Brands promising make-up that stays put now abound, but sacred few hold true to their promises under duress. While not one to generally engage in eyeliner when on a restorative break, I thought a recent holiday would be the perfect opportunity to test make-up claiming to hold its ground all day when attacked by sweat, suncream and the sheer heat of the sun.
In amongst my luggage therefore came a handful of Nars’s long-wear efforts for an endurance test under these rather trying circumstances (for the eyeliner, to clarify. I had a whale of a time).
And you know what? These puppies clung to my eyelids admirably. They didn’t smudge or flake. They didn’t pale. They didn’t mysteriously vanish. They boldly remained after an eight hour shift making their intention to stick around until removed with an oil cleanser known.
While on this front delightful, a note to the delicate/wrinkly of eyelid – some of these (particularly the lighter shades) are a touch dryer than other pencils so I’d suggest holding the outer corner of your eye while you apply to create a straight line. This is the downside of long-wear make-up: it’s a little dryer and less enjoyable to work with. It is, however, well worth it if you do want your make-up to stay put for that little longer without looking messy (and eyeliner is one of the best long-wear investments as many smear around the eye as the day goes on).
Two other factors that make these particular pencils covetable: first, that you can twist them up for more colour doing away with needing a sharpener after each use. Second is the quite frankly be-au-tiful colours in which they come. I ought to have come to the colours earlier in this paean. Colours are to fans of eyeliner most vital indeed. And nobody, bar none, do vivid shades of colour better than Francois Nars’s brand. Sure, these liners have your standard blacks (or a wonderful dark blue such as Rue Saint-Honore), but it is the brighter colours that are utterly irresistible in the collection. And now that you know they won’t budge, you can indulge your inner magpie with impunity.