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I've Tried All the Eyeliners, But Stila's Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner Is Hands Down the Best, No Question

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stila pw 100 cat
  • Value: 19/20
  • Functionality: 19/20
  • Ease of Use: 19/20
  • Aesthetics: 18/20
  • Staying Power: 20/20
  • TOTAL: 95/100

We all know the relatable eyeliner memes: One cat-eye turns out perfect, while the other one ends up growing and growing until it’s Amy Winehouse-level thick as we try desperately to smooth out the edges. I’ve tried the credit card trick (yep, the one where you place a credit card against the side of your eye to trace a super-straight wing), the tape trick (same thing, but with tape) and even the concealer fix, where you perfect the sharpness of said wing by cleaning it up with a slanted brush and concealer. And my eyes always end up looking a little red and irritated from the number of times I wipe my eyeliner off and restart.

But I’m going to let you in on a little secret called Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. If you haven’t tried this Holy Grail felt-tip liner, please scroll as fast as you can to the link and click buy. If you need a little more convincing, read on.

The best thing about felt-tip eyeliners is their ease of use, and while Stila’s design doesn’t offer anything more special than any other brand in terms of ergonomics, it does excel where it matters: the firmness of the felt tip and the inkiness of the formula. In order to get that precise line we all dream of, it takes the right combo of tip texture and a sharply pointed edge, both of which Stila’s eyeliner has. It’s these two aspects that make it ultra-easy to control as you glide it across the base of your lashes. If you like to add a little cat-eye in the corner, this characteristic is especially key for getting that ideal sharp edge and eye-lifting flick. It’s also necessary for getting the product as close to the lash line as possible, because you don’t want your brush to bend every time it hits an eyelash.

Next is the formula. So many brands fall short in this category, either showing up more like a water color consistency or going on too dry, making it impossible to go over the same spot twice without picking up the color and effectively erasing the work you just did (if you know, you know). Although Stila’s formula is waterproof, it remains slightly wet for a few seconds longer than other brands, which allows me to retrace my work without unintentionally erasing it. And it really is waterproof! It doesn’t come off unless I try to take it off—an oil cleanser usually does the trick with minimal scrubbing. And the consistency is so inky that it also never seems to dry up in the eyeliner tube. I can use the same eyeliner for months without having to buy a new one, which more than justifies the $22 price tag.

Finally, it comes in eight shades ranging from a true black to a midnight blue to pure white, so picking out your perfect shade is a non-issue.

Phew, OK. Now that you read this far, just click the button below. You won’t be sorry (and your makeup game will never be the same).


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Brianna Lapolla formerly held the role of Senior Commerce Editor at PureWow covering all things shopping across beauty, fashion, and lifestyle. Now, she's putting her 12 years of...