Dianna Singh (Features Director): Okay. Hi, everybody. We are here for another exciting edition of Beauty on Repeat, which highlights the products that we use again and again and again. And I believe that this week is mascara and eyeliner. So if you are here, it is because you have strong feelings about mascara and eyeliner. Jesa, I know eyeliner is your signature. What product are you using on repeat?
Jesa Marie Calaor (Senior Beauty Editor): Okay, so on repeat, I am using… it was last year's Best of Beauty winner, the Lisa Eldridge Kitten Flick Liquid Eyeliner.
Dianna: I mean, are we twins here? I also have the Lisa Eldridge Kitten Flick.
Jesa: It's perfect.
Dianna: It really is. But you use it so well. I tightline with it. You do a full-
Jesa: Well, that's what I think is so good about it, right? It's like you can tightline with it. The tip of it is like so, so, so fine. I don't know if you can see it. And like you can make like a very sharp cat eye or you can even draw like the extra line for like a very graphic look. And it doesn't like smudge or get gross throughout the day. My lids are super oily, which is why I'm so prone to that. When people ask me like what my eyeliner is, I'm like, this is the perfect liner. It is a little pricey, though, I think.
Dianna: I should know.
Jesa: I should know, right? It is...
Dianna: Should we guess? What's a reasonable amount to pay for an eyeliner? Sarah?
Sarah Han (Commerce Editor): Um... I don't know. I mean... I'd probably go up to, like, $40.
Dianna: Yeah, I'm gonna put her around... I'm gonna put her around $42. $38 to $42?
Jesa: It is... $32.
Dianna and Sarah: Okay.
Jesa: Yeah, she's a little pricey, but I've had this one… I don't know, whenever I see it in the floating around in the office, I just snatch it. But like, I've had this one specifically for months, like for definitely at least three months.
Dianna: Yeah, and it has one of those springy caps, so you don't accidentally leave the cap off. You know what I mean? Not that I've ever done that, but…some people might do that.
Jesa: Yeah. Some people, not me. Yeah. But that was so funny. That was very much like that- What does that mean? That's like, I mean, it's one banana, Michael. How much could it cost?
Dianna: I guess, yes, for those who don't know, we're very spoiled to get sent a lot of products. But this series in particular highlights the ones that we have actually paid cold, hard cash for. And I would.
Jesa: Yeah! Oh, totally, totally. I grew up on drugstore eyeliners, so another one that I think is only $8 is the Maybelline — hold on, this one — the Tattoo Studio Dip Ink. My first eyeliner, I think, was a Maybelline eyeliner. I can't remember what it was, but it was kind of the same concept where like it's a tube with a brush that like goes in and out, and it's like exactly as the name says: super inky, super nice. Like I said, have oily, oily lids, so I do sometimes wear primer with this if it's like super hot, but it tends to last. Like, I'm wearing it today, so it's great.
Dianna: So you're not a pencil gal?
Jesa: No. I wish I was. Like I said, like my lids won't take it unless I wear lots of primer. And even then, pencil doesn't really do so well on me.
Dianna: Do you use pencil, Sarah?
Sarah: Yeah, all three picks I have are pencil.
Dianna: Oooooh!
Jesa: Wait, really?
Sarah: Gel pencil? Yeah. The one I'm wearing right now is this K-Beauty brand, because one thing people know about me is I'm obsessed with K-Beauty. So this is from Clio, and I just like that it's like a brown, but it's kind of like an in-between — most lines have like a deep brown and this one's a little lighter. It's Extreme Gelpresso. But my favorite colorful liner is this Valentino one that's super bright pink — and it matches my hair, kind of, which you can't see that well because it's up.
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Sarah: But my tried and true, if I blindly reach for one, is Kulfi. This has won Best of Beauty at least two times. This is not my favorite shade. I couldn't find it, but my favorite shade is Purply Pataka, which is just this really nice like purple, and it's just like a fun way to add some color into your routine. But liquid and I have kind of like parted ways. I used to wear them a lot. It was a different era of my life. And now I'm like in my pencil phase.
Jesa: When you use color, do you swipe it on top of black or do you actually just like go in with color and make it the whole look?
Sarah: I just make it the whole look.
Jesa: Love that! And how do you like- so for me, I think there was a, like a million, not a million years ago, but when About Face came out with the paints, I remember they were so vivid and so pretty. And I was like, I want to do a cat eye with it. But in order for me to do it, I was like so taped up. Like I put tape here, tape here. [pointing to the edge of her right eye at different angles] And I was just like, like painting over the tape. I find that I also do that with like coal and pencil liners to create like a wing. Do you freehand it? Like, how do you get it sharp?
Sarah: I probably don't like go for precision as much as you do. Like, I've never actually tried the tape trick. I will like use my finger to kind of like sharpen it, like my nail to sharpen the wing. Like right now [moves closer to the screen to show her winged liner] it's like kind of- I don't know.
