I love being right.
I reviewed TOM FORD Emotionproof Eyeliner in shade 02 Chocolat a few months ago here.
A long-wearing retractable eyeliner with up to 24 hours of wear. Transfer-resistant. Weatherproof.
At the end of the review, I said I was going to buy shade 09 Brut Rose, but I actually forgot about it until I read an article featuring Little Mix and their Madame Tussaud waxworks. It should be noted that the makeup artists at Madame Tussauds are nothing short of phenomenal. I haven’t been there for years – it’s something like £40 for a fast track ticket, but I’m seriously thinking of it now if the waxworks of Little Mix are anything to go by.
Anyway, there was this photo below and I think it illustrates what I’ve been saying about a simple line of shimmery eyeliner on the upper eyelid to brighten eyes and make them pop.
Obviously, I’m decades a couple of years older than this young woman, but the look works on anyone – if you have the right eyeliner.
That’s why I’m feeling particularly smug that the Tom Ford Brut Rose one is as good as I thought it would be. You could easily draw on a thin line of shimmer with a wet eyeshadow for the same effect, but some of us aren’t skilled in that way.
This pencil though is foolproof. The shade is metallic without being a full-on shine fest. It’s not a warm rose-gold, but a perfect balance of a cool-toned pink champagne shade with a nude/taupe undertone that’s so flattering on mature eyes.
THIS IS HOW I APPLY IT
- I line my upper lid close to my eyelashes with a thin line of dark brown eyeliner. This can be powder, pen, liquid or pencil.
- I apply a thicker line of Tom Ford Emotionproof above it.
The end. I mean, that’s it. A slick of mascara and you’re good to go. NO OTHER EYE MAKE-UP IS NEEDED!
It’s been a revelation, no more blending, smoking, smudging or defining the eye socket. Maybe a dot of concealer if your eyelids are red or veiny, but that really is all you need. You look polished without all the pain of full eye make-up.
The dark liner defines the eye shape and Brut Rose pulls the upper eyelid forward. The reason this works for me is that Tom’s pencil doesn’t pull or skip on the eyelid, it’s easy and smooth to draw on a straight line.
I’ve seen some reviews from people saying their automatic pencil arrived dry or brittle. If that is so, then take it back kicking and screaming if need be and exchange it for a new one.
A useful tip would be to always make sure the lid is always put back on after use. This one snaps on tightly so it shouldn’t be a problem. I learned the hard way about eyeliner pencils with shimmer, my Charlotte Tilbury Champagne Diamonds pencil dried out after the lid cracked.
PRODUCTS I USE
I don’t use my Tom Ford Chocolat pencil. Instead, I use a powder liner, HD Brows Eye & Brow Palette in shade Foxy. Vamp is a darker toned palette but is also very good. I have both. In fact, I always have two new ones ‘in stock’ at all times in case HD Brows discontinue it.
I’ve used this since it first came out many years ago (I think it was in a Glossy Box). It’s insurance for my upper eyeliner as it never smudges. It was originally meant to be used on eyebrows to ‘cling’ onto eyebrow hairs. My review is here.
Any dark eyeliner will do, it doesn’t matter if it’s not a perfect line (hello!) because Brut Rose will cover it up.
HD Brows Eye & Brow PalettesFoxy Palette £23.50 (from £30.00) AllBeauty *
I push/dab it on using a MAC 212 Synthetic Flat Definer brush, now reduced to £11.55 (from £16.50) on the official MAC website.
I sometimes use an Urban Decay E215 Angled Brow brush. The slanted brush head is absolutely tiny, but the handle is long so it’s easy to use without too much pressure.
Rightly or wrongly, I think if you have a steady hand any old cheap make-up brush will do. I’m old enough to want to take the easy route with my make-up as long as it works, if I have to pay more, that’s fine.
SHOPPING INFO
TOM FORD Emotionproof Eyeliner, 09 Brut Rose £35.00 John Lewis *
TOM FORD Emotionproof Eyeliner, 02 Chocolat £32.00 Look Fantastic * Cheapest price on the net, but Brut Rose is out of stock!
I’ve just bought both shades again, I try not to think I’ve paid £67.00 for just two eyeliners.
The Tom Ford make-up line gets a hard time for being a priced up knock off of some of MAC’s famous formulations ie Tom Ford’s Emotionproof Eye Colour pots and the eerily similar MAC Paint Pots, but it’s the longevity and strength of pigment of these eyeliners that pull me in.
I know what I’m paying for and it’s not the name.
