Despite my huge love for eyeliner, pencil and liquid liners alike, I surprisingly haven't had much experience with gel liners. Recently, I've been testing out the Catalina Geo Gel Liner and I must say, I'm a huge convert! Gel liners are basically the medium between pencil and liquid liners -- you get the easy control of pencil liners, but the rich pigmentation of a liquid liner!
CATALINA GEO GEL LINER
The Catalina Geo Gel Liner (3g | 0.10 oz) comes in an conical shaped packaging that is pretty much uniform with most gel liners that come with brushes. I find this kind of packaging a little odd just because it's a small product, but takes up a lot of space since the cap sticks out so much. The actual gel liner is located in a clear pot at the very bottom, while the awkward cone shaped cap contains a hidden brush!
To use, pull out the top part (the brush) and flip it around, placing the end of the brush back into the cap. The brush should fit in perfectly and with the cap connected to it, it creates a longer handle for the brush making it easier to hold and grip.
It's a handy design, however the included brush doesn't work well for me. The brush has a flat-top design that's just not good at creating thin lines. It's nearly impossible to get a clean-cut, sharp wing with and can only create thick lines (and most of the time they're messy). Though, the brush is not a complete waste – it works really well with tightlining my upper lash line, but unfortunately that's about it. It's such a shame because the gel liner itself is amazing. I highly recommend using a separate brush with this liner! I personally prefer one with a very thin and skinny precision point rather than a flat top one.
The shade I've been using is 01 Deep Black, which is a super dark carbon black with a matte finish. It has a smooth and creamy gel consistency that glides onto the lids with zero tug or pull, which is ideal for the delicate eye area.
The Gel Liner is a long-wearing eyeliner that’s smudge-, budge-, and water-proof! I’m able to wear it throughout the day with minimal fading up until the 10 hour mark. There’s zero flaking or cracking either. It’s a very mess-free liner that stays in place all day. With 10 hours of wear, I still notice it going strong however, at this point, it does begin to transfer onto my lower lid.
The 10 hour performance time is due to me setting my liner and applying a little bit of powder onto my lower lid, which I always do to prolong my liners and prevent smudging/transferring. I tested it out without setting it and it only lasted a mere 4-5 hours before transferring onto my lower lids, so setting it is very important in making your eyeliner last and stay in place!
For these eye swatches, I used a thin precision point liner brush instead of the included brush because it just didn't work for me when trying to get a thin line!
The 10 hour performance time is due to me setting my liner and applying a little bit of powder onto my lower lid, which I always do to prolong my liners and prevent smudging/transferring. I tested it out without setting it and it only lasted a mere 4-5 hours before transferring onto my lower lids, so setting it is very important in making your eyeliner last and stay in place!
For these eye swatches, I used a thin precision point liner brush instead of the included brush because it just didn't work for me when trying to get a thin line!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, the Catalina Geo Gel Liner is a very decent liner - it's a super pigmented black hue with a nice matte finish that doesn't crack, crumble, or fade even up until the 10 hour mark! It's long-lasting, but requires setting it, which is something I always do with my eyeliners regardless of the formula. I find myself reaching for this liner when tightlining because it's truly water- and sweat-proof making it stay in place throughout the day without budging. The only problem I had with this gel liner is not the liner itself, but the included flat-top brush! It doesn't work well and I highly suggest using a separate brush, especially one with a thin point for precision!
If you're a fan of gel liners, this is definitely one you need on your radar!
WHERE TO BUY?
Unfortunately, the Catalina Geo Gel Liner is currently unavailable online at this time. I will update with links on where to purchase once it is! :)Thank you to BNT News for sending this product over for reviewing purposes. Check out BNT News for the latest news and trends!
Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for reviewing purposes, however, that has no effect on the review itself. All reviews are my own 100% honest opinions.
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