NYC Liquid Eyeliner in Black

NYC Liquid Eyeliner in Black ($2.99) was a recent purchase, as I am suddenly into that 1930s Shanghai songstress kind of look. It has been getting pretty decent reviews on MakeupAlley so I reckon why not. The packaging is simple, glossy and slightly scratch-prone but it doesn't irk me since it's not supposed to be re-applied constantly.

The applicator is a stiff and thin strip of brush that seems a bit bouncy and difficult to manage (at first, but as long as I keep the grip steady. It's not too difficult to draw a straight and thin line). The liquid liner has a somewhat viscous consistency that's like printer ink, one or two swipe leave a line that's 70% opaque, which is good enough for what I paid for. The liner is neither waterproof (can be removed/smudged with just some water) or oil-proof so on its own, it get smudges almost right away, especially when I draw the line too thick that it makes contact with the upper part (when I open my eyes).

With some eyeshadow primer and powder eyeshadow as a base (I even applied some on top so now it's a bit patchy), the line does hold up significantly better (it last for 5 hours before I wash it away).  So even it's not quite the eyeliner I was looking for, it's not completely useless.