Product:  IT Cosmetics No-Tug Waterproof Gel Eyeliner.  Does IT perform as well as IT is advertised?

Overall Rating = 4.25 Stars for Effectiveness – 2 Stars for Issues = 2.25 Stars – Just Okay

Cost: $22 for .17 oz. ($129.41 per ounce)  Price Category: Expensive

Sold By:  IT Cosmetics; QVC; Ulta.

Container: Plastic automatic twist-up pencil, removable cap, sharpener, outer carton.

Description:  IT Cosmetics No-Tug Waterproof Gel Eyeliner is a waterproof gel eyeliner in a pencil form as opposed to a little pot.  This eyeliner requires an eye makeup remover to effectively take all of it off.

IT Cosmetics No-Tug Waterproof Gel Eyeliner is a fragrance-free product suitable for those with sensitive eyes or contact lenses.

Warning:  You have probably seen or heard of this brand from QVC, a TV shopping network, or from the Guthey-Renker infomercial.  A word of advice… if you do decide to give this brand a try, I recommend purchasing from QVC or Ulta.  If you fall for the infomercial like I did, you’ll be in for a rude awakening.  IT Cosmetics advertises a $39.95 (5-piece) or $49.95 (7-piece) offer, but when the shipment arrives, your credit card has been billed $119.00.  Nowhere are you informed that buying the initial offer also signs you up for an automatic shipment program and other membership charges you did not agree to.  Then you have to go through the hassle of refuting charges, you’re out shipping fees, etc.  Okay, you have been warned.

Claims:  The company states, “IT’s eye opening! Waterproof automatic pencil infused with skin loving hydrolyzed silk, collagen, peptides and anti-oxidants.”

Discussion:  Eyeliners come in the following formulas and they each have their pros, cons, and various uses:

• Dry cake that you add water to
• Wax-based wooden pencil that you sharpen
• Wax-based automatic pencil that you twist up
• Water-based liquid eyeliner
• Waterproof liquid eyeliner
• Cream in a pan or a pot
• Gel in a pot
• Gel in an automatic pencil that you twist up (IT Cosmetics No-Tug Waterproof Gel Eyeliner )

I immediately became a fan of gels when they were introduced over a decade ago.  A gel goes on like a cream, but then after one to two minutes, it dries and sets making it very long lasting.  At least that is true for dry to consistent skin.  Users with very oily skin may not have such great results.  Sadly, oily skin is not a friend to most types of eye makeup.

Please Note:  I will be posting an in-depth discussion of the various types of eyeliners and how to select the right type for your needs on the Help page.  Please stay tuned for that post.  If you want to know when updates are posted, please tell us in the  Comments section below.

Morning Review:  This is a difficult product for me to review.  Read on and you’ll understand why.  The first time I used IT Cosmetics No-Tug Waterproof Gel Eyeliner it went on like a dream.  I found the formula to be smooth, the color a nice deep black, and once it dried it seemed to be budge proof.  Before it dries, you can smudge it if you choose for a smoky look, or you can leave the line intact for a sharper look.

Had I only used it once and then written a review, my review would have given it 4 or even 5 stars.  Thankfully, I used this many times (or attempted to), before offering this review.  Otherwise, I would definitely be going back to revise my rating.

Evening Review:  After several hours IT Cosmetics No-Tug Waterproof Gel Eyeliner did not smudge, fade, flake or cause any irritation issues.  I used an eye makeup remover designed for waterproof makeup and it came off easily.  Sounds great, right?

So, what are the problems with IT Cosmetics No-Tug Waterproof Gel Eyeliner?

• Even though I kept the product tightly capped and even stored it in the original box, after only two weeks it began to dry out and went from a smooth application to dry and tugging on my eyelids.
• After one month the eyeliner was so dried out that it was unusable.
• In order to get rid of the dry exterior, the pencil needs to be sharpened after every couple of uses, which wastes a lot of product (that is when you can actually get it to sharpen).
• The built-in sharpener (in the end) that comes with the eyeliner causes product loss and breakage. As if that isn’t bad enough, the IT Cosmetics website offers conflicting advice to other users who have complained about this same issue.  (I posted actual text from their website below.)

Overall Review:  IT Cosmetics No-Tug Waterproof Gel Eyeliner is great at first and then quickly turns into a dried-out unusable product.  If you use eyeliner every day and are okay with buying a new one every month, then this may be a very  good eyeliner for you.  If you are an occasional user, this will be a waste for you.

It is a shame that this eyeliner did not last longer as it has some beneficial ingredients for the skin and at first it was an impressive product.  With some tweaking of the formula to keep it from drying out so quickly this could be one of the best gel eyeliners in a stick form.

Helpful Tips & Tricks:

• Always “set” your pencil, cream, or gel eyeliner with an eyeshadow in the same color as the eyeliner.
• For a glossy extra-dramatic look, apply gel eyeliner, eyeshadow, then liquid eyeliner.
• Always apply liquid eyeliner after your eyeshadow or the eyeshadow will get on the eyeliner and make it dull.

Users:  IT Cosmetics No-Tug Waterproof Gel Eyeliner is suitable for the following users:

• All users (provided you don’t mind buying the product frequently)

RATINGS REPORT:

Morning Rating = 4 Stars for effectiveness – 2 Stars for drying out so quickly = 2 Stars;

Evening Rating = 4 Stars for effectiveness – 2 Stars for drying out so quickly = 2 Stars;

Average from Other Testers = 3 Stars (They only used it once.);

Value Rating = 2 Stars;

Overall Rating = 2.25 Stars = Just Okay.

(Please review the About 365 Cosmetic Reviews page for the rating info.)

Ingredients: BLACK: TRIMETHYLSILOXYSILICATE, ISOHEXADECANE, ISODODECANE, POLYETHYLENE, SYNTHETIC WAX, SILICA, CERESIN, POLYISOBUTENE, METHICONE, ROSA CANINA FLOWER OIL, ARGANIA SPINOSA KERNEL OIL, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII BUTTER, PALMITOYL HEXAPEPTIDE-12, PERSEA GRATISSIMA (AVOCADO) OIL, PRUNUS AVIUM (SWEET CHERRY) SEED OIL, PRUNUS DOMESTICA SEED OIL, SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE) SEED OIL, CHOLESTEROL, COLLAGEN, HYALURONIC ACID, HYDROLYZED SILK, RETINYL PALMITATE, TOCOPHEROL, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, OLEA EUROPAEA LEAF EXTRACT, PUNICA GRANATUM EXTRACT, CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) FLOWER EXTRACT, IRON OXIDE (CI 77499).

Important:  Please read our full Disclaimer before using this or any product.