I was talking on the phone yesterday to a friend who happens to be a Chanel-o-phile like I am, and we both went full-on crazy when got on the topic of Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner in 88 Noir Intense.
OK, it’s just a black twist-up liner — seemingly boring, right? — but babe, IT IS SERIOUSLY THE BEST BLACK EYELINER EVER.
I wear it almost every day and have for months, ever since I figured out that, basically, it’s the sh*t.
I have ventured out, though. I’ve tried different liners over that time because, you know, it’s just black liner, and there are so many black liners out there, but I keep coming back to Noir Intense.
I come to it because it 1) because it stays on my water line, and 2) because it glides like a silky gel liner but doesn’t dry out my water lines like one.
Like a gel liner, it feels super soft and smooth, but, unlike a gel liner, it doesn’t grip my water line with such preternatural force that it dries them out a little.
I know that sounds odd, but I can’t always wear gel liner. Noir Intense is more like a traditional eyeliner pencil, but it glides along like a gel.
It also lasts all day long. It doesn’t do that weird thing that some black eyeliners do where they start out just fine on your water line but begin to break apart and disappear within an hour.
Oh, and it also doesn’t smudge, either. You know how some black liners are already smudging on your upper and lower lash lines two seconds after you apply them, and before you can say, “Dammit!” they’re already transferring up into your crease?
Noir Intense doesn’t do that.
The Stylo Yeux formula, by the way, is waterproof, but I wouldn’t swim the English Channel wearing one and expect to crawl out of the surf with perfect liner on the other side. I have, however, cried many a tear with my 88 Noir Intense, and it still looks great.
It’s easy to remove as well. I don’t need a special hardcore waterproof eye makeup remover. Makeup removing oil works just fine (I like DHC Deep Cleansing Oil).
As for that other 88…
1988! I was in seventh grade. That was the year of the terrible triangle haircut.
I saw a picture of Belinda Carlisle somewhere with this really cute bob, and I got it into my head that my thick, wavy hair would look exactly like Belinda Carlisle’s effortless bob…
So my mom, who’s never been too big into hair and makeup, took me to the hairdresser and basically said, “Do whatever you want.” She told me, “Tell her what you want,” and then told the hairdresser, “She wants a haircut.”
I remember the hairdresser specifically saying, “Are you sure you want to cut all of this lovely wavy hair?”
“Cut it off,” I said. “I wanna look like Belinda Carlisle.”
Instead, I had poofy triangle head for most of seventh grade… 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Efrain says
I’m looking for an eyeliner that stays put only in my upper waterline, I know I’m asking a lot but do you think Chanel would work? Or better in other brands that are also cheaper?
About that haircut, I think it’s a mix of the hairdresser and your hair type Alisson can rock a bob without getting it too puffy. Whatever you must’ve looked cute.
denise S says
MAC graphblack Technakohl liner is the only pencil eye liner that stays on my waterline. For $17 I always keep a couple in my makeup bags.
Chelsea says
Lately, it’s been the Clinique Pretty Easy liquid eyeliner in brown! Non irritating, super easy to use, stays on well without being difficult to remove.
I went to a friend’s house for some eyeshadow lessons (she’s a very good makeup artist), and I have some new ideas from that though. Also, she had the tiniest 10 week old baby kitty. OMG, he was so soft and fluffy.
jenna says
mac blacktrack fluidline, I’ve tried other gel liners but somehow they all seem to to dry out on me after a couple of months. I’ve never had that problem with mac
Fran says
I just tightline my upper lashline, usually. Favorites are IT Cosmetics Liner Love Waterproof Anti-Aging Crème Gel Eyeliner in Midnight Navy applied with a soft but firm brush, or, if I’m in a hurry I’ll use a skinny black pencil like Marc Jacobs Fineliner Ultra-Skinny Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner or Hourglass 1.5MM Mechanical Gel Eye Liner. I also like NARS Eye Paint or Inglot’s gel liner in a pot for this. But I’ve never tried the Chanel pencil you’ve been raving about, and now I think I need to!
The eyeshadow I wear the most is NARS Eye Paint in Porto Venere, because I use it as a base for other eyeshadows. I used to use MAC Paint Pot in Painterly, but as my eyelids got saggier and wrinklier, that started to look too dry and kind of emphasized the wrinkles. Porto Venere has a little bit of sparkle that brightens things up and distracts from the crinkly-ness.
P.S. I’m loving the Victoria Beckham x Estee Lauder palette, as well as my new RBR shadows. And I did try the eye gloss! It’s definitely best for a rocker chick kind of look, I think. I tried it with a cream shadow that was already a bit slippery — I think I need to try it again, with something that sticks to my lids a bit better. It’s fun to experiment with it 🙂
breyerchic04 says
I can only narrow it down to 4 products 😉
Urban Decay Perversion and Underground eye pencils. I can do about a million different things with them, smudging, using both, using one for a cat eye.
And then for shadow, Burberry Soft Barley and Stila Kitten.
Mickey says
Oh man… favorite liner… well first off I love liners more than mascara. My preferred liners are a gel formulation, although NARS’ liquid liner in koala is my only liquid liner gives gel liners a run for their money.
My go to in the past is Tarte’s gel liner in both black and brown. I still love this, however after hearing KathleenLights talk about Nyx’s gel pencil, I have to say I do reach for this a lot more than my Tarte potted gel liners.
Shabby says
My favorite at the moment is Clinique Cream Shaper for Eyes. It’s so easy to line the eyes with it and stays on the whole day without smudging in our hot and humid weather (I’m from the Philippines btw).
