DRAWING THE LINE

Haus Laboratories Eye-Dentify Eyeliners Are Perfect for Self-Expression in Dark Times

It might differ from person to person, but everyone has their own metaphorical comfort blanket. For you, that might be a warm, home-cooked meal or an all-day binge of your favorite TV show. I have a few: mid-2000s emo music, video games, shopping sprees, and — most importantly — eyeliner. Since the moment I learned to apply it, eyeliner has been my defense against the world. Bold black wings ward off my enemies; brightly colored graphics invite new friends; smoked-out lash lines flirt without a word. Eyeliner lets me become whoever I want for the day.

That empowering effect is exactly what Lady Gaga and Haus Laboratories set out to achieve with their latest launch, Eye-Dentify Gel Pencil Eyeliner. "We created these so you could write your own stories, develop your own perspectives, and show the world what you want them to see," Gaga tells Allure.

As makeup artist and Haus Laboratories global artistry director Sarah Tanno tells Allure, the eyeliners have been in the works for two whole years, and it's easy to see why. These 20 gel-cream pencils tick all the boxes on a liner fiend's must-have list: a wide and unique shade range, varying finishes, a sharpenable tip, and a foolproof formula.

Eye-Dentify shades from top to bottom: Open Wide, Royale, Antique Rose, Statuesque, Sculpture, Burn, Dazzled, Go Diva, Punk

Eye-Dentify shades from top to bottom: Aura, Blade, Priscilla, Denim Rebel, Creep, Grime, Empire, Hunted, Pride, Mood, Street

Since Haus Labs's birth, Tanno has been itching to create and release gel pencil eyeliners because they've always been the most valuable product in her kit. "Sometimes I don't even use eye shadow," she says. "If you have really good liners with a great formula, you can do so much with them." 

With Eye-Dentify, Tanno has essentially created her dream liner formula: one that glides easily, delivers full-coverage pigment, and can't be smudged once it's dried down. "I love them because they're easy, and it's not like you have to be a makeup artist [to use them]," she explains.

And she's right: You don't need a whole ton of makeup expertise to handle these liners — I should know, I've been wearing them non-stop for two weeks. And because they come in both neutral and vibrant shades (in matte and metallic finishes), everyone gets their little piece of the pie. "It's so straightforward for someone who, maybe they wear a brown eyeliner every day. We're giving you the brown eyeliner for every day, and we're also giving you other options that have just a little bit of a modern twist."

Of course, there's absolutely nothing wrong with wearing brown liner every day (don't fix what ain't broke and all that), but you'd be missing out if you didn't take advantage of Eye-Dentify's kookier, vibrant shades and sparkly glitter finishes. There are no two shades in this lineup that don't work well together, so you can pick up a handful of eyeliners blindly and throw together a multi-dimensional look on the fly, no effort necessary. Tanno honest-to-God did that in front of me on a Zoom call, by the way, so I'm not exaggerating. "That's what I love about this product... you don't have to be a perfectionist," she says.

I'm definitely a perfectionist, especially when it comes to my eyeliner, and yet I couldn't agree more with that statement. Because the formula is so creamy, you can choose to blend it basically any way you want before it dries down. You can smear it all over your lid, blend out the edges, and wear it like you would an eye shadow. So if you "mess up," you've already got a foolproof plan B. If your wings don't come out as sharp as you'd like, you can just dip a cotton swab in makeup remover and clean up the edges (which Tanno also effortlessly demonstrated for me).

If you ask her, though, it isn't really possible to make a mistake when it comes to this eyeliner. Every look is entirely yours, and no one else can dictate whether it's good or not. "You don't have to do what everyone else is doing," Tanno declares. "What's your point of view? Don't fall in line, draw your own." Gaga echoes that exact sentiment: "I love when people push boundaries to create their own definitions of who they are," she says. "Your expression ends wherever you draw the line, and nobody draws the line for you, ever."

Even if you aren't making a grand statement about your individuality, the simple act of doing your eye makeup can do wonders for your mood. "I think these came in a really great time because it is such a tool of expression, and that's all people are doing right now," Tanno concludes. "I encourage people to take the pressure off and to have fun and actually go do your makeup. 'Cause it feels better."