The issue I have with it is that on me it crumbles off within hours and leaves a red irritated line in it's place. The corners of eyes where my wings once were are left sore and stinging from this liner. I'm really bummed that this didn't work out for me.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Vice (Deluxe Size)
I know these are a cult favourite but I am not a fan of Urban Decay liners. On me they smudge, smear, transfer, bleed and create a whole mess on my eyes. I wish they stayed put because they come in the most beautiful shades. This shade is no exception. It is such a pretty colour that I decided I needed to make it work. I can only wear it on my lower lash where any smudging looks intentional. It's a subtle pop of colour with some sparkle. I did try to use it on the upper lash line and waterline but both proved disastrous. If these work on you than this is a beautiful shade to add to your collection.
Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear in Lace (Deluxe Size)
Every kit contains some sort of Sephora brand product as if to say "if you won't buy our makeup we'll make you buy our makeup" so I didn't expect much from this. It is a nice true black but most surprising to me is how well it wears on the waterline. This holds up longer than most and I'm pleased to say it's been one of my most used products from the kit.
