Versatile Product Review: Bobbi Brown Ivy Shimmer Ink Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner

Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Gel Eyeliners are universally considered to be some of the best in the business. They are creamy to apply, easy to use and manipulate, can be smudged or used for fine lining, and they last all day and then some. The colors are lovely...I already have the Black Mauve Shimmer Ink, and it's one of my go-to liners for neutral looks. When I saw the Ivy Shimmer Ink, I knew I had to have it!

Bobbi Brown Ivy Shimmer Ink Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner

Bobbi Brown offers an array of colors in the gel eyeliner line, some cream and some shimmer. The Shimmer Inks do have some shimmer, but are far from sparkly or glittery. Rather, there is just enough shimmer to add depth and dimension to the color. The Ivy Shimmer Ink is a deep, slightly cool green color infused with just a bit of green shimmer. It's firm to the touch, but it loads easily on the brush and swipes on opaquely with the first pass. It can be smudged (if you work quickly), or it can be left as a distinct, fine line on the lid--the only thing you need to do to get a beautiful effect is choose the size and type of brush you're going to use.

Ivy Ink dries down darker than it looks in the pot, and the green becomes more muted. This makes it incredibly versatile, as the hint of green left behind adds depth to the eye without screaming "I'm wearing green eyeliner!", which is a look I try to avoid. I have worn it with a variety of color combinations, and it's never let me down.

As you can see, on the skin the color dries down to a very neutral color, making it very easy to pair with warmer and cooler tones. It's a wonderful alternative to black or brown.

I also found a new use for Ivy the other day. After my Dior Makeover with Vincent Lee, I started thinking about how Ivy could be used with my Dior 5-Couleurs Palette in Green Design. Green Design includes a lovely, neutral, deep green that lends itself to a green smokey eye. I had used it mainly as a crease color, but wanted to do something deeper and more dramatic. When Vincent was doing my eyes during my makeover, he showed me how to use eyeliner all across the mobile lid to add depth to the finished effect, to grab the shadow, and to prevent having to use too much shadow. I decided to give it a try with the Ivy Shimmer Ink.

First, I applied a shadow base. I followed that by applying Ivy Shimmer Ink to the mobile lid with a brush, making sure to coat the entire lid all the way up to just below the crease. I then blended the Shimmer Ink into the crease, softening it as I went. Next, I added the dark green from the Green Design palette, swiping just a bit of shadow over the Shimmer Ink and again blending it up into the crease. I followed that with the mint green color from the palette, applying it into the crease. Finally, I chose the creamy white highlighter color to go just under the brow. It was very quick and easy, requiring nothing more than a bit of blending, and it gave me a gorgeous smokey, ombre effect.

I absolutely love this effect, and it was so easy! Most importantly...these pictures were taken after 

10 HOURS of wear on a hot (93 degrees) day with high humidity...as in, we had a thunderstorm in the afternoon. I was running around all day in that heat, and our A/C is currently broken, so it's not like I got a lot of relief at home, either. The Ivy Shimmer Ink most definitely did its job in holding onto the color and extending its wear time. This look wasn't going ANYWHERE until I took it off!

So, there you have it...a new way to wear your shimmer inks! I love that they're so versatile and come in so many colors. You should be able to find a color to anchor just about any look you want to do. I know I'm going to add several more to my collection for exactly this purpose.

Bottom line: Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Ink Gel Eyeliners are incredibly long-wearing and versatile. Once applied and dried down, they won't go anywhere until you take them off. The color range is fairly neutral, but is incredibly well-edited and should include at least one appropriate choice for every woman. Great choice for hot summers!