Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Liner Stick Review

[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] An eye liner version of the famously good Bobbi Brown Long Wear Shadow Sticks? Yes, that’s exactly what we have here – I’m both delighted and confused. The more I try them out the more I like them but the inbuilt sharpener – I do not understand this!

I’m already a huge fan of the Cream Shadow Sticks – the easiest eye make-up you’ll ever do. They’ve consistently been in my make-up bag since their original launch eleven years ago! It was an original Bobbi product and I don’t think this extra branch of an existing product does the originals any disservice at all.

The texture is super creamy – the stick just glides seamlessly over the skin feeling utterly weightless. The line is impactful and very pigmented and there is just enough time before it sets to smudge it up if needs be, or to make any small adjustments. The nib of the pen is relatively thick compared to pencil style liners so you’re not going to easily get a fine line – it’s more of a 60’s style, meant-to-be-there kind of a line which is flattering. I can see how it keys into current trends for bold lines but it’s not for you if you have very hooded lids.

Shades, bottom to top: Fog, a deep grey, Aubergine, a dark purple, Jungle, a khaki shade, Panther, black and Rich Chocolate which is self explanatory. I think Fog is an exceptional colour, especially if you have grey or white hair, and something of a rarity as there aren’t many dark grey liners around.

I’m wearing Aubergine on my upper lid and Jungle on my inner rims – I only thought last minute to see how they work on inner lids and I was impressed, particularly with the black. If you have sensitive eyes and find kohls too hard to use, this may well be soft enough for you. So, the thing that marks this product down for me is the built-in sharpener. First of all, I couldn’t find it and then when I realised (after watching a video of how to use it) it is situated in the lid I tried it out and honestly, it just doesn’t work very well at all. It’s a kind of wear down sharpener rather than a shaving sharpener if that makes sense and try as I might to sharpen the sticks to a point, I couldn’t.  I have tried many times and the sticks never go back to that sharpened point which is absolutely a problem. If I am near a Bobbi counter soon I will nip in and ask them to actually show me how it works just in case somehow I’ve misunderstood but as it is I don’t have a contact at the BB offices – stuff arrives or it doesn’t – so I have nobody to ask. This is a good example of how prioritising marketing over PR really doesn’t always pay. Anyway, if you’re dexterous with liners, you’ll be able to create a line using any old thing – I’m resigned (actually not unhappily) to making do with a smudge line in a set of glorious colours and that’s fine. They’re £29.50 each HERE.