Ah yes, summertime. Hot weather, pool days, time spent at the beach… What does this all have in common? Getting wet.  Sweat, water, etc. etc.

Since racoon eyes are so not cute, usually I’ll reach for waterproof makeup if I feel the need to look extra fine at the pool or if I’m spending lots of time outside. I remember this one day in Thailand at the beginning of the year when it was so unbearable outside and my makeup was running all down my face. It was not cute.

Luckily, Make Up For Ever has released some new Aqua XL products to their lineup to save the day when it comes to wearing makeup poolside.  New to the line are the Aqua XL Color Paint and the Aqua XL Ink Liner.

The Aqua XL Color Paints (C$31 each) are a blendable, ultra-pigmented cream shadow with waterproof wear and a 24-hour staying power.  There are 20 shades available, ranging from mattes to iridescent to lustres. They are a cream formula which dry down for waterproof, long-lasting wear. You can wear them as a liner, shadow, or base under the rest of your eye looks.

I received the shade I-80, iridescent pink beige, since I wanted to use this as a base or just to have something on the lids to jazz up my summer look. The colour is a beautiful frosty pink that is on the nude side, making it perfect to complement any colour.  The product comes housed in a squeeze tube with an angled applicator, allowing you to either apply the colour with a brush or with your fingers.  You can either apply it lightly for a slight wash of colour, or go in with a heavier hand for a more noticeable look.

Once you apply these, they do dry down quickly. I have used it for both a base and by itself. When by itself, it did hold up well, however, faded after a few hours. As an eyeshadow base, it held the shadow on top quite nicely.

The Aqua XL Ink Liners (C$30) are a waterproof, smudge proof, and long-lasting liquid eyeliner that promises 24-hour staying power, even after a day of swimming. These are available in 15 shades and a variety of different formulas (matte, metallic, diamond, and lustre). The felt-tip allows you to precisely apply the product to your lids.

I got the colour D-60 Diamond Brown since I love wearing brown liquid liners. I find brown to be less harsh (especially for daytime wear) for blue eyes. The colour went on quite nicely after a few strokes, but I find brown colours to be a little more patchy when you apply them in general. The formula dried down on my lids, and although it’s a diamond formula, I didn’t find it to be very sparkly at all. It was a nice finish. The liner itself also isn’t too wet, it applied exactly where I wanted it and it set rather quickly. Although I didn’t try it out for 24 hours, the liner held up very well throughout the day.

I’ve alway been a huge fan of Make Up For Ever products and their Aqua XL line. They are always the products I reach for when I’m spending the day outside or by the water since I know they will hold up quite well. I know summer is half over (I hate to say it!), but if you have a lot of pool or beach days coming up, I would look into purchasing some of these.  Aside from the neutral shades, the liners and the paints also come in a variety of fun, bright colours like turquoise, lavender, yellow, green, etc.

Will you be picking up any of the new Make Up For Ever Aqua XL products?

Please note, products sent by PR. All opinions are my own.

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