Beauty Okerker Coffee Brown vs Revlon Checkmate vs High Stakes Test
We compare three eye pencils head to head: the Okerker Deep Coffee Brown gel pencil for that classic Mac Coffee shade energy, the Revlon ColorStay Multiplayer in Checkmate for a deep black pearl line, and the Revlon Multiplayer in High Stakes for a rich, wearable dark. All three promise creamy glide and serious staying power, but they differ in formula, finish, and price.
| Factor | Okerker Deep Coffee Brown Gel Eyeliner P | REVLON ColorStay Multiplayer Liquid-Glid |
|---|---|---|
| Formula type | Gel pencil | Retractable liquid glide |
| Shade | Deep coffee brown | Deep black pearl |
| Finish | Matte | Pearl |
| Waterproof | Yes, smudge proof | Yes, 12 hour wear |
| Sharpening needed | Yes, sharpener included | No, retractable |
| Blending brush | No | Yes, built in |
| Best technique | Smoky soft lines | Precise defined lines |
| Best for | Mac Coffee fans | Drama lovers |
Our Verdict
Choose the Okerker Deep Coffee Brown if you want the closest thing to the classic Mac Coffee pencil with a true kohl feel. Choose the Revlon Checkmate if you love a deep black line and want the built in blending brush. Choose the Revlon High Stakes if you want everyday definition in a rich dark shade with zero sharpening. For most shoppers replacing a Mac Eye Pencil, the Okerker is the most faithful match.
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Best for: Everyday definition in a rich, wearable dark shade
REVLON ColorStay Multiplayer Liquid-Glide Eye Pencil, 402 High Stakes
- Same liquid glide waterproof formula as the Checkmate shade
- Rich dark shade for soft everyday definition
- Retractable style convenience with sharpenable precision
- Up to 12 hour waterproof, fade proof wear
Pros
- Perfect daily wear shade, softer than black
- Long wear through workdays and workouts
- Blending brush included for soft finishes
Cons
- Single shade per listing, stock up if you love it
- Not as soft and smudgy as a traditional kohl
- Needs an oil based remover at night
Want the Full Picture?
Gel Pot vs Pencil vs Liquid: The Honest Trade-Offs
The three eyeliner formats are never compared on the dimensions that actually decide, so here they are. Hygiene: pencils win, since sharpening exposes a fresh surface every use; gel pots lose badly, because the brush goes from eye to pot repeatedly and the pot itself dries out within months of opening. Drying out: retractable pencils like the ColorStay never dry the way gel pots do, but they cannot be sharpened to a fresh point, which is the precision trade-off. Precision: liquids give the sharpest wing, gels give the smokiest blend, and pencils sit in the middle with the most control for beginners.
The Revlon's liquid-glide positioning is the pencil trying to borrow liquid's smoothness while keeping pencil hygiene, which is a genuine advantage for daily wearers. Gel pots suit only the committed: they demand brush cleaning, they expire fast, and they punish infrequent users with a dried-out thirty-dollar jar. For most buyers, the pencil-then-liquid progression is the honest path, pencil while learning, liquid when the wing matters. The best eye pencil guide covers the pencil end of the spectrum with the full comparison context.
Eyeliner for Contact Lens Wearers
Contact lens wearers face specific eyeliner risks that product pages ignore. The waterline is the danger zone: liner applied there migrates onto the lens, causing cloudy vision and irritation, and waterproof formulas are the worst offenders because they cling to the lens surface. The safe placement is the lash line only, tight against the lashes but not inside the rim, which gives definition without lens contact. Tightlining, liner pushed into the lash roots, is the technique to skip entirely with contacts.
Removal matters as much as application. Remove lenses before removing eye makeup, never after, since makeup remover on a lens is an irritation guarantee. Oil-based removers dissolve waterproof liner best but must be kept off the lenses, so the lens-first order is non-negotiable. If liner does get on a lens, remove and rinse the lens with fresh solution immediately rather than blinking through it, since trapped pigment under the lens can scratch the cornea over the course of a day. Fragrance-free, ophthalmologist-tested formulas are worth seeking for lens wearers, and the waterproof eye pencil guide notes which tough formulas are also rated safe for sensitive eyes.
Pencil Hygiene: Sharpening, Sanitizing, Replacing
Eye pencil hygiene is the unglamorous topic with real stakes, since eye infections from cosmetics are documented and preventable. Sharpenable pencils have the built-in advantage: every sharpening removes the used surface along with its bacteria. The sanitizing step most people skip is wiping the exposed tip with rubbing alcohol after sharpening, which takes five seconds and meaningfully reduces bacterial load. Never share eye pencils, since the eye-to-eye transfer is the direct infection route.
The replacement timelines are firmer than marketing suggests. Sharpenable pencils last about a year with regular sharpening; retractable pencils, which cannot expose fresh product, should be replaced every six months; and any pencil used during an eye infection must be discarded immediately, not sanitized and kept. The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On guide covers a retractable formula for comparison, which is useful context for deciding which pencil architecture suits your hygiene habits. One final note on the High Stakes shade itself: its rich dark tone is the most forgiving eyeliner color for beginners, since small wobbles disappear into the depth where they would show clearly in black, making it the practical learning shade before graduating to sharper colors or liquid formulas.