This has been in my treasure box of essentials for years – it’s actually quite hard to find now (I tracked it down HERE) as it isn’t a new product.
The way I use it is to wet the matte black and mix it with a brush to a tight-line consistency (tight-lining is where you line the inner rims of your eyes with a brush rather than the usual khol pencil) which is to a thicker rather than thinner paste consistency. Don’t make the mistake that I did of thinking the gunmetal will have the same effect – those teeny weeny shimmer shards are nice ON the eye, not IN the eye.
It’s a really strong dark kohl look – almost blacker than any pencil can produce and I find it stays longer as well. You absolutely need a flat edged brush for this – no other will do (try Crown White Taklon BK41 at £2.39). With the dark silver, pewter shade, I also use a flat edged brush to nudge it into the lash-line from the lid. If you love your eyes black and sultry, this is it. It’s not cheap at £31 but it’s virtually a lifetime’s supply.
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6 comments
I have it and I actually find it kind of hard to use. It is not very easy to add the right amount of water.
Apropos brushes, truth be old, you can use any type of eyeliner brush you want with this product. It just depends on where you’re applying it and what kind of effect you want. I use a classic pointed brush like a MAC 109 when I want to do a thin precise line along my upper lashes and a slanted brush like a 208 when I’m tightlining. I’ve even used a Bobbi Brown gel liner brush when doing a cat eye and it works just fine. In short, this isn’t a fussy product that requires a special tool. It is simply a classic cake eyeliner–albeit an excellent one. Also, I haven’t had an issue with sparkles. I’ve used both colors as tightliners without any irritation although I do understand that some people are much more sensitive to any kind of shimmer near their eyes. Once the overspray is wiped off, though, La Ligne isn’t nearly as sparkly as the promo picture of it indicates. It’s a matte black partnered with a slightly shimmery deep gunmetal. I’ve had my La Ligne for about five years and think it’s one of those basic items that everyone should have in their makeup stash.
Hi Beautylovesbooks,
I’ve used cake eyeliners for fifty-five years and have found you get good control if you simply moisten your brush and stroke it across the cake a couple of times. You don’t need to add water to the pan and then mix to a paste. Chanel’s La Ligne is a cake eyeliner of the old school variety. It is not like Laura Mercier’s tightlining cakes. You don’t need to “mix” the Chanel. Swirling your brush around in a wet pan will result in too much product on your brush and it’s harsh on the brush itself. Just moisten, stroke, and apply. It won’t take you long to figure out how wet your brush needs to be.
I agree that any brush is okay really if you are confident in what you’re doing.. sometimes though, a swipe and go is about all I’m up for and it seems really good for that. And yes you are right about the overspray but actually I find it more gritty – I’ve had mine for about three years – possibly a variation in texture over the years?
Could be. We know that companies do reformulate from time to time.
This is a gorgeous duo. Is it possible to use them as eye shadows? Thanks for sharing!
xx Lauren
Dirty Blonde Ambition
Hi Lauren,
This is a water-activated product meant for lining; not shading. So, unless you’re a very good watercolor artist, the answer would be no, these wouldn’t make good eyeshadows. 🙂 This product excels at precision work–tightlining, creating a line at the base of the lashes, creating a flick or a wing, creating “Twiggy lashes”, etc. They weren’t really meant to be smudged or spread out over an eyelid. Of course, anything is possible, but there are so many beautiful black shadows and pencils that are better suited to the task.