Illamasqua • Medium Pencil in Vow • Eyeliner

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Sudania on 12/10/2012 1:43:00 AM more reviews by Sudania

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

dont listen to clariceD, medium is very pale
anywho,this pencil is great

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evalovespipa on 8/26/2012 1:57:00 AM more reviews by evalovespipa

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this pencil to line my waterline but the staying power is pretty bad. I do, though, use this under my concealer to give extra coverup for my under-eye bags and it works alright. The consistency is semi-creamy, but not as creamy as I would like. I think I could find a cheaper alternative that does the same job.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* JasmineJolene on 5/26/2012 3:05:00 PM more reviews by JasmineJolene

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I bought this one a whim and was feeling disappointed with it as I couldn't find a use for it. It doesn't look right as an eye brightener or eyeliner on me, I could use it for blemishes but I don't often get them.
And then I decided to try it as an undereye concealer.
I couldn't be happier. I stroke it on lightly under my eye and blend with a small brush and a sponge, then use a cheap highlighter pen (mine is Collection 2000) to balance the colour and it looks beautiful! I am so, so pleased! Although it is a pencil and therefore harder than you probably want on the skin under your eyes, you can warm it for a second with a hairdryer which allows it to glide better. Personally, I don't bother with this. It's also handy to carry about.
I did initially think it was really expensive, but that was before I used it under my eyes so it was really just cluttering up my bag. Now, I think it is fairly reasonable at £13.

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*TOP REVIEWER* ClariceD on 3/26/2011 1:07:00 PM more reviews by ClariceD

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I was in pursuit of a good waterline brightener for a while before I found this one. None of the other contenders I experimented with quite hit the spot. I'm fair-skinned with warm undertones (approximately NC15) and not pale or cool-toned enough for white pencil to look convincing; Benefit Eye Bright (pale pink) was too cool; Stila Kajal in Topaz and similar "nude" shades were too dark. Vow is described by Illamasqua as a "cool apricot yellow", but it's not noticeably cool, to me anyway. Swatched on white paper it's a light creamy buff shade that's perfect for my colouring but would probably suit most people with fair or fair-bordering-on-medium complexions, except for those whose undertones are very obviously cool. The effect isn't harsh but eliminates redness in a very pseudo-natural way, making this a great shortcut to looking awake, perky and naturally pulled together. I mainly wear it on the waterline, but it also works well at bringing light to the inner eye corners, the cupid's bow and the browbone.


Colour aside, the formula of this pencil is another point in its favour. Illamasqua Medium Pencils aren't specifically marketed as long-lasting products, so I was prepared for some maintenance to be necessary. I've been surprised to find that on my waterline this lasts the duration of an average day (barring tears, heavy rain etc) without needing a touch-up. I have sensitive eyes and wear contact lenses, but have experienced no irritation at all. My success with this shade has meant that I now own another colour in the Medium Pencil (Fidelity, "milk chocolate brown") and am considering others, so the clear cap for the minimal black-and-cream packaging is helpful for distinguishing between colours in my stash. It's not inexpensive, but nor is sampling and rejecting myriad other eyeliners, drugstore or otherwise. Overall, a staple, a secret weapon, and highly recommended. Available in the UK at selected branches of Debenhams and illamasqua.com, £13/1.5g.

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mashafromrussia on 12/7/2010 6:38:00 AM more reviews by mashafromrussia

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Illamasqua is finally in Melbourne! Yay. I bought this for my water line, as white pencils are much too stark. It's a nice off white creamy colour and it is perfect! The only downside is that it wears off after several hours, but I can deal with that.

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*TOP REVIEWER* AngelOnFire on 10/3/2010 6:46:00 AM more reviews by AngelOnFire

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Illamasqua's Medium Pencils are liners in a traditional sense, but the interesting thing is that all shades seem to be eye- and lipsafe. Which is great from both a creative (red eyeliner, anyone?) and financial aspect, since there is no differentiation between eye- and lipliners. So far, I only own one shade, but I would definitely consider their impressive range of light and pastel shades if I were a makeup artist.


The colour I own is Vow, which is described as a cool, apricot yellow on their website. I agree with the cool, but I fail to see any apricot in it. I specifically bought it to use it on my lower waterline. Any white liners were to harsh, Stila's Topaz was too unnatural. Vow is ideal. Its toned-down yellow cancels out any redness on the waterline, making my eyes look wider and rested, yet still natural. But aside from that, I was very pleased to discover that there were other uses for this particular shade, at least if you have fair to medium skin (I myself am very fair).


It makes a good, if somewhat dryish base on your eyelids (similar to Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage), eliminating redness the same way it does on the waterline. It can be used a step before your highlighter to emphazise your eyebrows (similar to Benefit's High-Brow), lifting the area a little. Or, if you have a really red blemish, you can dot it on to make a great corrector before you conceal it.


As you can see, this particular shade is incredibly versatile. The consistency isn't very hard, nor very creamy (like UD's 24/7 liners) which means that it sits in the happy middle. It doesn't need sharpening very often, I had it for weeks before the end has become too small and blunt to use. This has become very quickly a staple in my stash. I'll rebuy this until it becomes discontinued or I'll kick the bucket! :-)

10 out of 11 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No