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 minimal in style, somewhat hopeless with an eyeshadow brush, and always, always, short on time. That being said, there’s one Instagram trend I can always get behind: bold, beautiful winged eyeliner.
When I caught word that the Queen Of Instagram Makeup herself, Huda Kattan, was releasing a new eyeliner this fall, I knew it had to be good. Much like me, 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.”
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 propel system that allows it to self-sharpen (always a plus), and the brush on the liquid is incredibly fine-tipped. (Kattan herself cut it to the perfect point.) The real kicker however, is the 48-hour wear claim that the liquid end boasts (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.
Truth be told, I’ve already tried plenty of formulas that claim out-of-this -world wear, but flake off at the first sign of a tear or eye-rub. My liquid liner track wear is a solid nine hours (and that’s the best of the best), so I wanted to put Life Liner to the test. So, in the name of journalism, I slept with it on—two nights in a row. Read on for my liner diary.