Jumbo eyeshadow pencils are quite the hot beauty item and they seem to be getting more popular each spring and summer. And why not? They are convenient, easy to use, and easy to carry around. You can easily throw one in your purse and go, no extra utensils needed, reducing messes and making it possible to pack light (a challenge for this product obsessed gal). And, they can be versatile - although I prefer the simple wash of color across the lid when I use them, there are a lot of talented folks out there that can create gorgeous, more intricate looks.
I remember when the biggest player in the jumbo shadow pencil arena was NYX. Every beauty gal on the Internet (myself included) had at least Milk and Black Bean. The problem was, they creased. You definitely needed your primer.
What we really needed was a long-wearing shadow pencil. And as other brands caught on to the demand, they delivered. While I've been totally obsessed with my Urban Decay 24/7 glide-on shadow pencil and more recently came to love the new Make Up For Ever (MUFE) Aqua Shadow pencils, I'm happy to report, I've found a product that delivers just as well at a fraction of the price: the Sephora Collection Jumbo Liner 12-hour wear pencil ($12).
It looks just like any other shadow pencil - a fat version of your average eyeliner as you can see below. It comes in 28 different colors, but I chose Taupe (of course I did).
Let me tell you a little secret: It's an amazing dupe for MUFE Aqua Shadow in 20E. I know because I decided to purchase this product when I couldn't decide between the MUFE Aqua Shadow in 20E (pearly taupe) and 28E (pearly beige). I was about to just get them both when I saw the Sephora jumbo pencils. I swatched the taupe next to the 20E and I could not tell the difference.
I only wish I'd remembered to take a photo of it in the store. But next time you are at Sephora, give the swatch test a try. Incidentally, Sephora's jumbo pencil in Beige is pretty much almost the same color as MUFE 28E, I may purchase that once I go through my 28E shadow pencil.
So, how does it compare?
I absolutely love this product. It's nice and creamy and glides onto your lids easily. All I do is apply directly onto my eyes and blend with my finger. Just like that, I'm ready to go. It really is fool proof. In fact, after wearing this a few times, my MUFE pencil felt dry and more difficult to work with by comparison. An even bigger incentive to purchase the Sephora pencil in Beige once my 28E runs out.
I even wear it without primer and it's still going strong by the end of the day. It fades, but just a tiny bit. Nothing really all that noticeable unless you are really scrutinizing it. Perhaps most importantly (at least to me) is that I have not experienced any creasing and at the end of the day, I still have a pretty wash of color on my lids. Keep in mind, I'm testing this in the middle of the hot and humid Florida summer. Color me impressed.
The color pay off is also fantastic. What you see in the pencil is what you get. And you can build it up or sheer it out. Here's a primer-free swatch in the shot below.
My only real gripe (and this is a gripe with all shadow pencils) is that you lose product when you sharpen it. I love it so much, it makes me sad to see any of it get tossed away. The only thing that makes it less painful is knowing that it wasn't really that expensive, at least not compared to my MUFE or Urban Decay pencils that each run me $20. I love it when I find quality for a bargain.
Here's a photo of me wearing my Sephora shadow liner, blended with my fingers to get a medium-light wash (you could easily make it darker).
So what do you think? Are you into the shadow pencil craze? Have you tried any other affordable long-wearing pencils? I'm itching to try out the Milani ones to see how they compare too. If anyone has, I'm dying to know what you think of them.
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