Here’s a situation where the formula of a product is basically perfection, but the execution poses some problems. Promising 12 hours of wear, NARS’ new Larger Than Life Longwear eyeliner definitely lasts at least half that long, sans smearing, and that’s not half bad. Before it sets, you can smudge it to your heart’s content, or leave it as a precise line. It’s available in a wide range of nine shades, from iridescent turquoise to jet-black. It comes with a sharpener, built into the other end, so you can fine-tune your pencil on the go.

But here’s the but: the teeny-tiny sharpener is so damn hard to use, it’s almost impossible not to waste a portion of the pencil. Or at least make a cakey mess on your fingertips. You’re supposed to extend the liner point a little extra and then gently twirl the miniscule sharpener around it. Sounds easy – and looked easy when the NARS makeup artist did it for me – but in action, it’s not. Especially when you’re on the move. Maybe I just need to master the tiny tool. Either way, it might be worth it for wear this reliable. At Sephora for $23.