review: giorgio armani maestro liquid eye liner

i've been using mac's gel fluidline in blacktrack for the last few years, however many of my friends swear by using liquid eyeliner and i decided to give it a try as well. i've tried some cheaper brands of liquid eyeliners in the past and never liked the application wand, therefore i started my search of liquid eyeliners for an easy to use pen-like application. i narrowed it down to 2 choices:
1. nars' eyeliner stylo ($30 CAN), and
2. giorgio armani's maestro liquid eye liner ($27 CAN, although i think the price increased after purchasing it)

the sales associate at the nars department told me that the eyeliner was both smudge proof and water proof and can only be removed with a good eye makeup remover. however, i tested both the nars' and giorgio armani eyeliner on my hand, let it dry and tried to smudge both products. the nars eye liner smudged much more than the giorgio armani eyeliner! after this test i washed my hand with soap and water and both eyeliners instantly disappeared off my hand. therefore neither of these products are waterproof, but the maestro liquid eye liner is more smudge proof than nar's eyeliner stylo. for this reason, i purchased the giorgio armani maestro liquid eye liner.

giorgio armani's maestro liquid eye liner

this eye liner goes on very smoothly and is very easy to use for liquid eyeliner beginners. it can be use to create very precise applications such as a flick at the edge of the eye. what's nice about this product is that the tip can be used to create very precise lines, and it can also be used at an angle for a larger thicker liner (which is what i do). 

the downsides of this product is that it's water based and therefore i find it to be quite runny and it bleeds into the inner corners of my eyes.  you really have to wait to let it dry before blinking. i strongly suggest to skip using eye cream when using this product. also, the packaging of the product recommends to store the eyeliner upside down and to make sure the cap is closed properly. i don't have problems storing it upside down (i put it in a cup with my makeup brushes) but i don't know if it's because i'm ultra clumsy or weak, but i have slight difficulties removing the cap without getting eyeliner on my hand. 

i'd only recommend this product for people who really want to use a liquid eyeliner for precise application. for long lasting wear, i'll be sticking to mac's fluidline, which hasn't failed yet (and i've been using the same bottle this entire time!).