Essence Gel Eyeliner Review & Swatch

When I ran out of my MAC Fluidline in "Blacktrack," I wanted a cheaper alternative to try (all my recent posts are starting out like this, do you see the sad, sad trend?) so I selected Essence's Gel Eyeliner in "Midnight in Paris." (or... Black.) The 0.1 fl oz pot goes for a mere $3.99. So... I didn't expect too much...

... However, I was delightfully surprised at the performance and quality. It took me a little while before I got around to opening it for the first time and when I did, I noticed a huge crack (in the product, not the glass container) that went across the eyeliner and all the way down to the bottom of the pot. It was a very large crack that is maybe not especially apparent from the photos now but it's right there along the middle. My immediate thought was "ok, this stuff is going to be DRY."

... Wrong again. The formula is actually very, very creamy and glides on beautifully. I can't speak for the waterline as I never use liner there but it stays on my upper lid without any smudging. In fact, when I go to take it off, it's a bit difficult to get it off without a bit of rubbing. I'm very impressed by the wear-time on this stuff! It's smudgeable when you first put it on but then after drying, it doesn't frickin' budge!

Here's a swatch of a smudged line and a smooth couple of swipes:

I think for my own personal preference it could maybe be a tad BLACKER but I really am not going to make any official complains about this eyeliner.

So let's see... Creamy, long-wearing and very reasonably priced... Check, check and check.

You can find Essence products at Ulta stores.

Has anyone else tried any other Essence products?