Tony Moly Backstage Gel Eyeliner Review

Last month, I made a haul which included this Tony Moly Backstage Gel Eye-liner. I haven't tried using it, until just recently. I've heard great things about this eye-liner and the reason I bought this is because I heard it was a great dupe for the Bobbi Brown Gel Eye-liner, which I've been using for the past few years. Tony Moly's Backstage Gel Eye-liner is said to be just as good but sold at 1/3 of it's price, so I had to try it. I purchased this ebay for US$8.98 (£5.27) with free P&P, but I just checked and it's even cheaper from sing-sing-girl on ebay at US$7.30 (£4.28).

The packaging is very interesting. The jar is transparent, like Bobbi Brown's eye-liner, but it's plastic instead of glass. On top of the jar is the lid, which you just twist to open and close, and it sticks up as the brush it comes with is placed inside the hole on top of the lid. Inside there is another white lid, which is to prevent the gel liner from drying out. 

The brush is a flat, wide brush and it's quite stiff, which I like as it's much easier to draw my eye-liner on the way I want it. The brush can be extended, but I have to succeed in doing this.... ;;;

Please excuse my very dry looking hands.

I got the gel liner in #1 Black. I find that this gel liner is long lasting and perhaps longer lasting than by Bobbi Brown liner, because sometimes I find that my gel liner on my inner corners smudge, however I have not experienced that with Tony Moly. It applies very easily, and very pigmented so it looks good with even one coat. 

The product is super soft and moist inside the jar making it very easy to pick up with the brush, but it will smudge after application as it requires time for it to dry. 

[update]: Now that I've this product for a few more times, I do not find the eye-liner to be as wet when I apply it, because I wipe the brush on the side of the jar a few times before application and I find that does make a difference. The eye-liner does not smudge as easily and if it does smudge, it smudges only a little bit. However, later on in the day I find that the eyeliner smudges around my lower lash line and it emphasises my dark circles, making my eyes look like panda eyes - not a good look.

I've read that people have had difficulties removing the gel liner, but I've had no problems. I usually use my cleansing wipes (Simple/Garnier cleansing wipes) and I find that it does remove the gel liner well without much difficulties. 

Pros

• Very cheap!!!
• Long lasting 
• Very pigmented
• Waterproof
• Lightweight - compared to Bobbi Brown

Cons

• Drying time
• Smudges
• Travel unfriendly - compared to Bobbi Brown

Overall, I do think it's a good product for it's price, but I think the only thing that lets this product down is that it smudges after application. It needs time to dry and because of that, it does not encourage me to think about buying this product again. However, it is still early because I've only started using this product but this is a big drawback for me, because I like being quick when applying make-up and I take long enough as it is. 

The picture below show how my gel liner looked after a whole day.

My Rating: 4/5