Beauty NYX Epic Wear Black Vs Gun Metal Liner: Which Shade Wins
Black wins for classic definition and versatility. Gun Metal wins for edgy dimension and softer impact. Both share the same extreme wear formula.
| Factor | NYX Epic Wear Liquid Liner, Black | NYX Epic Wear Metallic Liquid Liner, Gun |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Epic Wear Liquid Liner Black | Epic Wear Metallic Gun Metal |
| Shade | Jet black | Metallic gray-black |
| Finish | Matte | Metallic shimmer |
| Pigment | Intense opaque | Strong |
| Wear time | Up to 36 hours | Up to 36 hours |
| Best for | Classic wings | Smoky, edgy looks |
| Waterproof | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Check price | Check price |
Our Verdict
Choose Black if you want the classic liner look that goes with everything. Its jet-black pigment defines eyes with maximum impact. Choose Gun Metal if black feels too harsh for your style. Its metallic gray adds dimension while staying softer. Both are verified NYX liners on Amazon at similar prices. Your style and eye look decide the winner. Most collections benefit from owning both shades.
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Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: easy warm metallic liner
NYX Epic Wear Liner Stick, Rose Gold
- Retractable liner stick
- Rose gold metallic
- Creamy glide
Pros
- Beginner friendly
- Pretty warm tone
- No sharpening
Cons
- Less precise than liquid
- Softer wear
Want the Full Picture?
Removal Difficulty Ranked by Format
Extreme-wear formulas like Epic Wear are the hardest eyeliners to remove, which is the price of their staying power, and nobody ranks this honestly. Waterproof liquid liners need an oil-based or dual-phase remover, micellar water alone usually requires excessive rubbing. Gel liners in pots dissolve faster than waterproof liquids because the wax base melts with oil cleansers. Pencil liners, even waterproof ones, are the easiest of the long-wear formats, the smaller amount of product deposited per stroke comes off with less effort.
The lash-loss risk is real and specific to stubborn liquid liner at the lash line. Scrubbing back and forth to remove waterproof liner pulls out lashes over time, which is why the press-and-hold method matters: saturate a cotton pad with remover, press it against the closed eye for twenty seconds, then wipe gently in one direction. Never use the same aggressive rubbing on the waterline that you use on the lid, the waterline skin is thinner and the meibomian glands there do not appreciate it. The waterproof pencil guide covers formats that give long wear with easier removal.
Eyeliner on Mature, Crepey Lids
Lining lids with loose skin is a technique problem, not a product problem, though product choice helps. The core technique: gently stretch the lid taut with a fingertip placed at the outer corner, pulling slightly upward and outward, then apply in short connecting strokes rather than one long drag. A single long stroke skips over every fold, short strokes deposit color into the texture. Liquid liners with a firm felt tip work better here than brush tips, which flex and skip.
Placement matters more than precision on mature lids. A thin line tight against the lashes defines without emphasizing texture, while a thick wing draws attention to every fold it crosses. When the lid folds over the lash line when eyes are open, the visible placement is slightly above the fold, line with eyes open and looking straight ahead to find where the line actually shows. Gun Metal and other metallic shades are surprisingly flattering on mature lids, the light reflection minimizes the appearance of texture better than flat black. The Feline Flick guide covers wing technique that adapts well to hooded and mature eye shapes.
The Lower Lash Line, Honestly
Lining the lower lash line ages the eye when done wrong and defines it when done right, and the difference is placement. Lining the waterline all the way across in dark color closes the eye down and reads harsh, especially on smaller or deep-set eyes. Lining the outer third of the lower lash line, not the waterline but the lash roots, with a soft smudged pencil, adds definition without the harshness. Connecting the lower line fully to the upper wing creates the raccoon effect, leave a small gap at the outer corner.
The raccoon-eye prevention routine: set the lower line with a matching eyeshadow pressed over it, which locks the liner and softens the edge. Waterproof formulas are non-negotiable on the lower line, this area gets the most moisture from the eyes themselves. For daytime, tightlining the upper lashes plus a whisper of lower outer-third liner gives definition without any aging effect. Full lower waterline lining is an evening look, treat it as one. The Pretty Easy liquid liner guide covers beginner-friendly techniques for controlled application.
Eyeliner for Oily Lids: The Full System
"Use waterproof" is incomplete advice for oily lids. The system that actually works has three layers. First, an eyeshadow primer on the lids, not concealer, primer is formulated to grip and control oil while concealer adds slip. Second, set the primer with a translucent powder or skin-toned eyeshadow, this absorbs oil before it reaches the liner. Third, the waterproof liner itself, applied over the prepared base. Most people skip the first two steps and blame the liner.
Which step matters most: the primer, by a wide margin. A good primer alone fixes most oily-lid transfer, the powder is insurance. Epic Wear's extreme-wear formula is genuinely one of the better options for oily lids because it sets to a flexible film rather than sitting as surface pigment, but even it migrates on unprimed oily lids by afternoon. Carry blotting papers, not more liner, for touch-ups, adding liner over oil creates the patchy buildup people mistake for fading. And remove thoroughly every night, primer plus waterproof liner left on overnight is how styes start.