Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in 02 Brown

Maybelline's Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner scores one of the highest among drugstore eyeliners online. It is well-known for its staying power and for the quality brush it comes with. I've tried my fair share of gel eyeliners when they became popular back in 2008/2009, first from MAC (Fluidline), lots from Kate (Powder Gel Liner), and a couple of Bobbi Brown's legendary Long-Wear Gel Liners. Alas, none of them stayed put on my lids. They always migrated to my lower eye line and resulted to the dreaded panda eyes. Virtually every brand has now released their version of gel liner, but it was hard to resist Maybelline not only because of the friendly price point but also for the odd fact that I can't find a negative review about it.

 

Maybelline's offering is housed in a trapezoid box. The packaging says, "Quick dry intense color lasts all day. Smudge-Proof and Water-Proof for 24 hours." Maybelline holds regular 20%- or 30%-off sales. It didn't hurt at all when I got this for just over 300 bucks during their month-long sale last December.

 

"Long-wearing, creamy gel texture" as described sounds very tempting. I know I shouldn't be associating make-up with food, but some words work their magic. There weren't many colors to choose from; only 2 were available - 01 Black and 02 Brown. I kept asking if there is a purple one, because I know Maybelline Japan released it a few years back, but the SA said they never had any purple shade.       

 

Product description above.

 

Here is the side view of the packaging.

  

From the top. 

Here it is in a tiny (2.8 g) glass jar. The aluminum cap complements the frosted glass nicely.

 

The color in the container is a rich dark brown with red undertones. The littlest dab of liner is all that's needed to create a fine eye line.

The brush included is medium-sized in length.

 

The tip is tapered on the ends. The bristles feel stiff but that is a good thing because it allows for precise lining. I do find this brush very useful. Not many drugstore brushes/tools are made well, but I like this one from Maybelline a lot and always reach for it when I apply this gel liner.

From left to right: The first four lines, in varying degrees of intensity, are made using Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in 02 Brown. For comparison, I also swatched Lunasol's Noble Shade Liner in 02 Khaki Brown (the fifth and sixth line). You can see that Lunasol has more golden undertones while Maybelline has more black and red mixed in. The Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner on top of Lunasol Eyelid Base (N) did not smudge on me for around 10 hours. I've worn it for around 15 hours one day and by the end of the day it traveled around the eye are already. However, most people do not wear liners for that long anyway. I daresay this is the best gel eyeliner I've tried. The brush makes drawing fine and thick lines easy. The color applies intensely, dries quickly, and the shade 02 Brown flatters almost all skin tones.

 

The bottom part has a sticker description. I was surprised it was Made in China. Maybelline did not print this information on the outer packaging. I would have hesitated to get this if it were so because I avoid personal care products from the Mainland. (I observe they do not have stringent standards yet.). However since this product is under the Maybelline brand, I figured L'Oreal would make sure this is safe to use.

Notice: Sixteenth on the ingredient list is...Glass! I tried to search "glass in cosmetics" but nothing came up. It does contain aloe extracts, so that calms whatever glass may harm -- I would like to think. Anyway, apart from the slight sting I felt the first time I applied this on my eyelid, I have had no problems of irritation since. Overall, this is a great liner that does almost everything it promises.

Oral-B Vitality Precision Clean Toothbrush

Like most things in life, an electronic toothbrush did not come of my own volition. I held the belief that my manual toothbrush and right hand were doing a decent job at cleaning my teeth, when I was kind of held at gunpoint (well, it felt like such) to believe otherwise. Oral-B Vitality Precision Clean toothbrush was shoved into my face as a gift (thank you S), because I was told it was that good.

 

It came in a securely packed clear plastic packaging.

I also got two more brush heads in a refill pack (sold separately; thank you for your thoughtfulness, S).

The back part.

It does say that it's clinically proven to clean teeth more thoroughly than a manual toothbrush.

One thing that I really like -- no batteries necessary.

The slender part of the mechanism (from the brush head to the base that touches the blue handle) is detachable. This tiny machine assembles into one long toothbrush.

Pictured above are the charger, cradle, and toothbrush. The bottom of the handle has a hole that fits perfectly into the cradle.

Here it is positioned and ready to be charged. It can also be recharged without the brush head on, since only the handle is being powered.

One press of the round white button on the handle activates the toothbrush. Press once again to turn off. This Oral-B toothbrush is powered using Braun technology. The power comes from the handle and it shakes the entire toothbrush so that the bristles vibrate.

The bristles are softer than that of a manual toothbrush. In fact, the circular brush head is tiny compared to the oval shape of toothbrushes I'm used to. At first I rejected the idea of an electronic toothbrush because I was afraid once I start using one, it would be hard to go back to a manual toothbrush. I found the usage is quite similar to that of a regular toothbrush; I put a dollop of toothbrush on the brush head, position it flush against my teeth, and press the button. So far, the only differences I've noticed are: 1. I do not need to brush back and forth; rather I move my hand in circular motions around my mouth and the toothbrush does the brushing work. 2. The surface of my teeth feel more squeaky clean than when I use a normal toothbrush (not that I can't produce the same results with a manual toothbrush, only it takes more force and time).

Also, my teeth did not experience any bad reactions -- no bad breath, sore mouth, or lesions in the gums, which were some concerns I had prior to using this product. The handle requires charging about every four days with twice-a-day usage. The force of oscillation is much stronger when it is newly charged; over time it goes slower and weaker until it no longer vibrates; then it is time to charge it again. Overall, this is a fine mechanism that effectively does its job. I haven't gone back to my old toothbrush since :) For those who prefer a more novel and "precise" way to clean your teeth, Oral-B Vitality Precision Clean is a good way to start. 

Happy New Year!