Illamasqua Precision Ink

Illamasqua is a brand that I've always eyed from afar, but never really bought into. Partly because I like beauty products on a budget and partly because it's quite difficult to come across in my area. After Christmas though, there was a 10% off code floating around so I thought I'd bite the bullet and order two items I'd been lusting over, one of them being the liquid eyeliner, Precision Ink in the colour 'Abyss'.

The packaging is very sleek and minimal, something that I personally really like. I'd heard so many rave reviews about this eyeliner and I was using Rimmel Glam Eyes (which I hated) so I thought I'd try out my first 'high end' eyeliner. It retails for £17.00 which is really quite ridiculous for an eyeliner, but I was clearly still in a festive mood at the time, lol.

The applicator is very felt-tip penesque and quite similar to L'Oreals Super Liner, which is one of my favourites, although the nib doesn't bend like Super Liner, it's stiff and doesn't have any movement. It's amazingly pigmented, I can't fault it on that. But it is extremely glossy, so if you don't like a glossy eyeliner stay well clear of this. Super Liner is quite glossy but this is so much glossier. I also find it quite hard to get a very thin line/sharp wing with this nib.

So here the eyeliner is in action. Yeah sure it looks fine - like any other liquid eyeliner right? But do I like it? In all honesty, no, not really. It's too glossy for what I like and I find the applicator quite hard to work with, I think it needs a bit more flexibility. It is a very wet formula, but it tends to get on your lashes whilst you're applying it and clumps them together making mascara application a bit of a faff. It's one of the most pigmented eyeliners I've used, but it does take a bit of going over - because it's so wet it tends to be a bit watery and streaks a tad, so you need to go over this twice. The longevity is actually unbelievable... this will last you the whole day, no doubt. I've been on a night out and forgotten to take my make up off and in the morning this was still in place *slap on the wrist*. Removing it is a bit strange though... when you take it off (I use a baby wipe) it comes off in the same as eyelash glue - in weird sort of strips. Anyone else had this?

I wouldn't repurchase this, and I would recommend L'Oreal Super Liner over this. BUT if it's a very glossy, very black, stay-in-place-forever eyeliner that you're after this might be worth a whirl!

NATALIE, XO