Essence Lipliner - Cute Pink

I've never been one for lip liners, believing them to be a product used only by old ladies with the aims of enlarging their lips by about 50% by drawing way out of their lip lines and pairing it with an opposite coloured lipstick (ie. not a good look). I've never really felt the need for a lipliner, but when Dom from Dommsmiles (on youtube) was talking about them and wearing them, I decided that perhaps I really did need a lipliner after all.

I wasn't keen on the idea of paying a whole lot for them, they are a pretty boring kind of product after all, so I decided to go for an Essence one considering they cost about two dollars.

I believe I picked this up on sale, I don't recall for how much though, but even full priced they are very affordable.

I chose a hot pink colour in the hopes of using it to brighten some of my other lipsticks (using it as a base) but I've since been using it as a lip colour on its own.

The way in which I apply this is by 'colouring in' my lips. As this lip pencil is so pigmented, I am able to get even colour payoff with ease. It is quite a bright shade as I mentioned, but even for someone like me who is a bit hesitant to go all out with colour, I can still manage to pull it off without too much difficulty.

As it is a lip pencil, it is ridiculously drying, I'm talking painfully dry. Though this problem isn't easily solved, with a generous lathering of lipbalm prior to application or a decent coat of gloss afterwards, the issue can certainly be minimised. Having said that, I certainly wouldn't wear this everyday or my lips would be in a terrible state.

The upside to it being so drying is that it tends to remain on the lips for a very long time, especially if you have applied a gloss after it. I would trust this to get me through a meal, though it isn't nearly as pigmented as it was to begin with.

In terms of formula, the pencil is creamy enough to give good, even coverage but not so creamy that it crushes under the slightest pressure.

I like using these alone, however under lipsticks they are a very good base and do alter the shades (a nice change I have found!). I do intend on picking up other shades, though I don't really consider these a 'staple' in my collection.

I am glad I picked up this lip liner, especially as it is so cheap, but it's certainly not a Holy Grail type product. I give this 7 out of 10.