I want to try the Chanel Stylo Yeux because I’ve been wanting an eyeliner that doesn’t instantly fade from the waterline. You’re the second who claims it stays on the waterline, so now I’m more tempted. I just have second thoughts–Chanel isn’t cheap. 😛
Tatiana says
My favorite liners are Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye pencils and the old MUFE Aqua Eyes pencil liners (hate the new formula and new colors). I wear mostly shades of brown. I have a few of the Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof liners, but every now and then they smudge and migrate around my eyes by the end of the day. One blogger suggested that perhaps my eye cream is too emollient and that’s why it happens. Never do my waterlines because my eyes are so sensitive I’d rub it all off from the watering and itching anyway.
Natalie says
I wear eyeliner basically every day. I never found a pencil that would stay put – gel formulas work so much better for me. I use Bobbi Brown’s gel eyeliner in black on my upper waterline and lash line with a MAC 266 angled liner brush. I’ve always used black liner but I’m wondering if I should branch out. I’ve got dark brown eyes and almost black lashes – does anyone have recommendations? Maybe something for work and something more fun color-wise?
I don’t usually wear more than one eyeshadow at a time – I’m half Asian and while I don’t have monolids, I don’t have a heck of a lot of eyelid real estate to work with. So I usually just slap some Bobbi Brown cream eyeshadow in Shore on there to even everything out and brighten up. (I’ve got an almost-9 month old and have discovered that all I want out of make up at this point is to look more awake…)
BTW Karen as a fellow new mama I have to say Connor Claire is looking absolutely adorable!
Erin says
POOFY TRIANGLE! My most used liner is Guerlain Loose Kohl and my most used shadow is Stila Kitten.
Kim says
I also cut my hair in the Belinda bob – I thought it was the most amazing looking hair cut ever (on her). Mine was a semi-passable version. HAHA! For me, it was after the Mad About You video in 86, though.
I can’t afford to fall in love with another Chanel product, so I’m glad black liner isn’t for me. Normally I love UD 24/7 liners but whenever I’ve tightlined with the black, it’s been a hot mess. Clumps and bleeds everywhere. But, it’s probably my eyes.
Diane says
I was happy to see your mention of DHC. I’m a long-time fan of their products, which are very reasonably priced!
Kalli says
I was ride or die for Revlon’s Colorstay Automatic liner for like more than 10 years! When I realized I had a massive collection of mini and deluxe sized black pencil liners, I took a break from Revlon to use them all up. I really like the Lancome Drama Liqui-Pencil I got in my Play! box sometime last year. It’s a long wear pencil and it’s super black and really stays on all day. I use it sparingly because I’m too cheap to buy a full size! But day-to-day I’ve been using an automatic black liner from Ulta’s house line, it’s pretty good! Picked it up during the 21 Days of Beauty sale.
kwmechelle says
That’s easy- Tom Ford Designer Liquid Eye Pen. I learned of this magical pen courtesy of this blog. It arrived about a month ago. And I am. In. LOVE!! I will forever spend $50+ on eyeliner for the rest of my life. And I’m sad to hear about this Chanel one because I have a feeling I’d love it. But the thought of lining the outer third of my lower lash line, and never seeing eyeliner smudge again, is compelling. And Connor Claire is your twin. So super cute. 🙂
Susan C. says
Eyeliner-wise, I swear by the highly pigmented powders in Sonia Kashuk’s Lay It On the Line palette. The palette comes with the most adorable tiny folding brush, which gets more use than it should (it’s a little on the thick side, but easy to maneuver). I have a veritable eyeliner pencil graveyard; for some reason it’s just simpler for me to grab the palette, pick a color and line away. (Well, also as an extremely myopic glasses-wearer, I’m afraid I’ll put an eye out with a full size pencil.)
As for eyeshadow, if I had to pick a single most-used color it would be Marzipan from the Too Faced Chocolate Bar. It’s just gorgeous in my inner corners.
Karen, you look adorable as a child, even with a poofy triangle cut. Your sweetness shines through. ?
Dollie says
I used to love Estee Lauder Double wear eye pencil but these days, I’m loving the Sugar Cosmetics eye pencil. It is a small indie brand but that eye pencil is seriously awesome. Another one that’s equally fabulous is the Faces Gel Kajal pencil. Not sure if Faces is available in USA but if it is, you should check out this kajal pencil.
Becky says
Karen, I thought of you yesterday-I had a litter of beautiful little silver tabby British Shorthair kittens in for their first vaccinations and they were SO.CUTE. I wanted to take them all home!
I have still not tried this liner(I’ve been trying to resist) but I haven’t heard one bad thing about it. I get the weird drying sensation with some gel liners in my waterlines too, so I definitely need to give it a try!
Kiss & Make-up says
My most used eyeshadow is without a doubt MAC Everyone’s Darling. And for eyeliner I almost always reach for the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner.
Amanda says
MAC Smolder eye kohl is such a dependable workhorse for me. Its BFF Teddy gets a lot of use, too. Lately I’ve been slipping back into Satin Taupe as a single eyeshadow. I don’t have to think too hard and I know it will look good with whatever I decide to wear on my lips that day.
I thought I was so cool with triangle hair until ninth grade, when some jerk sitting at my study hall table called me “bell head” in response to me saying something witty. I lost the triangle hair, but I still encounter jerks who can’t handle a woman being funny.
Rachel R. says
The eyeliner I wear the most is Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil in Perversion. It’s so black, and it stays on my waterline.