I’m going to be blunt, I’m extremely picky about the eyeliner I use. I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to doing things around my eyes (to this day I full on sob whenever I get my eyebrows threaded) so I try to find the softest, creamiest eye pencils. I’m terrified of accidentally poking my eye when I drag a dry pencil across my lashline (this is a thing that happens, right? I’m not just making it up?). Liquid eyeliner doesn’t work for me – I get war flashbacks to my dance days and the raccoon eyes that were part of our stage makeup. Also, my hands shake like crazy when I concentrate.
ENTER: Urban Decay’s Gift From God.
Seriously, the 24/7 Glide-On Pencil from Urban Decay has to be the best eyeliner I’ve ever used ever. Before finding this pencil, I’ve was using EcoBella’s eyeliner, which, while extremely soft and easy to apply, lasts for all of 4 minutes before it washes away. The 24/7 Glide-On lives up to its name – I tried on Deep End, a shocking electric teal, on one eye just to check it out and woke up with it still perfectly applied the next morning. I looked like an idiot but I can testify this pencil is (near) permanent.
Glide-On literally glides on. It’s so easy to apply and the incredibly creamy color means your liner is literally a pop of color – it will stand out against whatever skin tone you have. For the most part, the color lasts all day and all night. A quick top up after a 8 or so hours wouldn’t go amiss, but it’ll stay bright or near-bright the whole time you’re wearing it. I suggest, though, since it won’t come off for anything (water, rubbing, etc.) be sure to be extra careful when applying it – know the look you’re going for before putting it on. Once it’s on, nothing is going to take it off.
Urban Decay, a cruelty-free brand, has a huge range of colors for their Glide-On Pencil. From 3 different hues of matte black (above), to sparkly greens, pinks, and purples, their 40-color strong assortment makes it pretty easy to find exactly what you’re looking for. And because the Glide-On is literally the best pencil I’ve ever used (and because it lasts so long – perfect for those Desi wedding events that go all night long) I whole-heartedly suggest buying a few colors – probably at least 1 kohl-like black, 1 to match your reception dress, and 1 soft brown or purple shade for the religious bits. Each pencil will run you $20.
While I recommend Urban Decay and all their vegan and cruelty-free goodness to everyone, it’s important to mention that Urban Decay is owned by L’Oreal, a notoriously non-vegan parent company. If you get squeamish at the idea of supporting a company that tests on animals, I totally understand and I hope to have a definitive list on 100% vegan eyeliners very soon.