Shu Uemura Liquid Eyeliner Pen

Today, I share with you my current and HG eyeliner. If there were only one product I had to take with me from home, this would be it.

But not really.

Why? Because I don't need to. The finish is flawless, there is no smudging, it's quite water (and scrub) resistant and the packaging is excellent. Oh, and it's refillable, so it's also extremely practical and in the long term, pretty economic I'd say.

Shu Uemura products are known for their quality, and this is no different. My first purchase back in 2007 was a pair of false eyelashes and the glue, and they lasted brilliantly, until someone came over to my house and decided to (accidentally) rip them.

That was, indeed, a very sad moment.

I have always been an avid fan of liquid eyeliners. I guess I haven't hopped on the gel eyeliner bandwagon.. yet. As far as I'm concerned, liquid eyeliner is my liquid gold. Maybe in the future, when I'm bothered enough to buy a proper brush and the MAC Fluid Liner or BB Long-Wear Gel Liner, I'll think otherwise, but I'm still at the experimental stage.

Truth?

I just can't be bothered. I've hardly enough time to maintain a blog, let alone time enough to do most things that I want to do.

All excuses aside.

This is a freaking awesome eyeliner.

There are a few noteworthy points (outlining why I absolutely love this eyeliner) that I would like to mention.

The casing is metal. Quality. Sturdiness. Shu does it again. The finish is not some flimsy, less-than-favourable plastic case that cracks every time you drop it. Even though I try to take perfect care of my products, I admit that I am shamefully guilty of committing the heinous crime of dropping my (sometimes most favourited, personally most coveted) products. Not even onto carpet. On the cold, hard tiles. I cry for my F80. A piece of my heart was dented alongside the ferrule.

It's a screw-on cap, which fills my heart especially in the peace-of-mind department. I don't have any fears that when I'm on the go, this little stick of perfection is going to spill everywhere, or worse, dry out when the cap pops off.

The length is perfect. Man, whoever designed the Shu Products is a genius. Seriously. It's long enough for excellent grip and sufficient weight. The result is unparalleled control and a smooth application. I have a grand total of zero complaints.

Probably my favourite part of this eyeliner is the tip. For a liquid eyeliner, it's quite dense, which means that it's not flimsy at all. I'm not going to get eyeliner flying around everywhere. The tip doesn't fray like some of the other ones I've used before, and if you've ever used a sponge tip (or even other felt tips), you'll know that the shape doesn't last at all (for every one that I've tried, anyway). It's so annoying. The tip is quite large (relatively, of course), but it's extremely easy to use.

The ink itself is great. It's fast-drying, lasts all day, runs smoothly and doesn't spread unnecessarily. It is also a true black and the perfect thickness. Again, A++++ in the quality department.

What makes this eyeliner great is that it's refillable. It screams practicality and it is, indeed, very practical. When you run out, the grand casing doesn't go to waste. I guess it does make sense that non-refillables would be made of plastic because, well, they're not going to stay in your collection 5eva and eva.

But seriously, every liquid eyeliner should be refillable.

I recently ran out of eyeliner from the original cartridge that I purchased in January, and I couldn't wait until my friend came back from Korea. So, I had to resign to buying my first David Jones cosmetic item in a very long time.

As you can see, the original cartridge had pretty much run dry. It was extremely easy to replace.

Just pull off the old cartridge and literally stick the new one on and push. There's a strong, solid click that lets you know that all stations are ready to rumble, once again. To use the eyeliner, just click the button at the end of the pen a couple of times, until the ink spreads through the tip. In order to keep your tip smooth, it's recommended to completely clean the tip in between cartridge replacements. Old ink accumulates and can clog the tip. Nasty stuff.

Now to business.

I bought this eyeliner in Korea for $30.00, I believe. It retails in Australia for $48.00. Ouch. That's the pen only. You have to buy the cartridge separately. If it's any consolation, Shu Uemura no longer stocks in stores in the US. The refills are $22.00 and can be bought at David Jones.

Again, the price is quite steep, but in the long run, it's quite economical. You don't have to buy a completely new eyeliner every time you run out, and the cost of the cartridge is quite a lot lower than buying a new eyeliner altogether.

Think of the long-term benefits.

If I must reiterate, this is my favourite eyeliner. There is nothing wrong with it, besides the fact that it runs out - but then, this problem is solved easily because it's refillable.

Shu, you've done it again.

Lots of love! x