i usually use pencil (makeup forever aquaeyes) but i hate that whenever i sharpen it, pieces of the lead are still sharp so they poke my eye..so i've stopped using..i've started using the cream eyeliners that come in a pot (loreal HIP and mac),a nd man i LOVE how it looks..it takes a bit more effort than the pencil (so no more doing makeup on the subway) but its worth it
only thing i have a problem with, and i am gonna sound like such a dummy here, is that i get uneven application...with one eye i get a thick, well defined line, whereas the other eye gets a softer, more smudged look because of less product on the brush. Both look nice but not at all symmetrical.
what brush are you using? i use the angled brush and use it wet. basically i run it under the tap and then gently squeeze the bristles between my finger and thumb to get rid of the excess water. use it damp like that and do the main body of one eye. then clean the product off with some tissue, re-wet, new product and do the other eye. leave the flicks etc til the end so you can make sure they are exactly the same :)