19/99 Beauty Precision Colour Pencil Review

Reviewed by Helen O

I was lucky enough to be asked to review the 19/99 Beauty Precision Colour Pencil and unexpectedly received the pencil in two colours to try – Neutra and Voros. Unlike similar pencils, which have one function such as eye liner or lip pencil, I was really interested to see that this was a multi-use makeup pencil which can be used on the eyes, lips, cheeks or anywhere you like on the face. From my experience, it is really unusual to find such a versatile makeup product, covering these areas. However, in saying this, I would imagine it is really very dependent on the shade that you purchase, as to where you would consider using it and also your own skin tone and hair colour.

The pencils arrived individually wrapped in little white paper bags, sealed with a label denoting the colour of the pencil. On the back of the paper bag, there were brief instructions for use and ingredients in both English and French. On first glance it seemed a bit excessive to have a pencil inside the paper bag, but it became apparent when I took the pencil out, that they had minimal writing stating the brand name, product name and shade. I guess this is why they needed the paper bag to give these extra details. I liked the look of the pencils, they were a shiny black colour, with an easy to remove lid. The pencils were slimline and easy to hold and use. I was pleased to see that they are cruelty-free and vegan-friendly, which is a must these days.

The pencil is available in 10 colours -various universal shades of brown, orange, blue, pink and red. The Neutra colour I received is what I would consider a neutral shade and similar to colours that I would ordinarily use. I first tried it on my lips, both as a solid colour and secondly as a liner to define my lips beneath my usual lip colour. The pencil applied smoothly and was creamier than I had imagined it would be. Often I find pencils such as this, can be a bit ‘scratchy’ on the first application, but with the precision tip, the colour applied effortlessly. As a solid lip colour, it provided great coverage with minimal effort and was long-lasting, which is due to the pencil being formulated with a high percentage of pigment. On my lips, the colour appeared darker than I had expected and was a matte effect, which took a bit of getting used to as I normally wear lip colour with a gloss effect.

I also used the pencil as an eyeshadow base; the colour applied smoothly and gently over my eyelid, for full coverage. The colour was too dark (with my colouring) to be used on it’s own, so I blended a lighter neutral shade eyeshadow over the top. The coverage was long-lasting and stayed put until I removed my makeup in the evening.

Finally, I used the pencil to add some colour to my cheeks, in place of my usual blusher. I blended the colour out for a softer look, over my finishing powder and I liked the appearance. I would definitely do this again.

I also received the pencil in Voros shade, which is a bright red. As a red-headed lady with fair skin, red is not really a makeup colour that I would choose. However, I gave it a whirl and again found that it applied smoothly, with good coverage. It’s hard to envisage that this colour would be as versatile as the more neutral shades, but that could be due to my colouring and general avoidance of such bold colours.

The pencils retail at £19 each, which I would say is good value as it’s a multi-purpose, versatile makeup item. Standard delivery is £4 or free if spending £25. I would recommend this product as an alternative Easter Gift for the makeup lover in your life, although you need to get the right shade for the right person.

I had never heard of 19/99 Beauty, so I had a quick search on the net about the company – I totally agree with the ethos of the company who believe that no one should be defined by their age and you should be able to wear whatever makeup you want, whether you’re 19 or 99.

Rating: 4/5

RRP: £19 each

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