Review: Gel Eyeliner Pencil (Esqido)

These products were sent to me for review by Esqido. I was not paid for this post and no affiliate links are used.

I used to use gel liners almost exclusively, but it’s in the past couple of years that I had completely switched over to liquid pen liners – which I preferred for getting very crisp black lines. It has actually been quite a while since I used a gel so, when I received these Gel Eyeliner Pencils from Esqido, I knew that there would be a bit of  a learning curve for me. Still, I think that there will always be a place in my collection for gel liners as they can give you that deep, smokey look that is hard to achieve with liquids.

These are a new addition to Esqido’s offerings which, in the past, has been focused on their false lashes and companion glue. Bringing out these liners feels so natural though, because they’re perfect for the waterline for smoking out the lash, so this development didn’t surprise me at all!

I was sent these to review in both colours – black and brown – and they claim to be super budge proof and also waterproof; which I tested out very easily with my watery eyes. So, read on for my review because these have definitely impressed me and I think that I will be using these Gel Eyeliners more in the future.

Product Description

These gel liners are fairly self explanatory and, from the outside at least, it doesn’t seem that there is much innovation here. It is a Gel Eyeliner Pencil, available in two colours (black or brown) and promises a smooth application, strong pigmentation and a waterproof, long lasting formula. Of course, a lot of companies make this promise and I was really surprised by how well Esqido delivers on this – it really is everything that they promise!

These liners have a matte finish and, since they are in a pencil form, dry basically immediately – and they’re so budge-proof that you have to rub pretty hard for them to go anywhere! The liner has a built in sharpener and an airtight seal (more on that later), so it is suitable for on the go as well.

Similar to their Companion Lash Glue, these liners are also 5-free and latex-free – without formaldehyde, parabens, sulfates, phthalates or fragrances. It is suitable for sensitive eyes too, which is probably why it wears so well on my eyes!

Packaging

Esqido really won me over with the packaging of their False Lashes (which you can read about in my past review) and, even with something as simple as a liner pencil, they’ve executed the design really well.

The Gel Eyeliner Pencils come individually packaged in a matte white box, which have the logo foil printed and with a little symbol to show what colour you’ve selected. Although the design is simple, it has a very elegant feeling and the quality of the box also feels luxurious – like a higher end product.

Opening it up, the gel liners also have a matte white finish to match the box – and also feels more high end. The text is gold foiled, which suits everything else in their branding, and there is a coloured ring at the end to show what colour the liner is – which is great if you’re like me and have a lot of pencils sitting together, and don’t like to search around for it.

These Gel Eyeliner Pencils also have two design features. First is the silicon ring closure (which you can see when you open the lid): this creates an airtight seal, provided that you close the pencil properly of course, and ensures that the product will not dry out. This is especially great for me because I have a lot of pencil products that have simply dried out over time. According to Esqido, “the eye liner is made to last.”

The second feature is the included sharpener, which is more common. This can be found at the end of the pencil and allows for easy sharpening, whether it is while you’re at your vanity on on the go travelling – and is very useful for people who like crisp lines and cat eye looks. This pencil is also a twist up design; which is common and what I much prefer over more traditional pencils.

Application & Personal Experiences

Even at first swatch, I was really surprised at how smoothly this applied. The liners really do apply like a gel – seamless and opaque with a single swipe, and with no need to press down either. I naturally gravitate towards the black liner, because that’s just what I’m used to, but I find that the brown one is also great if you want a softer, smokey lash line.

These liners claim to be smudge-proof and water-proof; and gosh, they weren’t joking about this! I have embedded the Instagram post that I made with this (and you can swipe to see the video) but the liner literally does not rub off. Aside from in swatches, it also wears incredibly well on the eyes.

I have very sensitive eyes that water a lot so, generally, pencil eyeliners don’t work very well for me – they have trouble applying to the waterline and will generally smudge and fade by midday. When I use these, they apply very easily and I only need to go over a few times very gently (for the waterline, it is one swipe for the actual eyelids). They don’t irritate or make my eyes water and, most importantly, it wears through the day! Even when I go to shower, I can still see the smokiness on my lash line almost as well as when I applied in the morning.

The only downside, of course, is that these are a little harder to remove and you have to make sure that you use an oil cleanser or they are going no where.

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Overall, I’m really happy with these Gel Eyeliner Pencils and I have kept them on my vanity to use on most days. They aren’t replacing my liquid eyeliners (because I really do prefer that style-wise) but I’ll be working them into my routine – especially for the water and lash line. These wear really well for my eyes and I think they would work great for people who are more sensitive as well.

I’m just so, so surprised as how budge-proof they are – and the gel applies so smoothly, so there is no tugging on the eyes. Even if I personally prefer my liquid pens, I would be recommending this product to people who like the look of gel pencils (especially since they’re affordable too).

So, here’s the verdict!

SO WHAT IS IT?

A budge-proof and waterproof gel eyeliner pencil with an airtight closure and included sharpener

THE GOOD

• High end looking design and packaging
• Affordable (full price is USD$16 but currently on sale for USD$10)
• Airtight seal so that the product doesn’t dry out
• 5-free and latex free; suitable for sensitive eyes
• Highly pigmented and a very, very smooth application
• Applies easily even on the waterline
• Totally budge-proof and waterproof as well
• Last well through the day with very minimal fading or smudge

THE BAD

• Must be removed with a oil cleanser
• Limited colour range (I would love to see some more colourful options)

RATINGS

• PACKAGING | 5/5
• PRICE POINT | 4/5
• EASE OF APPLICATION | 4/5
• PIGMENTATION | 4/5
• SMUDGE PROOF | 5/5
• WATERPROOF | 5/5

OVERALL RATING? 9/10

WOULD I RECOMMEND?

Absolutely! Eyeliner is a very personal product – some people will prefer different types to others, and that will essentially come down to our individual style. For those who like eyeliner pencils, or are in the market for gel eyeliner pencils specifically, then this is definitely a product that I would recommend checking out. They’ve affordable and an easy product to buy online.

WHERE TO GET IT FROM

This is available from Esqido for USD$16, or USD$10 with the current sale.

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