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I first bought a single tube of Sephora Colorful Waterproof 24 HR Wear in Black Lace ($12) in the summer of 2013. My uniform as a barista at the time consisted of ratty band shirts and jorts. I felt desperate to look a little more feminine and a little less like a teenage boy, confident a perfect cat eye would be my ticket. The first few drugstore brands I tried melted within the first two hours of my shift. However, Sephora’s formula and easily wrangled applicator kept my wings sharp, despite long hours behind a steamy espresso machine.
Since the cafe days, it’s also proven itself during beach trips, sweaty dance parties, and spin class. You would expect any of these activities to zap a formidable waterproof liner to a melted, raccoon-eyed mess — but almost four years later, that still hasn’t been my experience.
Shockingly, when you want to, the liner isn’t impossible to remove. Dab a cotton ball with micellar water, apply light pressure in a brushstroke motion, and you’re good. I’ve also used materials as crude as conditioner for the same results.
Its applicator allows for minute subtleties — which is to say, you can paint some very delicate, intricate lines with a careful hand (but it can look like a failed lie detector test if applied while too hopped up on coffee).
At such a reasonable price tag, I keep one in my at-home makeup bag, both my go-to purses, one at the office, and one in my car.