Jesa: I was going to say that's pretty sharp.
Dianna: Yeah.
Sarah: Yeah, it's just kind of trial and error. It's definitely not like one swipe and then I'm like, I'm done.
Dianna: Jesa, did you have your wing on your wedding day, right? I love that you kept your signature style.
Jesa: I did! It was Romero Jennings did my makeup and he was like, Okay, I'll do everything, but your eyeliner. And I was like, Why? Like, can you please do it? You're the professional! And he was very much like, No, this is your look. This is your day. I want it to feel and look like you. So that was like one part of it that I did do.
Jesa: I think I used a MAC liner, because it was that very like hardcore — does not move at all. I can't remember what it's called, but it is so good. [Editor’s Note: It was the Liquidlast 24-Hour Waterproof Liner.] Like, that one lasted me like all night. I was sweating and my whole face was smudged, and I woke up the next morning, like, did not wash my face, and my eyeliner was still fine. So that was, yeah, it was wild, but it was great.
Dianna: Wait, had he done your whole face, and then you had to do the, like- that must have been high pressure.
Jesa: I was like, I am so relaxed, and now I'm not, because I'm going to mess this up.
Dianna: Right.
Jesa: He's like, You do it every day. And I'm like, Everything had to be perfect, and you're the professional. But it was great. I think that was like one of the nicest things he could have done, though. I think that if it was any other way, like if he had done it and it didn't feel right for my face, I would probably be like, Wow, that's so great and be super nice about it. But then, you know, look back at the pictures and be like, That's not me. So, yeah.
Sarah: That’s so special, though, that you contributed to your wedding day look.
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Jesa: Yep. And it lasted and it was wonderful. But I guess with my wing, I don't really use mascara, because you can't really see it. Like I've tried it, and it's like wasted almost.
Dianna: Really?
Jesa: Yeah. My lashes grow downward and they're super straight, super fine. So even if I curl it, it kind of just like falls downward. So you can't really see it. So I don't really wear mascara. I don't know enough about it. Or I haven't found a mascara that I love, love. So Diana, I do want to hear…
Dianna: Yeah, because I am the opposite. As you can tell, I am the only non-winged attendee here. But I feel very passionately about mascara, because I only use tubing mascaras, which are the ones that create those little cylinders around your lashes instead of actually superficially coating them. So it looks super weird when you take it off, because you have that little remover and then it looks like you have little bugs or a little something on your little cotton pad. But for me, it's the only thing that stays, because I too have hooded lids and any other mascara — waterproof whatever — gets on my lids inevitably, but tubing does not, just because it's those little cylinders. So I am a big fan. I pulled a few of my greatest hits here. I love Kulfi's mascara. I know you said you love their eyeliner. Do you have their mascara? [Sarah lifts up the same mascara.] Ugh!! I mean! Do you feel as passionately as I about tubing, Sarah?
Sarah: I don't think I'm on your level, but I do remember us like kind of bonding over this back when Blinc formulated theirs. So I do really like them, and I love how satisfying it is to take off, actually.
Dianna: Right?!
Sarah: Yeah, there's nothing like it. But yes, Kulfi is great.
Dianna: I love the Kevin Aucoin one, which I have here, which is called The Volume. But it's just like one of those brushes that like it does the job, you're getting coated, but it's not like a Christmas tree, volumizing sort of brush. But Kulfi, I feel like I am not compromising. I am getting my tubing, but I'm also getting my volumizing, because it's more of like a brush.
Jesa: Is it a comb?
Dianna: Yeah, they're little bristly guys, and then it has kind of a little hat on it. You know what I mean?
Jesa: Oh, cute.
Dianna: So you can get in the corners there. But yeah, I love it.
Jesa: What is the technique? Like, how do you...
Dianna: I don't apply tubing any differently than I apply regular mascara, really. And although a hack is if you really like if I want drama and I can't get that from a tubing, I'll use regular mascara, and then I'll put tubing over it, because it kind of encases the regular mascara in tubing and like tubifies it. So I will do that when I need a lot of drama, but otherwise it's like the same deal, but I love Blinc. You mentioned Blinc.
This is actually a primer [holds up the Blinc Curling Tubing Primer], a tubing primer. So that's another nice option to make things tub-y as well. And then when I went to Japan, there were so many tubing formulas, so I picked up a bunch of them — and this one [holds up the Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara Advanced Film] even has its own remover, so it's even easier to get off. This one's called…
Jesa: I saw that one when I was in Japan.
Dianna: Yeah. It's that packaging. It's like all over. It's all over. So I have this in black and brown, because it's hard to find colorful tubing mascaras. Half Magic makes one, but not a lot of other colorful tubing mascaras.
Sarah: Yeah. Tarte Tartelette also came out with colorful ones recently.
Dianna: Yes. Yes. And I like a brown sometimes. Do you guys-
Jesa: A brown is so pretty.
