Waking up to a rainy morning is always a treat. The air is cool, the outside smells like wet loam and green growing things. I would imagine, however, that it's a bitch if you have to commute to work. I'm grateful that I don't have to go out today.

Anyway I want to talk about a fairly novel (at least to me) eyeliner: the MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Blue Stripe. Would you believe, it's my first ever navy blue eyeliner! I read somewhere that navy is recommended if you don't want your line to look as harsh as black or go the typical brown route. Makes sense! Navy blue is a nice choice if you want to try a different eyeliner color in the office without looking too avant garde.

I've been seeing the MAC Powerpoint pencils around since forever. Waaay back when I decided to invest in a good eyeliner, it came down to buying the MAC Fluidline or the Powerpoint.

Are you the kind of girl who doesn't have fifteen minutes to spend in front of the mirror every morning? Do you love super natural but still polished looks? If yes, then I think you'll love the Shu Uemura Eye Crayon in Misty Brown and Soft Brown (P1,375). It's a neat product that can work as an eyeliner or a cream eyeshadow, and you don't even need any brushes to make it work!

This is a good choice for girls who have no choice but to apply makeup in the car or (god forbid) the company/ school bathroom. :P It's super easy and convenient to use due to its creamy texture. However, it's not so creamy that it slides off and smudges messily. It pretty much stays put once you draw it on, with minimal smearing.

I really love the color combination, too! Misty Brown is a taupey brown that looks nice as a lid color or as a lower lid shader.

Whoever invented eyeliner has bestowed womankind a great gift. From the ancient Egyptians, to its rise in the 1920s flapper era, to today's modern woman, eyeliner has served us remarkably well by opening and enhancing our eyes. A simple black line can do wonders for our face - provided it's applied correctly, of course.

Eyeliner can be difficult to use in the beginning, but trust me, practice is the best way to get your perfect line. Why when I started using it in my teens, I was such a klutz! I couldn't get an even line for all I was worth. I just kept repeating and repeating though until my wobbly line became straight and fine.  

Tools: Charm Vegan Pointed Eyeliner Brush and Kanebo Kate Gel Eyeliner

Now, there's no one true way to apply eyeliner. The techniques I'll be sharing here is what I prefer to do with my own eyes, so feel free to experiment and find a method that works best for you. I used a gel eyeliner and a pencil brush for this tutorial but the principle is still the same for pencil, powder, and liquid liners.

Ready? Here goes!

Step 1: Start in the middle of your lash line, then draw outwards.

The Majolica Majorca Aurora Tear Liner (P595) is the perfect accent for when you want to add a subtle oomph to your usual look. This eyeliner is not something that's immediately visible; the observer would have to take a closer look, but even then he or she will already have the impression that your eyes are rather sparkly - in a very pretty way, of course!

That said, this glitter liner from Majo is not a total must-have. Still, I think it's nice to have if you want something cute and sweet to spice up your usual makeup.

What I love about the product

• It looks great on top of your normal eyeliner, as well as on the tear ducts. It can also be used on the lashes (great for night makeup) or in the middle of the lips for that extra glitz at parties.

The Kanebo Kate Gel Eyeliner (P660) has a sort of quiet yet esteemed rep among makeup enthusiasts here in Asia. You see, I've been hearing about this product for years as a great cheap substitute to the famous (and expensive) MAC Fluidline. So is it true? 

Well, yes.  

What I love about the product

• Extremely creamy to the point of being liquid. This makes the product easy to maneuver as it glides effortlessly on the lids without tugging.
• Applies as a true matte black in one swipe. No need to layer.
• Waterproof and stays put all day. There is a teeny bit of smudging, but it's not bothersome.

If you haven't noticed by now, I am a fan of Majolica Majorca. I'm impressed by the quality of their products, especially by the fact that they come in affordable prices. The Majolica Majorca Cream Pencil Eyeliner (P595) is not an exception - it's a smudge-proof and water-proof eyeliner, perfect for our humid weather.

What I love about the product

• Doesn't budge even when worn all day. It's smudge-proof and more or less water-proof.
• Pigmented, it goes on a matte black in one swipe.

I hate going out during the day. However, work and errands beckon, so I really don't have a choice! I've been out in the sun for the past four days (!!!) but I'm not too worried since I'm currently testing out a sunblock with SPF130. Yeah. I'm smug.

Anyway, it's too hot and bothersome to wear eyeshadows so I depend heavily on eyeliner and mascara to keep my eyes looking good. After much experimentation, I discovered the best combination to get an absolutely smudge-free eye - it doesn't matter how long I was out or how much I sweat and oil up. This combo is deadly. I've been to Tagaytay, Batangas, Marikina, and all over Manila with these two products on and they've never failed me.

Ready?

I promised to show you my favorite way of wearing this awesome gold eyeliner from In2It, and here it is!

It's super simple. Just use a brown eyeliner (I like the Urban Decay eyeliner in Bourbon), then top it with the gold one.

I rarely buy makeup at this point in my beauty blogging career. Aside from the review products I get for this site, I also have this (stupid) belief that I've found the bestest best makeup I can possibly use for my face. My mind is already fixated on NARS for blushes and foundation, MAC or Urban Decay for eyeliners and eyeshadows, L'Oreal or Majolica Majorca for mascaras. But who am I kidding! There are so many other great finds out there, and like Bianca Valerio said (met her yesterday! Starstruck!), you don't really need to spend a lot to be beautiful.

But let me clear that up. There are certain expensive brands I like, and I like them because I can rely on them. If I run out and if I can afford them, I don't see why I shouldn't buy again. It's that simple. Buy what works if you can afford it - quality, not cost, should be the issue.

So. One thing that works amazingly well is the In2It Waterproof Gel Eyeliner. The quality is similar to Urban Decay and MAC and better yet, it only costs P380! That's a steal considering how good this eyeliner is.

What I love about the product

• Goes on like butter! It's like applying the Urban Decay 24/7 liners or even the MAC Fluidline. Swear.
• Waterproof. Doesn't smudge. 

You know what, it's been ages since I last reviewed eyeliner here! It's just that I'm so happy with my MAC Fluidline and Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil that I've stopped bothering to look for something new. However, when Revlon sent me their ColorStay Liquid Liner in Blackest Black (P550), I just had to try it. I've read really good reviews about it so I put it to the test.

What I love about it

• Solid black line in one go. No need to layer! It creates lovely winged eyes that even Dita Von Teese would envy.
• Characteristic of Revlon's popular ColorStay line, this eyeliner stays on all day with no smudging. It's very reliable in our humid, unpredictable weather.

One product I've been using ever since I got it last September is the Paul & Joe Eye Crayon in 01. It's a shimmery beige pencil that, at first, I didn't know how to use. The point was too big to line the upper lids with any precision, and it was too shimmery and creamy to be a useful eyeshadow or eyeshadow base. So I decided to use it on my waterline and poof, problem solved!

It's the best thing I've come across to line the waterline. It provides that instant brightening effect (indispensable for puffy or tired eyes) when applied. I use it on the inner corners of my eyes as well as the inside of the lower lash line, or the so-called waterline.

What I love about the product

• Creamy, shows up nicely with just one swipe. This is an admirable feat when you're lining the wet waterline.
• Stays on all day! This is the best thing ever, since it sticks even after I wash the makeup off. 
• The shimmery beige color looks very natural when applied; I don't want any of those white eyeliners that look weird on the waterline.