[Pen/Pencil Review] The Bic for Her Fashion Marker 3-Pack

Earlier this month we had to hit up Office Max for promotional material bases for the shows I’m doing this month – and of course, hit the clearance aisle. Some of the “Bic for Her” pens were there, and after several people sent me the links to the Oh, so snarky commentary on the pens, I had to buy some. And since I don’t get to do my Birthday Pilgrimage to Paradise Pen Company, until Friday… we’re going to start with these.

“These” being the 3-pack “fashion marker” pens – which is a fancy way of saying fiber tip. These pens are just over 5.5″ long capped and nearly 6.5″ long with the cap posted, which makes them the longest pens I’ve reviewed in a while. The barrels are white with floral-inspired art work which also indicates color. The cap fits securely and has a metal clip that seems secure. The length is a little unwieldy, but they’re fairly well-balanced.

The tip is a 0.5mm porous point (fiber point) with a pretty rich ink. The ink is touted as smear resistant and won’t bleed through. And it’s true. The writing sample dried really quickly on good quality, pretty slick paper. I did get it to smear, but has to brush through it fast. It definitely dried faster than some liquid gels I’ve used lately. Not getting it wet to see if it’s really water resistant. This package comes in black, purple, and pink. Not a fan of pink, but it’s a dark pink, so easy to read.

I have concerns about porous points – I always do. I’m not sure how long this will last (especially being 0.5mm) before the tip bends and frays. I’ve used the black one on a journal entry and it’s starting to bend into a chisel point, so longevity may not be the best thing, but they’re not that expensive (if you find them on sale, especially), so you can use them until you break them and not cry over much.

I understand where the snark on the packaging and design comes from, and it’s funny. But all in all, it’s a decent porous point pen if you like the colors. Heck, I might try to see if they have these in “boy” colors to see how they stack up.

The numbers:

1. How does it work? – 0.5 It’s okay. The ink does smear, but dries quickly. It’s a porous point that will warp, wear, and either fray or break – and can dry out if you leave it uncapped.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – There are no ergonomics to this pen. It’s all plastic with edges that can dig in and be uncomfortable if you use it for a long period of time. It’s a good diameter, but a bit on the long side.
3. Material – 1 It is what is is – an expensive stick pen with a porous point. It’s mostly plastic with some metal components. It’s not meant to be fancy.
4. Overall Design – 1 -It’s a decent cheap pen with dark ink that, though liquid dries quickly. The “For Her” design is a bit fru-fru and unnecessary, but it’s kinda pretty and the pen is functional.
5. Price Point – .5 – I’m knocking this down because I’m only finding them on clearance sale, so they might be going out. The original price point looks to be about $1.67. Sale price is just over a $1… if you get ’em in store. On Amazon, there’s shipping, which makes them closer to $2.70 each. That’s more than I would spend.

That’s 3.5 of 5 bronze pencils.

Tags: BIC, Bic for Her, Fashion, fiber tip, Office Max, Paradise Pen Company, Porous Point