Charlotte Tilbury Rock ‘n’ Kohl Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil Review & Swatches

Charlotte Tilbury makeup launched in the US a couple of weeks ago (see my makeup picks from the brand here) and I couldn't be happier! I did manage to purchase a couple of items myself and I also have a few other things sent to me as my early birthday presents from my friends. I'll start off with the most basic but necessary piece that everyone who wears eye makeup will enjoy — the Rock ‘n' Kohl Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil!

First of all, I'd like to thank my girlfriend/sista Hoku (I ❤ U) for sending me this lovely pencil (she also sent another item, too, but that will be for another day). The shade I have is called Marlene Midnight which is a gorgeous, mysterious, deep and rich navy blue with multicolored iridescence.

The brand claims that the pencil “has the silky smooth glide of a liquid liner and the soft, sooty, pigment-rich result of a kohl“. The rich pigment of a kohl — this, I agree (a good kohl that is) but I think it feels more like a gel liner than a liquid liner on the skin. It has that soft, smooth, and lush feel just like when you apply your favorite gel eye liner.

Since the formula is so soft, I suggest you keep a sharpener close by because the tip can get dull very easily!

Marlene Midnight is one of the four new shades recently released and it's the color that stood out to me the most. I love blue eyeliners, but not just any blue. I prefer something deep, dark, but not too harsh and preferably has a hint of smokiness in them and Marlene Midnight delivers just that. I am completely happy with the color.

The application is smooth and drag-free, just like you'd expect from a good eyeliner formula. It sets rather quickly (within 10 seconds) so a speedy hand is required if you wish to smudge it out. One layer yields a semi-opaque coverage with a slight sheen; two layers and you will have an opaque finish. It looks great on its own but you can also use it as a base to intensify the intensity of the powder shadow you smudge on top (I will demonstrate this effect in the close-up eye photos below).

The staying power is excellent when worn along the upper lash line. It is waterproof and is supposed to last up to 14 hours, which could be true but I haven't worn it that long yet. It stays on all day and into the evening for me without any sign of smudging or transferring. It doesn't last very long on my waterline, though. The color fades and eventually disappears by the afternoon. It also flakes just a tiny bit when used to tightline.

The eye look

In the eye look below, I lined the upper lash line and tightlined with Marlene Midnight. On the lower lash line I lined with Marlene Midnight and then topped with Chaos from the Urban Decay Electric Palette. As you can see, the eyeliner amplified the intensity of the shadow a great deal by transforming the ordinary blue to a bright, stunning cobalt blue.

One last thing, the formula is supposedly infused with “crushed pearl powder, known to stimulate collagen production” — I'll leave it to my good blog friend Syl to make a comment on this. ;D

Do you like the eye look? Do you wear blue eyeliner often/to work? Can you think of anything similar to Marlene Midnight?

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