Review: Ruby Kisses HD Gel Liner in 06 Bronze Shimmer

A few months ago, one of my favorite local beauty supplies put up a new Ruby Kisses display and the new HD Gel Liners immediately caught my attention (there are six shades in this range, which you can see here). I decided to pick up the bronze shade and now that I've been using it for several weeks, I thought I'd share my thoughts with you:

Ruby Kisses HD Gel Liner in 06 Bronze Shimmer

(retail: $3.99, 0.18 oz)

If you don't have a retailer near you that carries Ruby Kisses, you can purchase their products, including these liners, online here.

I like how you can really see the shimmer in this liner when looking at it in the pot:

I've put Ruby Kisses HD Gel Liner to the test in all sorts of weather (100 degree temperatures, high humidity, etc.). And the one thing I'm very pleased with is that it seems to hold up incredibly well for me on my upper lashline, even when it's extremely hot. As for my lower lashline, I'm afraid I haven't gotten the same results. Granted, I have extremely oily skin and it's been HOT in San Diego this past month, but that said, I couldn't get this to last all day on my lower lashline, even after blending it out and applying a very thin layer. For me, it works best on the upper lash line, but if your skin is drier, you might be able to wear it on the lower lashline without any problems. Let's take a look at some swatches.

On the inside of my arm:

On the back of my hand, before smudge test:

After smudge test:

After taking my index finger and rubbing it across the line as hard as I could for a few seconds, this liner didn't budge. The line did soften a tiny bit compared to the crispness of the line in the "before" picture, but for the most part, once this liner sets, it's not going to smear if you touch it. And it takes probably about one minute to fully set.

I also wanted to show you what it looks like on my eye:

I was happy to see that the shimmer you see in the pot is still visible when applied to the lashline. Sometimes with gel liners, I find the shimmer to be less visible when it's actually applied to skin, so it's nice that you can still see it after application. I've been wearing this look a lot lately (no shadow, liner on the top lashline and light mascara) paired with rosy cheeks and red lipstick and it's just so easy, yet it still feels "pulled together".

Pigmentation: Bronze Shimmer is a wearable, buildable color. Looking at the swatches on my arm above, you can see that you can apply this lightly for a subtle look, or you can use more product for a deeper, richer look. I found no issues when going over my existing line to add more color, as long as I didn't wait too long. If this liner sets and then you try to go over the line to build intensity, your brush might skip and tug because it's going to meet resistance when it hits the already-dried liner.

Texture: I found the texture of this liner to be extremely creamy and effortless to apply.

Staying power: About a minute after application, this product will set and it's not going to smear if you touch the line. Like I mentioned above, this liner stays in place all day and into the night for me on my upper lashline. But during the hot, late summer weather we had while I was testing this product, it didn't do so well on my lower lashline. I experienced fading and a bit of running a few hours after application on my lower lashline, but please note that my skin is very oily and it was very hot (100+ degrees) when I was testing this product.  Your results may vary.

FINAL VERDICT: If you're looking for a low-cost gel liner in a versatile shade that wears nicely on the upper lashline, this would be a nice fit for you. I don't see many bronze shimmer gel liners at the drugstore and, at just $3.99, I certainly don't regret this purchase. The product is creamy and very easy to apply, and it lasts quite well on my upper lashline. As for the lower lashline, I would avoid application there if you have very oily skin and/or the weather's warm. I'll try again when the weather cools down and update this post if I find the staying power on my lower lashline to improve when the weather's cold.

Ruby Kisses HD Gel Liner retails for $3.99 and comes in six shades, including black, brown, bronze, green, purple and blue. You can purchase Ruby Kisses products, including this liner, here.

Have you tried any products from Ruby Kisses lately? I love their polishes and jumbo pencils, but I'm always looking for suggestions as to other products from this brand. I'd love to hear from you!