YSL Waterproof Eye Pencil: The Perfect Black Pencil for a Not-So-Perfect Look & Black Eyeliner Comparison

YSL recently released their new waterproof eye pencils and despite some beautiful colours I went for black. Black eye pencils are not something I regularly wear - I tend to go for gel/liquid liners or for pencils dark blue (MAC Blooz was my first eye pencil), purple or dark brown shades, but with YSL, I think I will be reaching for black a lot more.

YSL Waterproof Eye Pencil is wonderful to use - it has so much glide (more so then UD) that you barely need to touch the skin to get an impressively pigmented black line. This has a smooth, almost gel liner consistency, but is not the best texture for sharper, precise lines (although I would use a normal pot gel liner or liquid liner for this purpose). It is great for an intense line and I find it easier to achieve that 'not so perfect' dark, slightly smudgey look. Even though the pencil is soft, it does have good hold and stays on very well and it is only if I rub it, it smudges a tiny bit (but not enough that it fades the look of the line as it still retains the darkness). I find the wear to be better then the other black liners I have swatched so I need an oil/balm to remove this.  

 

L-R: YSL, MAC Feline, MAC Black Russian, UD Zero

The YSL and MAC Feline are the blackest out of the swatches, I would say that Feline looks to be a more truer black - the YSL even though black, leans ever so slightly blue in tone which is something I really love about this because it is more evident on the eye (especially in certain light) and I feel that this tone gives slightly more of a contrast against my skintone and makes the colour stand out more. MAC feline was my go-to shade as it is an intense shade with a rich, kohl texture, great for smoky looks but I have been reaching only for the YSL since I got it. Both of these I don't use right in the inner corners as sometimes the colour can creep into the corner which is the only negative I have.

I am not sure why I included Black Russian but thought it might be interesting to see anyway as it has a lovely gunmetal tone with fine shimmer where as the others are straight black. I used to think Urban Decay's Zero was pretty black, but up against the others it doesn't have nearly the same intensity and pigmentation I had once thought.

Natural light: Bottom-Top: YSL, MAC Feline, MAC Black Russian, UD Zero

Flash: Bottom-Top: YSL, MAC Feline, MAC Black Russian, UD Zero

I feel that I have sort of rediscovered a love of the black pencil with YSL, it is more of what I had been looking for in a black pencil (which sounds a bit dramatic but is true).

*All purchased by me*