This Smoky Eye Lover's Favourite Eye Liner - NYX Matte Black Liner

This isn't exactly a new product but I've just come across it and I love it. This is the perfect smoky eye liner for the lazy gal (that's me!)

I have given up trying to do cats eye flicks with a liquid liner because a) I've been practicing for years and still can't master it and b) it doesn't really suit me. So, it's the smoky eye or nothing. 

I haven't used eye liner in an absolute age because the only one I liked ran out and I could find one like it to replace it - I got it in Korea and can't even remember the brand. I have now, in NYX Cosmetics Collection Noir Matte Black Liner.

Unlike other eye liner pencils that need to be topped, this has a retractable tip - just don't twirl too much out because it breaks easily, I snapped it twice. It is so soft and blendable and easy to draw and smudge. I smudge using a cotton bud and a teeny bit of vaseline. It's necessary for this liner as it has a long-wearing formula that makes it dry quite quickly.

Anyway, those of us who are terrible at perfectly straight lines will love it because you can draw the line in stages and it doesn't matter if it's a little wobbly. It really is the smoky eyes pièce de résistance. 

If you are a cat eye lady, this will do the job for that too. I just think it is so utterly perfect for looking smokin'. It has a gorgeous deep black pigment too and it is extremely long lasting. While all the rest of my makeup slid off in the hot and sweaty bar last weekend, my liner stayed put all night.

The finish is indeed matte but there is a hint of the gel about it too which gives it a subtle sheen. It's a bit hard to remove due to the durability but I can live with that. 

I also got my hands on two other liners from NYX. 

My heart is with soft, gel-esque pencils like the Matte Black but the traditional pencil - Satin Finish Black Liner is a pencil lovers dream.

Sometimes pencils can be very hard and sharp; this one is soft and malleable. No need to light a lighter under this one! It's also incredibly easy to remove. 

The Liquid Black Liner is very nice too. The brush is teeny tiny which is very handy and the pigment is blackest black but as you can see from the swatch below, using liquid liners is not my strong point!

It takes longer than the other two to dry but once it does it's firmly set. 

All of the liners are available in selected pharmacies nationwide now and each costs  €7.49. 

What's your go-to liner? Do you favour a pencil over gel? Have you given this a try? What do you think?