I think I owe you all an apology. Big time. In fact, I should probably be flogged with my own make-up brushes at least one hundred times. You see, I have been keeping something to myself. Something which could have transformed your view of gel eyeliners a long time ago. I must have been so distracted by my obsession with eyeshadow and Gifts with Purchase that all good sense left the building. I have been using this little gem for over a year now and I can't believe I never told you about it. Until now...
Without any further ado, I would like to unveil the inaugural member of Allison's Wonderland, a club so exclusive that only the Holy Grail of cosmetics can enter.
Introducing M.A.C Fluidline in Blitz & Glitz
I originally bought this little pot online whilst holidaying in France (M.A.C is quite a bit cheaper there), but not without much trepidation. I had never really used a gel eyeliner before, apart from a Mirenesse pen, but I found that kind of... meh. Let's just say it didn't knock my socks off enough to keep me away from my Dior pencil. I was a crayon girl all the way and thought I could do no better than my Dior, having used Estée Lauder, Lancôme and numerous other high end brands. I really wanted to be able to achieve that cat's eye look and eventually came to the conclusion that I would have to go gel. I added the little Fluidline pot to my overflowing shopping cart and didn't really take it out for a spin until after we got back from France.
Once I finally got up the guts to try it out, I quickly realised that I would need a brush because it wasn't going to paint itself. What a noob. Luckily I had received an angled eyeliner brush in a Lancôme GWP. It was a mess. Well, I made a mess. Not a good start to my relationship with Fluidline. However, I didn't let this stop me. I checked the M.A.C website and trawled Makeup Alley for the perfect brush. With renewed resolve, I made a bee-line to the M.A.C counter at Myer in the city during my lunch break, determined to give my new relationship with Fluidline a fighting chance.
As I was still a little new to the world of M.A.C, I was a little dubious and perhaps a lot intimidated by the portly sales assistant sporting a purple hairdo, a lot of makeup and who ... was also a dude. As I was starting to think about slinking away and going next door to David Jones in the hope of finding a more mainstream looking Sales Assistant (mental face palm, come on, it's M.A.C! All Sales Assistants are a little out there!), Mr Tall, Purple and Portly gave me some really sage advice that changed everything and would eventually solidify my shaky relationship with Fluidline.
Whilst I had done my research and felt relatively sure what brush I would purchase, I was steered towards a different brush altogether. A brow brush in fact. Whilst I was starting to question Mr Purple's sanity, he made the argument that the brow brush was a much better choice for a newbie gel user. Why? Basically the brushes which are typically paired with the gel eyeliner leave no room for error for those without a hand skilled at applying the product. Mr Purple explained that this brush would allow for the product to be applied in little strokes, instead of one long stroke which could end up looking as if my eyeliner was applied by a kindergarterner, with no means of rectification aside from starting again. Further, the angled brush would also assist in creating various types of little flicks to create different versions of the cat's eye. I was sold. Mr Purple did leave me with one other piece of advice about the brush - always apply the product to both sides. After coughing up over $30 for one little brush (which would apparently last a lifetime), tiny seeds of doubt began to take root in my brain on the way back to the office. Was I in my right mind to take eyeliner advice from a man with purple hair and more makeup than Gabi Grecko in a Mardi Gras parade?
Once I arrived home from work, I quickly grabbed my tablet to do some investigating into the use of this brush for the intended purpose. Although there were few reviews, they all confirmed what Mr Purple had told me. It was a great brush for gel newbies and achieved the elusive cat's eye look. Whilst in Makeup Alley, I also found a little tid-bit of information around the shelf life of Fluidline - store it upside down in a drawer to keep it fresh. I had no idea why, but I guessed, why not?
Over a year down the track, I have not looked back on my choice of gel eyeliner and brush. Makeup Alley and Mr Purple were spot on. As I gained better control of my brush strokes, I was able to experiment more with the eyeliner and create different looks. I have even tried a little 'Ariana Grande' style of creating a thicker line at the outer edge of the eye and curving upwards towards the end of the brow. Not really a work look though. As for storing the pot upside down? Best. Advice. Ever. My pot of Fluidline stayed fresh and moist for a whole year. I only noticed it drying out a little after taking it to Adelaide for two weeks. Elevated temperatures and the inability to store it upside down in my little makeup bag took a bit of a toll on the texture, but it's still going strong to this day. The best thing about this eyeliner? It does not budge. Not at all, and I'm talking over 12 hours, gym included. That said, I can't attest to its longevity on the lids if you rub your eyes like crazy, but then again, what makeup aficionado would commit such an atrocity? At the end of the day, it comes off with a quick swipe of eye makeup remover.
Now, who wants to see some pics of the M.A.C product which has made its way in as the first product to enter Allison's Wonderland?
Trusty Brow Brush No. 208, a must have!
Angled tip of the brush, product on both sides. 15 months down the track and this little pot is still a quarter full! How's that for value for money??
Blitz & Glitz : Opaque black with a few gold sparkles for good measure. Did I tell you I love sparkles??
The angled brow brush really allows you to play around with the line thickness.
It's a Wrap!
After 12 hours of wear, this gem does not budge or leave nasty smudge marks in your eyeshadow. I have even tried it on my lower lash line and it holds its own over any crayon. Even Dior. At AU$32 for a 3gm pot which will last me well over 18 months, I don't think you could ask for more. Couple it with the brow brush and I call it a match made in heaven.
I said I was sorry for holding this back...are we all good now?
xoAllisonWonderland
