New CID's a brand that comes in and out of focus for me: when I was beauty editor at Image magazine a few years ago it had just launched and some stuff passed my desk then. But it's never had much distribution here, despite being a UK brand - House of Fraser Dundrum stocked it for a while but it seems the Belfast branch and one other NI location are now the only places to buy on the island of Ireland.
Never mind - you can also get the products online, and you might well want to pick this up. It's the long-winded i-gel Long Wear Gel Eye Liner Trio with Brush in Granite, Graphite and Carbon and it costs £21.99. Also available in two other combinations (jewel tones and coppers), this is the one I was given to try.
First things first, packaging is quite clunky, I thought - though you do get a brush in the box, which is a nice touch. Lift the lid on the liner container and you realise there's method in the chunky madness:
A second, tightly-fitted cap within ensures that the product inside doesn't dry out as quickly as they might otherwise. Smart, eh?
And here are the shades. Split into three, you get just under 1g of product per colour which in total is the same as you'd get in a Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner or Mac Fluidline, fact fanz. That works both ways - it's hard to get to the bottom of a pot of eyeliner at the best of times so 1g is probably a decent enough amount, but what if you really prefer one shade?
Advertised
Me? I'm mad for the shimmery grey, Graphite, and there isn't enough variation among the other colours, so it's definitely going to be used up first - leaving me with a lop-sided pan of product.
And that really is my only gripe with the i-Gel system. The liner itself is very good. Lovely and smooth in use, it's easy to apply, lasts very well with only a minimum of budging and while it's not quite as good as Bobbi Brown's amazingly fab Long-Wear Gel Eyeliners, it's definitely up there with some of the best I've used. I also really like the idea of getting three shades in one pot.
But there is bugger all difference between Granite and Carbon. In the pan it does look like one's slightly more navy than the other. I present the evidence:
But on the hand - and on the face - you can't discern any real difference.
So that really is a bit disappointing as far as I'm concerned. There is a tiny shade difference - but it is minuscule and sorta ruins the whole concept of three-in-one. The other trios appear to provide better variation, by the way. In this one, Graphite's the stand-out for me and is getting a lot of use.
Advertised
Lastly, lets take a little look at the brush, shall we? Designed to apply the product precisely, this shape isn't my favourite type of liner brush so I haven't been using it - I prefer ones with a rounded, tapered tip. This does feel nice though - it's firm and non-scratchy and will be a good bet for someone who doesn't already have a couple of other liner brushes in her arsenal.
