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Wunder2 super-stay liner review: The eyeliner that makes light work of a cat eye flick

Long-lasting with creamy precision? This product seems too good to be true

Vanese Maddix
Thursday 31 December 2020 17:15 GMT
Theres’s 21 shades to choose from in either a metallic, essential matte or glitter finish
Theres’s 21 shades to choose from in either a metallic, essential matte or glitter finish (Independent/iStock)

You know how it is, you’re doing your make-up and it’s approaching the dreaded step. Whether that be fake eyelash application, trying not to poke your eye with your mascara, or like me, trying to do eyeliner that doesn’t look like it’s been applied in a dark room. 

For me, the problem is rarely ever the eyeliner itself but more me not being able to get a steady hand during application. When you’ve tried close to fifty different eyeliners it becomes more of a “You” problem, but thankfully with the beauty industry pushing out weekly launches, for every product that I don’t gel with there’s another one just around the corner. My ideal eyeliner is long-lasting, has a precise tip and comes in a variety of shades. 

There are a few hyped eyeliners that I wish I had a better experience with. For instance, Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner was a total dream when I first got into makeup but looking back it dried out way too quickly and always came out looking far too thick. 

Having tried many eyeliners from a price range of £3 - £25 (with the latter not being worth it, I now make sure I do thorough research from YouTube reviews, customer comments and recommendations from friends. 

Since doing this sort of thorough investigation, I often come across products that I find to be underrated gems from the likes of Perricone MD no make-up highlighter, Florence By Mills glow yeah lip oil and Wunder2’s Super-Stay Liners. Wunder2 isn’t necessarily an unfamiliar brand to me as I knew its popular Wunderbrow long lasting eyebrow gel which I hadn’t tried at the time. I just wasn’t aware of its other products. 

I was pleasantly surprised as I instantly fell in love with the creamy formula in just a few swipes. To my surprise, the liners launched back in September 2017 and it’s only been a recent discovery, so it was a real under the radar product for me.

 One of my favourite things is that the liners double up as eyeshadow, so you really are spoilt for choice. It’s so easy to go from a simple day look with shade essential bordeaux, which is a deep standout maroon, to night with a favourite of mine glitter bronze, for an effortless look. It’s a shimmery gold with a true pop of colour, which is perfect for the festive season. 

You’ve got the option of 21 shades to choose from in either a metallic, essential matte or glitter finish, meaning there’s a shade for everyone. 

You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Wunder 2 Cosmetics super stay liner: £13.95, Wunder2 - Buy now

'I was pleasantly surprised as I instantly fell in love with the creamy formula in just a few swipes’ (IndyBest)

The formula 

The formulation is one of the creamiest I’ve ever used in an eyeliner. A noteworthy ingredient that I believe plays a big part in this is isododecane, which is known for providing spreadability to products and giving a weightless feel. 

It’s also an ingredient I’ve come across in many of my other favourite matte and long-lasting makeup products, including Glossier’s colorslide eye pencil and the KVD everlasting liquid lipstick. 

The brand describes the liners as “a highly pigmented pencil that goes on creamy and sets into a waterproof and transfer-proof look”. And having tried a variety of the shades over the past few months, the pigmentation comes through instantly and lasts all day, meaning thankfully one less thing to carry in your makeup bag. 

I’ve applied a liner for an eight-hour workday and still found it to look just as fresh at the end of the day. According to the brand depending on the shade you go for it’ll last for “At least 10 hours+ to 24 hours+ for the other shades” but the brand is currently working on getting all 21 shades to up to 24 hours+. 

In terms of how the liners differ in weight to similar products on the market, the product fill weight is 1.20g / 0.042oz which is the average weight of most eyeliners on the market from the Charlotte Tilbury pillow talk liner to the Urban Decay 24/7 glide-on eye pencil. However, the liners are priced at £13.95 whereas most of the liners of the same weight sell for around £15 - £20 meaning if the formula isn’t the biggest factor for you, you’re getting quite the deal. 

Like several other cosmetic brands, Wunder2’s products are free from parabens which according to America’s Food & Drink Administration are “a family of related chemicals that are commonly used as preservatives in cosmetic products.” 

There’s been a lot of researh into parabens in cosmetics, but it’s thought to be genuinely safe as you’ll typically find less than 0.3 per cent in cosmetic products. 

In terms of scent, the liners don’t really have much of a distinctive scent. 

It’s all about the application

With the liners being so easy to glide on, it makes them so versatile to use as both an eyeliner and eyeshadow. The product should approximately last you around three to four months, which is pretty standard as most eyeliners last around three months. However, if used as an eyeshadow as well, it’s likely to last you a bit under this. 

The first thing I noticed about the application was how smoothly it glided onto the eye area without leaving it looking patchy or dry, which is a problem I’ve had with other eyeliners. I like that it’s a mix between a kohl pencil and crayon as both are my preferred eyeliner style as they’re much easier to use. 

When the liner tip starts to get a bit dull, it’s easy to just sharpen for an even creamier precision which is a must for all eyeliners and if you accidentally leave the cap off for a bit there’s no having to worry about it instantly drying out. In terms of removal, due to its long-lasting qualities, it can take a bit of work to take it off, but it’s nothing a make-up remover and cleanser can’t tackle.

Is it environmentally friendly? 

The box the liners are packaged in is recyclable, however, it’s not noted if the rest of the packaging is also recyclable. As Wunder2 look to add more sustainability initiatives to their products all but two of the 21 shades use biodegradable glitter. 

The brand is also certified cruelty-free by the Leaping Bunny Program and uses a variety of vegan formulas across its products. This is a positive move, as consumers are becoming more conscious than ever and how the cosmetics affect the environment and animals. 

The verdict: 

I don’t think I could have found a better eyeliner. Its qualities of being long-lasting, easy application and efforts to be environmentally conscious have helped in it being a favourite of mine. 

I now realise that I don’t suck at applying eyeliner, it’s just about finding the product that works best for you. If you’re looking for a product that offers similar qualities and inexpensive then this is one that should be on your list.

Buy now

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