BPGP: blinc Eyeliner
May 10, 2012
One of the reasons why I love Birchbox*. is that I get to try a deluxe sample of a product so I have a few weeks to decide whether I like it or loathe it. That’s why I was so glad to see a sample of blinc Eyeliner in my April box.
Let me begin by listing the things I love about blinc Eyeliner (Birchbox, $24):
It is sooo black. I’m talking oil slick black, which is a huge improvement over most liners (including the Stila one I was using before) that fade to a greyish, less-than-black by the end of the day.
Ease of Removal. I hate removing eye makeup. Even when I use the best eye makeup remover money can buy, olive oil, I struggle to remove long wear eye makeup without rubbing my eyes raw. Those tissues are delicate, a fact that becomes ever more important as I plummet toward 30 with the speed of a falling Soyuz capsule.
blinc Eyeliner comes off without any rubbing and without any special tools. (I typically need two cotton balls, two Q-tips and a washcloth to scrub the eyeliner from my face.) It just flakes off the second my makeup removing towelette hits it. It’s incredible.
Now, the things I am not so crazy about:
The brush. Now, maybe this is just my unskilled, shaky hands talking, but I have some trouble getting a straight line. This is partially because I am forced to hold the handle at the end instead of near the top like on an eye pencil. And it is partially because the brush holds a lot of fluid, so some of it spreads around creating a thicker line than I was going for initially.
Frankly, I think that both of these problems can be remedied with more practice. At least, I hope they can, because I am in love with the jet black color and the ease of removal. Did I mention this stuff washes off like a dream?
*Yes, I know I say that I love Birchbox all the time, but it’s because I do. They don’t pay me for my many, many, many endorsements of their fine service. However, I am a member of their affiliate network, so I earn a small percentage if you purchase something from their store. Something like my signature nail polish shade, Belle by Zoya.
If you want to try Birchbox for a month or two to see if you fall in love with deluxe free samples delivered straight to your door, you can join here. They do put you on a wait list for a short while, but this is because they only order so many boxes per month.
Haven't tried their eyeliner, but I fell in love with their mascara that I got in my BB. I ordered the full size in dark brown, and hate it. It clumps, gets stuck on the end of the brush, and I never use it. I gave the trial to my sister because she has darker coloring than I do, and it still works great. Not sure if I got a bum full size version or what, but something to keep in mind!
I hear ya Belle- totally obsessed with my Birchbox. I know you've mentioned before that you get two- do the products ever overlap? I've brought everyone I know into the fold…sister, friends, random strangers on the street…
Meaghan: I get at least one, sometimes two, doubles a month. So I add them to the beauty box so I can give them away later.
With liquid eyeliner that has a long handle like that, I always just wrap a tissue around it so i can hold it closer to the tip and have more control without getting eyeliner all over my hand and then face.
I love birchbox, too. I peeked today to see what was in my May box and I am already excited.
I did try the ybf eyebrow pencil you raved about. It is absolutely amazing and I will never, ever go back to anything else.
Are you going to sign up for Glossybox when it launches in the US? It's supposed to be amazing but I wasn't sure if you'd heard any pre-reviews.
I've tried the Blinc e/l and gave up using it because the brush was just poorly designed and I never got used to it . . . and I've used all sorts of liquid eyeliners. The formula is excellent though, dark and smudgeproof. If only the brush were finer, firmer, and picked up less liquid and the handle were closer to the brush, it would be perfect.
I wish I had gotten this eyeliner in my birchbox this month! Instead, I got some sparkly brown liquid eyeliner that I will never use (I'm 31 and have dark brown eyes and hair). Unfortunately, I am cancelling my birchbox because I keep getting samples that I won't ever use. (last month's Taylor Swift perfume and green nail polish, anyone?) If you could give them feedback as one of their affiliates, perhaps they could include age-appropriate/coloring appropriate survey on what kind of samples to include. I did fill out their questions about my preferences, but I kept getting samples that were really inappropriate for me.
EmmeGee: Which box are you getting? There are multiple ones. I get the Trendy box and the classic box. I always love the classic, and maybe find one thing in the trendy. Maybe try switching boxes for a month before you cancel?
Emma-I got those, too, and am considering canceling because I rarely get anything that I love, and none that Belle talks about. The one thing a did want to buy, they have been out of ever since I got the sample. So sad this hasn't worked out for me since most others seem to really enjoy.
But-seeing Belle's latest response, I had no idea there was more than one box. I will try switching before i give up on it. Thanks Belle-always the problem solver!
Atticus: I really love the classic box. There are several: Adventurous, Classic, Low Maintenance and Trendy. I receive a Classic and a Trendy. Love the classic, like the trendy. I may actually switch to adventurous or low maintenance soon.
To change your box, just go to Edit My Profile.
Do you have a sense of how long the wait list is typically?
I get the Classic box and I still get green nail polish and brown sparkle eyeliner and teen perfume. I filled out all the preferences under My Profile as specifically as I could, but I'm still not getting makeup colors or skincare products that are right for me. I'm pretty disappointed in Birchbox and wish I'd signed up for a shorter subscription.
Thanks, Belle. I did choose “classic” and “low-maintenance,” but I still got samples that were not like that at all. Maybe they run out of the good samples and just send whatever they have left? Anyways, I would re-join if I could be certain that I would get the appropriate samples for my age range/tastes. But until I know that, I might try glossybox or some other service. Thanks for responding!