Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense is intensely likable.

I got very excited last weekend when I got this little beauty. See, I have been on a hunt for a good eyeliner that doesn't budge or smudge. I was totally happy with my usual cheap Maybelline hyper sharp eyeliner which many beauty experts used to rave so much about - a lovely affordable-priced item which I have repurchased many times. However, in my last 2 purchases in a year, I have found it to degrade in quality. Like really... it smudges every time and I wondered what else can I use as I've tried many mid-range gel eyeliners yet they all smudge and those really high-end ones are just too expensive for me to use within 3 months and discard. Another beauty blogger also did mention how good Essence gel eyeliner is but I've went to several nearby Watsons outlet which did not carry the brand. Bummer.

So, when a blogger friend wrote how much she loves the new Bobbi Brown eye pencil-gel, I cringed, because it's been awhile since I shopped at a shopping mall with a Bobbi Brown outlet as I have been frequenting Sephora in Paradigm Mall instead. It is only 5 minutes away from where I'm staying and driving out in the endless traffic jams just to grab a pencil (and risk myself grabbing more stuff from Bobbi Brown) is not a risk I'd take this month ;P 

So, in my most recent visit to Sephora (after doing some online research too), I decided to look out for this item and felt so happy that I trusted my instincts.

Not only was I enjoying a 10% discount on my loyalty and points accumulation in Sephora, the Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense is only RM68 before the discount. I'm not sure how well it is compared to the Bobbi Brown one but the moment I tried it on my hand, I was instantly impressed with it - it draws like a liquid liner, it is smooth and creamy, and it doesn't budge. Like I used a few of them and then tried rubbing them with my fingers and they just won't budge. 

I purchased Intense Plum instead of the usual Black because I like the dark purplish tone. It looks a little glitter-ish too but it wasn't that apparent when applied on the lids.

The first time I tried it on my eyelids, I only used BB Cream on my face and nothing but eye cream on my eyes. Without a primer or foundation, it is usually a formula for creasing and smudging since my eyelids can get oily after awhile. Yet, the eyeliner just didn't budge or smudge. It didn't transfer to the lower lids and it stayed true even when I rubbed it with an eye-makeup remover at the end of the day. It took awhile to remove and several times of wiping with the facial cotton. I am truly impressed. And I thought I couldn't use pencils on my eyelids.

The eyeliner didn't irritate my sensitive eyes with or without contact lenses, and it stayed put even in our humid weather. For a mid-priced range item and one that isn't really raved about (or I haven't heard about it), I am thoroughly impressed with its performance and presentation. Simple yet it works.

According to Clinique Malaysia's website, the Quickliner for Eyes Intense has the intensity of a liquid liner with a silky formula that glides on, stays on all day and never needs sharpening. It can also be used as a long-lasting eye-shadow, which I won't recommend unless you're doing it only in emergency situation when you need to go out for an event at the last minute because I've used it for about 4 times and I can see how the creamy formula can get used up fast... the creamy tip just glides on nicely and you'll find that you'd need to rotate the pencil for the tip to move up at every use. 

This is just to show some of the colours I tried on my hand which I washed off with water and shower gel. You can see that you cannot remove the colours entirely. With our facial cleanser which is probably much gentler than a shower gel, I doubt that the colour will fade out too much. Hence - staying power: check. That, is my biggest concern.

From Clinique Malaysia's website, there are 11 colours available. Not quite interested in anything else but black. But I hardly use many eyeliners unlike other cosmetics I put on my face like  the foundation, lipstick or eye colours. So, I'm happy with just this one colour for now.

I must say I'm a big fan and I'll stick to this until it gives me reasons to find a better option. I like it so much because it kind of exceed my expectation of a pencil liner. I wonder if other brands have also come up with such a pencil-gel formulation that doesn't budge since I now know of 2 cosmetic brands with similar invention. Of course I like this one more because it is better priced and it is available just  at the corner of my neighbourhood. Perfect.

Have you come across this product?