When it comes to fast, easy makeup, you can’t beat a good crayon be it for lips, eyes or cheeks. They’ve only really become popular over the last couple of years, but in that time we’ve seen plenty enter the market, starting with the more luxe brands like Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier, followed by high street names such as Bourjois and Essence.
As always, there are some duds out there as well as gems, but, in general, I find they are a great addition to any make-up bag. Maybe you’re not entirely convinced about them, maybe you are already a fan, but here are a few reasons we love them.
- Easy to Blend
The formulas of crayons and makeup sticks can vary, between offering a sheer wash of colour to full on, high pigment, but overall they are easier to blend and require fewer tools than traditional powder shadows. If you want them to set quicker, use a synthetic brush to buff out the edges, but if you need more time to get the perfect finish, the warmth of fingers will keep the formula blendable for longer.
- No Fallout
An eye crayon or stick can be used on its own to create either a day look or smoky, nighttime eye, but one of my favourite things about them is that there’s no fallout, which means your foundation stays looking clean and fresh.
Advertised
- Portable
Whether it’s a stick foundation, lip crayon or blusher, you can just chuck it in your handbag for touch-ups throughout the day without having to worry about bringing brushes as well.
- Multi-Tasker
Many makeup artists use a crayon as a base for a longer lasting eye makeup, blending it over the lids before applying powder shadow to set it for a more intense colour pay off.
- More Control
Advertised
As someone with an uneven lip line, I find some lipstick/gloss applicators can make it difficult to work with on myself, but using a pencil or crayon gives that bit more control and you can always smooth out any edges using a lip brush if needed. Last year I fell in love with the Lord & Berry's Kiss Lip Crayon (full tutorial here) and this year it’s Dragon Girl from NARS (€26).
Are you a fan of crayons & make-up sticks? Or do you prefer more traditional products?
