N.Y.C. New York Color Line and Define Brow/Liner Pencils (Jet Black)

Almost every woman I know feels sexy and bold when she adds a little liner to her eyes to make them pop. And, as most people know, I am notorious for wearing perhaps a little too much liner every day. ("My sister wears a lot of eye makeup. People think she's a whore."--Name that movie!) Anyway, so, it has been up to me to investigate all kinds of liners, especially those that double as brow definers--not that I need to "fill in" my eyebrows, but I frequently need to darken or lighten them, depending on my current hair color.

Now, as you are probably aware, eye lining/brow defining pencils are cheaper than other alternatives, such a creme eyeliners (also called crayons) or liquid options, and this set of two small-ish pencils is about the most inexpensive that they come. I picked this set up at Target for less than $2 (about $1.72 before tax, if I remember correctly).

What it is: N.Y.C. New York Color Line and Define Brow/Liner Pencils in Jet Black.

0.04 oz or 1.0 g.

These are your standard pencils which need to be sharpened like any other. It is recommended that you use the N.Y.C. Dual Sharpener 979 A/U.

What it claims: "N.Y.C. brow and liner pencils make lining and defining brows and eyes quick and easy. Special formula is soft enough to easily fill in brows, yet firm enough to prevent smudging and running. Perfectly sized for on-the-go good looks."

The result: Part of the claim is true. It works well for darkening my eyebrows. Some pencils tend to overdo the black with just the lightest stroke, but I have had success with this one. However, like any pencil eyeliner, it is, in fact, prone to smudging, so be careful. The biggest issue I had with these pencils is the lid. Just like any pencil liner, each is given a lid, but this one doesn't actually stay on! The cap comes off with the slightest touch, and so when I stored the pencil in my purse--even just inside my makeup bag in my purse--the tip wound up smooshed, rendering it almost useless, or worse--giving it a sharp edge so that it was painful to use. For the price, this is an excellent eyeliner to use, as long as it is safely tucked away at home, where the cap won't come off. If you want to have an eyeliner that can be easily stowed with you without worrying that the cap will come off, try something else.

Final verdict?: Three stars out of a total five.