I remember when a black eyeliner was all I needed to consider my eye makeup done… of course that was before my lids started drooping, making it harder for most eyeliners to stay in place. These days, I still use eyeliners on a daily basis, to make my small Asian eyes stand out, and my lashes fuller. And so, when I received a bunch of brand new eyeliners from Kose’s Esprique makeup line, I knew I would have a lot of fun with them!
For many of us in Asia, hooded lids are a common woe due to our genetic predisposition. Combined with the hot tropical climate, an oilier eye area often results in eyeliners running or smudging. It is not a function of price or prestige, rather, the eyeliners that stay on best are often made by Asian companies, and these Kose Esprique Gel Liquid and Gel Pencil Eyeliners are testament of their pedigree.
Pose Esprique Gel Liquid Eyeliners come in a modular form. Shown here are the seasonal limited edition packagings, each containing an ink cartridge within which can be bought individually as refills. The brush tip is fine enough to draw a precise line, and has enough stiffness for control yet still with a nice flex to allow for a winged flick. The ink is drawn to the tip of the brush by turning the bottom of the pen several clicks. It takes a few seconds for the ink to flow through to the top, and generally 2 clicks will suffice.
There are 3 shades being released – black, brown, and a shimmery bronze. I love how the black is deep and opaque. Pearl Brown is an interesting one for a less severe liner with a touch of something glistening as I blink. Even the Brown shade is cool- to neutral-toned devoid of red undertones, and works well on my skin tone.
In case liquid liners are not your kind of thing, Kose Esprique has also released several Gel Pencil Eyeliners. These are fine-tipped and swivel up and down with a turn of the neck. I often reach for such pencil liners to fill in my lash line for a fuller look. The ones shown above are limited edition designs, and refills may be purchased separately.
The 2 limited edition shades are BL900 – a mid-toned turquoise blue; and BK002 which is a deep blackened navy. Between the 2, the navy shade applies smoother and more pigmented, but the turquoise is consistent with such shades. Due to the gel formula, these are resistant to smudging and stay on well on the lower lash line. I personally found these to tug and skip during application, and I found it easiest to smoothen and get a sharp edge at the corner using a separate eyeliner brush.
There is always room to add a few new liners in every makeup drawer, and these Kose Esprique Gel eyeliners are a fun yet subtle way to incorporate some color into a work appropriate wardrobe. They are already out in counters, so pop by your nearest one and check them out!
This post featured products that were kindly provided for my consideration. Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.