Sarah: I love a brown.
Jesa: And a burgundy.
Dianna: Yes! Yes! An eggplant-y kind of situation. Yeah, absolutely. But yeah, I wish that I was an eyeliner gal. I'll tightline, like with Lisa or a pencil. But yeah, it’s mascara for me.
Jesa: Are you one of those people that stacks your mascara? Like you'll have like one formula on top of another versus another?
Dianna: I will stack. I certainly have a wardrobe — a mascara wardrobe, if you will. And will choose different formulas based on the day for sure. I never test on days I have somewhere to be though, like if we're testing for a story. It's a dangerous proposition. The heat wave — I was like, no, no, you got to use your old reliables. Your beauty on repeats, you might say.
Jesa: No, I'm definitely going to try those. Because like I said, my lashes grow downward and they're super, super wispy. So when I blink, it's just like down here.
Dianna: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you guys do bottom lash mascara?
Jesa: I don't.
Sarah: Not really.
Jesa: It's too short.
Dianna: It's so dangerous.
Jesa: It's a little risky.
Dianna: A little risky. I'm trying to be risk averse in my life. Take less risk. I can't be applying bottom mascara. Absolutely not. How do you remove your eye makeup? Do you guys have favorite eye makeup removers?
Jesa: I use either a micellar water or I use a cleansing balm. Lately it's always been cleansing balm, because I've found quite a few that I liked during the Best of Beauty process. I can't tell you my favorite, because it…won. [laughs]
Sarah: I think I know which one you’re talking about.
Dianna: I think I know too. I like that one too, because I feel like whenever I use cleansing balms, my eyes are cloudy. I wear contacts — Maybe that's not helping the situation — but my eyes are cloudy for like 10 minutes afterwards, and I'm like in another world.
Jesa: Right. And then like my eyes are so sensitive too. So I am very particular about my cleansing balms. And I think that that also plays a role in, like, why I don't wear so much mascara, because it's, like, my eyes are so, so sensitive that even if it gets into my eye, I'm like oh my day is ruined.
Dianna: Totally.
Jesa: But it's so nice. I wish I had big, fluttery lashes. And don't ask me about false lashes, because I can't. I wish I could! I really do envy the girls that do it all the time, because they look awesome.
Dianna: Sarah, how do you get off your colorful eye makeup then? Oh, no. Sorry, Monica [addressing the producer because one of her dogs is barking]. Sushi’s really…the barking is happening. Sorry, Monica. Oh, no. OK, we'll cut that part out. You can’t hear it? Oh, really? Oh, no. Now I've ruined it for nothing. Okay.
Jesa: If Sushi [dog on the right] wants to make a cameo?
Dianna: Imagine. Let me start fresh. Sarah, how do you get off your colorful eye makeup looks? Because I feel like I've seen you in some like gorgeous shadow, liner, like I can I can see how it could take a minute to get that off.
Sarah: Yeah, like just a cleansing balm or cleansing oil. It just takes like a little extra time to really like concentrate and like very gently rub and melt everything away. But yeah, nothing super special. If it's super longwear, like if I were to wear a liquid liner, I think I would actually go in with micellar water first and then go into a double cleanse.
Dianna: Yes.
Sarah: Just to, like, make sure I get all of it off. Because, yeah, I'm either wearing, like, I'm wearing both or nothing. Like, eyeliner and mascara. So, when I am wearing it, like, it's just requires, yeah, more time.
Jesa: What’s your favorite micellar water?
Sarah: I think I'm using one from Illiyoon right now — another K-Beauty brand that I think is available at Sephora now. But, honestly, just whatever we get.
Dianna: I like Bioderma. I do buy Bioderma in bulk, I will say. That is one thing that I constantly replenish. And I'm particular about my cotton pads. I only like – this is so…
Jesa: Stop.
Sarah: Is it gonna be bougie?
Dianna: I only like Clé de Peau cotton pads.
Jesa: Oh my goodness.
Dianna: They’re like $30 a pack. You get like a hundred of them, but it is…it is extravagant.
Jesa: I love that.
Dianna: I justify that because we get products sent to us, which is so lovely and wonderful, but I do purchase my own fancy cotton pads. I like Muji cotton pads though, too. The cut cotton.
Sarah: Oooh! Those are really nice.
Dianna: Yeah, if I must.
Jesa: If I must! [cackles]
Sarah: High end, low end options, you know?
Dianna: Exactly! It's all about the high-low mix. Well, I think this was a lively and lovely discussion about eye makeup. Is there anything we didn't talk about….? I think next episode we do brows. We got to hit lips. There was a great concealer episode, if you haven't listened to that one yet, tune in.
Jesa: Call me for brows.
Dianna: Yeah!
Jesa: I might not have them right now, but I swear I love brow products.
Dianna: Brows are important. Don't get us started.
Jesa: Don't get us started.
