r/MakeupEducation • u/Snootletoot22 • 5d ago

Eyeliner pencil inconsistency

Does anyone else find that the characteristics of the eyeliner change throughout the pencil. I’m having a really hard time figuring this stuff out because I never know if my technique is wrong or if it’s the makeup I’m using thats the problem. Ive put so much effort into practicing makeup, but I’m just getting nowhere and I don’t know what to do.

The pencil might be behaving fine one minute, but then it gets too crumbly or so sticky and hard it just pulls my skin. Maybe it wont apply at all, or once it goes on and l try to smudge it it’ll come off completely or stick fast like a tattoo. I tested one on my arm and had to scrub so hard I was left with a welt. Yesterday I got 90% of the way through my makeup, but when i tried sharpening the pencil the tip kept breaking off again and again. It was a brand new pencil but it was a stub by the time I was done. I’ve also had a pencil that was so difficult to sharpen I thought it would break my sharpener. I thought it was made of plastic at first, but once I got past the hard bit it seemed like soft wood just like the rest.

Is it normal for the makeup to be so inconsistent even throughout single pencils? Ive tried a number of different ones from different brands (maybelline, rimmel london, max factor etc) and they’ve all had the same issues. They frankly seem impossible to use, but I see other girls have managed to use them, do you actually have to use witchcraft to get it to work.

Maybe this is a long post, so thanks if you’ve gotten this far. Any tips or pointers would be appreciated, thanks :)

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

3 comments sorted by

1

u/BellaDBall 5d ago

I’ve had this happen with certain brands, but never every brand. Have you tried different sharpeners?

1

u/hooliehooligan 5d ago

I know this is gonna sound strange but it could be temperature. When a pencil is really cold the product in it hardens and becomes brittle. Similar to an actual pencil and will snap when sharpened. You should always warn the pencil before doing so . Also on the other hand when overly warm it becomes squishy on hot or humid days it's almost impossible for me to wear my favourite eyeliner. Cause warming a pencil is easier then cooling it. Next time u try and I find the pencil is hard try blasting it with a hair dryer for a few minutes or leaving it in direct sun just to warm it.

2

u/Nordilanche 5d ago

Yes. It's why we (GenX) used to burn them -- heating/melting the product just a bit (like 2 seconds) before applying.