As mesmerized as I am by the rise of so-called Instagram Makeup—typically involving full-coverage foundation, a Technicolor eye, and matte lipstick—I usually don’t incorporate the look into my own routine. I’m much more minimalist in style, somewhat hopeless with an eyeshadow brush, and always, always short on time. That being said, there’s one Instagram trend I can get behind: bold, beautiful winged eyeliner.
When we caught word that the Queen of Instagram Makeup herself, Huda Kattan, was releasing a new eyeliner we knew it had to be good. Kattan is rarely seen anywhere without her signature swipe of black liner. “Liner was actually the first piece of makeup I ever wore,” she says. “I was probably 12 when I started wearing eyeliner. It was the one thing that I would never leave the house without.”
To make sure every liner lover found their new holy grail liner, they created a dual-ended liner: At one end a liquid liner and at the other, a soft pencil. This means you can do absolutely everything with it, from a perfect wing or graphic liner look to tightlining your eyes and smudging out your look.
They wanted to make an eyeliner that was for people who were as obsessed with eyeliner as them – so the owner said “I feel like eyeliner can completely transform and lift the eyes, and it always makes me feel sexy! Although there are so many eyeliners I love, I realized that I had never truly found an eyeliner that was intensely black or matte enough, or one that looked as bomb from application til removal. So, my team spent two years searching for the perfect formula that would be the longest-lasting, blackest and mattest liner ever. With our unique formula, we then refined the liner and application for a further year to make it the ultimate liner.”
Huda Beauty’s Life Liner features a pencil on one side and a liquid on the other. It may be surprising for a makeup maximalist, but Kattan wanted to streamline the liner process—and make it easier for travel. The pencil has a twist-up system that allows it to self-sharpen (always a plus), and the brush on the liquid is incredibly fine-tipped (Kattan herself cut the perfect point). The real kicker, however, is the 48-hour-wear claim for the liquid end (the pencil has a standard eight-hour wear time).
According to the brand, the staying power comes from a blend of silicones and silicone resins; the combination creates an elastic texture that bends with your eye and doesn’t crack or smudge. The waterproof formula also features a lightweight film that protects the color once applied. Kattan says that she even uses it to lightly fill in her eyebrows for a day at the beach or pool—in the campaign video, she emerges dramatically from a tub of water, eyeliner wings perfectly intact.
This is perhaps the inkiest black eyeliner you will ever try. It goes on easily, and don’t have to go back over any areas to fill in gaps or darken the line. While you will be super impressed with the color and the matte finish, it’s very runny, making it hard to get the perfect wing. The liner stays put once it goes on, making it a bit tricky to clean and perfect my wing.
Kattan also recommends using her soon-to-be-launched Makeup Removing Balm (or a primer) on a cotton swab to fix any slipups. She also advises building your look slowly by beginning with the pencil as an outline, then wiping any excess liquid off the brush before starting your wing.
How to Use Life Liner Liquid Liner
Step 1: Open the liquid side of the liner and wipe off any excess formula from the brush on a tissue or your hand.
Step 2: Starting from the outer corner of your eye, begin to create your wing by drawing up and out towards the end of your brow to lift your eyes. Then work inwards towards the center of your lid.
Step 3: Complete the line by starting from the inner corner of your eye and drawing the liner in toward the center of the lid.
Allow the liner to dry for around 60 seconds, depending on how thick your line is. The thicker your liner is, the longer it will take to dry.
Tips for Using the Life Liner Pencil Liner
Add drama: For extra drama, apply it along your lower lash line on the outer corner and smudge it out to soften the look.
Get creative: You can also use the liner as a base for an intense smokey eye or for creating graphic liner looks.
How to Remove Life Liner
As well as using our Huda Beauty Makeup Remover Balm, you can also use other powerful makeup removers to remove Life Liner:
Option 1: Gently massage an oil-based cleanser or waterproof, oil-based makeup remover onto eyelids to dissolve Life Liner. Then rinse with warm water and wipe away any excess formula with a cotton pad soaked in makeup remover.
Option 2: You can also remove Life Liner with a waterproof or strong performing oil-based eye makeup remover. Soaking a cotton pad in makeup remover, apply on the eyes massaging gently to break up the formula.
Option 3: Massage coconut oil onto your lids for a minute, then once the Life Liner has dissolved, rinse with water and cleanse as usual.
You can shop this item through Life Liner at Sephora, Sephora in JC Penny, Cult Beauty, Harrods, Selfridges, Feel Unique, Net-A-Porter, Brown Thomas, Arnotts, Nykaa, The Beauty Editor, Boutiqatt, and Naime’s Beauty Center.
Take note: This eyeliner technically does hold up for a full 48 hours, but it looks 100% perfect for only the first 24 hours. That’s still quite a feat, considering most formulas disintegrate around the 10-hour mark. Plus, you’re not so sure there’s any reason you actually need an eyeliner that stays on for two nights, unless you’re that committed to a quick getting-ready routine or stranded at someone’s house sans makeup bag. I don’t plan on wearing it to bed again, but after passing this test with flying colors, it’s definitely accompanying me everywhere else.