Chantecaille Gel Liner Pencil - New for Fall 2011

Chantecaille's breakthrough "extrusion technology" makes the Gel Liner Pencil ($32) the first gel eyeliner housed in a sustainable wooden pencil. Previously, gel liners were only available in composite wood or plastic material or in glass jars. This gel liner in a pencil is the real deal. The dual-ended pencil features the liner on one end and a brilliant, multipurpose angled brush on the other. Use the brush to draw, clean, and define and the perfect line at the lash line - or smudge the liner if you wish. The smooth gel formula is comprised of natural waxes and adherent film formers.

The Gel Liner Pencil is water-resistant and long-wearing for immediate, smudge-proof definition that will last all day on me. If I weren't so fastidious about removing every last trace of makeup before bed, it would probably last all night too.

The Gel Liner Pencil is available in two shades: Black (shown on the top right in this photo) and Hermatite (charcoal grey, shown at left in the photo). They are both fabulous liner shades.

I swatched the two shades in sunlight. The sun's reflection makes Hermatite look shimmery. It's not, but it reflects light - even indoor light - more than the black shade. That makes sense because pure black doesn't reflect light.

I love this liner! It glides on easily and can be used to create the thin line I prefer, but will smudge perfectly before it sets. It can also be used to creates a thicker line with ease - or the once-again-fashionable cat's eye.

The angled brush can be used to give it less definition in a precise way, if that makes sense. One nifty thing I figured out right away (no grass growing here) is that if you buy both colors, you can use the brush from one to pick up the color from the other, applying it entirely with the angled brush. The brushes are also useful for applying any other liners or eye shadows you own.

I love my new liners and will start "working on" Chantecaille to introduce a dark blue one. I want more shades! I also need to find out whether the company will introduce a sharpener for the new pencils or if their existing Pencil Sharpener Duo ($10) will work with them. I suspect it will, but I don't own that sharpener.

You can purchase the Gel Liner Pencils today at Chantecaille.com, where I purchased mine. I'm sure it will arrive at Chantecaille counters this month. My friends at Neiman Marcus are checking the boxes every day, hoping for the arrival of all of Chantecaille's gorgeous fall makeup.

Photo at top courtesy of Chantecaille; other photos by Best Things in Beauty