In the world of beauty, there are lots of myths and preconceived notions about certain products. Foundation does not, in fact, have to feel like a mask. Those with a natural flush to their cheeks can look beautiful wearing blush. And if the first image that pops into your head when you hear the word "lipliner" is that whole let's-rock-a-liner-10-shades-darker-than-my-lipstick trend, I am about to give you a whole new perspective.
As a self-proclaimed Lazy Girl it's true that applying a liner under my lipstick is not always something I make the time for. However, ever since Maybelline sent me their new range of Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liners to review, I've been reminded how worth it that extra step can be. A great lipliner will not only give your lip look extra precision and wear time, but it can also open up a ton of artistic possibilities. Whether you want to create a custom lip cocktail, or a perfect ombre illusion, the world of lipliner is your oyster.
Compared to their original Color Sensational Lip Liner collection, Maybelline has made some much appreciated upgrades with this launch. First, they doubled the color selection. The Shaping Lip Liners are available in 14 high pigment shades covering all your major color families from nudes, to plums, to your classic red. With the exception of the shade Nude Whisper (which has fine shimmer particles throughout), these liners have a creamy yet matte formula that is incredibly long wearing on the lips. To note, Maybelline also included a clear lip liner, which I love, for those times where you don't want to interfere with your lipstick color but need some extra help preventing bleeding and feathering.
I also love that they introduced an automatic twist-up design which is way more travel friendly than a traditional wooden pencil. AND, if you're craving a little extra precision, the colored section at the bottom of the packaging is actually a hidden sharpener that you can pop off and make your liner sharp as new. Each of these lip liners retails for $7.99, and like all Maybelline products, you can frequently get an even better price if you use a coupon or shop a sale at your local drugstore.
Having swatched all 14 shades and worn several of them on my lips, I've got a few thoughts to share on this new formula. Performance-wise there were slight inconsistencies throughout the range of colors. I found that the softer shades (nudes, browns, and light pinks) were creamy, evenly pigmented, and smooth. The deeper and more vibrant shades, however, were a little more patchy. I also noticed with Rich Wine, Plum Passion, and Wild Violets there was a bit more crumbling and small pieces of product breaking off as I glided the liner across my skin. I'm wondering if this has something to do with the type of pigment they use in the more purple toned shades, which seemed to be the worst culprits.
While these liners glide on with relative ease, they do have a slightly drier texture (which I actually prefer for a liner). They aren't so dry as say, a liquid lipstick, but they are definitely way less creamy than your standard bullet. However, this also means that wherever you set these liners down they are going to have some serious lasting power. I had to use a pretty hefty oil-based makeup remover to get those swatches to budge from my arm.
Now, if you want to go super traditional with your lip liner application, I would recommend selecting a liner shade that's closest to your favorite or most worn lipstick color or color family. If you want to go extra safe, grab the clear shade for the greatest versatility. If all you're looking for is to extend the wear time of your lipstick, make sure that you not only trace the outline of your lips, but also fill in your entire lip to create a super long lasting base. You can also wear a lip liner under a gloss or sheer lip color to pack a little extra punch of pigmentation, or to create a new custom shade.
If you want to get a little more creative, though, you can use different shades of lipstick and liner to create an ombre effect like the one I'm wearing in the picture above. To create this look I started by lining my lips all around the perimeter with the shade Magnetic Mauve. Then, I filled in the center of my lip with the Color Sensational Lipstick in #235 Warm Me Up, being careful not to extend the lipstick all the way to the edge of my lip. Then I used a lip brush to blend the two shades together. You can always apply more lipliner if necessary to make the gradient more apparent. Then, I decided I wanted to amp things up and create an even deeper ombre effect at the corners of my mouth. I gently feathered the Shaping Lip Pencil in Plum Passion on top of my lipstick, starting in the corner of my mouth and working along the upper and lower edge of my lips, blending everything together with a lip brush.
All in all I'm digging these new Shaping Lip Liners. I think the range of shades is great (although I am secretly hoping they'll expand to include something more orange-toned) and most people will have no problem falling in love with at least one of them. I would love to hear what shade you're most drawn to. Let me know in the comments down below!
How do you wear lip liner?
*This post is sponsored by Maybelline. All opinions expressed are my own. For more information regarding my affiliations and disclosures click here.
