Pencils are the quiet workhorses of a makeup bag, and the least risky thing on any catalogue page. A Faberlic eye pencil needs no shade matching against your skin — the palette is narrow, the outcome is predictable, and a mistake costs almost nothing.

Eye pencils: hardness matters more than colour

The variable that decides how a pencil behaves is not the shade, it is the softness of the lead.

Soft, creamy leads smudge easily and are what you want for a smoky look. They also transfer onto the mobile eyelid, so they need powder or shadow set over the top.

Firm leads draw a precise thin line and stay put, but drag on dry lids and can feel scratchy.

Kohl pencils are made for the waterline. Worth knowing: black along the lower waterline visually closes the eye, while a nude or soft beige opens it up.

For everyday wear, a medium-soft brown is the most universally flattering choice — softer than black on almost everyone.

Lip liner is not about the outline

The modern use of a lip pencil has little to do with drawing a border. Fill in the whole lip with it, then put lipstick or gloss on top. Wear time improves noticeably and colour stops migrating by lunchtime.

Choosing a shade:

  • A nude that matches your natural lip is the one liner that works under everything
  • Matching a specific lipstick — go half a shade deeper than the lipstick
  • A clear invisible liner stops any colour from bleeding, whatever the shade

A liner lighter than the lip looks artificial; one dramatically darker reads as a nineties throwback.

Small habits that matter

  1. Sharpen before each use — the cut surface collects bacteria, which matters most on the waterline
  2. Chill a very soft pencil for a couple of minutes before sharpening so the lead does not crumble
  3. Never stretch the eyelid taut; draw in short strokes instead
  4. Watering, itching or redness means stop using it — and see a doctor if irritation persists

Shade line-ups shift with the campaign cycle, roughly every three weeks, so check faberlic.com for what is currently available.

Who gets the most out of them

Beginners, mainly. A pencil forgives a shaky hand, comes off with a cotton bud, and needs no brushes. And anyone ordering without a tester: black and brown are hard to get wrong.

Other categories are covered in the reviews section.