A few weeks ago, I decided to indulge my masochistic side and sign up for the Ballet Bodies Burn class. It’s popular with celebrities, and known for being intense.
But the most shocking part of this particular day wasn’t running into Kate Mara in the lobby (true story). It was my instructor’s makeup: a thick, sharp, black line of liquid liner that I couldn’t take my eyes off, even through gasping for air in the dance, mini trampoline, and crunch portions of the 60-minute class. I was drenched, she was drenched, we were all drenched in sweat by the end. Her liner, on the other hand, was pristine.
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She probably thought I was asking her for a few extra bum-blasting tips when I approached her afterward, but it was all about the product name. "It’s Nyx. I think it’s called Matte Black!” she told me. I made a mental note to pick one up while not bright red and exhausted.
The fact that it was Nyx didn't completely shock me: I've tried the brand's liners in the past — this Eye Marker is great — but as it turns out, it's already a YouTube hit ("Nyx matte black liquid liner" returns over 200,000 videos). So I found it at my local drugstore and gave it a go. And what do you know? It lives up to the hype.
The thin brush allows for serious precision, the formula is the dense, inky color we're all after, and it sets quickly. Unlike with markers, you control the product, so while it's a little trickier to master, it provides better results, in my opinion. You'll need a dual-phase makeup remover to get it off, or a heavy oil cleanser, but you won't need a tissue to wipe your eyes when you cry or work out — I know because I tried. The only thing I didn't do in it was swim... but given how many glowing reviews there are online, I'm sure someone did.
Nyx Matte Liquid Liner in Black, £7, at ASOS.