Just like a classic white shirt and little black dress, there are some things in beauty that will never go out of style—red lipstick, clean skin, defined brows. But perhaps the most timeless of all is the cat eye. I mean, it literally dates back to the ancient Egyptians and also has strong roots in Old Hollywood. Winged liner is flattering on nearly everyone. It draws attention to and elongates your eyes, and the vintage connotations adds instant cool to any look.
There’s a definite learning curve to mastering it, though, which makes it both the most loved and feared style of makeup—hence the slews of eyeliner stencils and stamps on the market. Most of these guides are pure gimmicks; they’re too bulky, stiff, or high-maintenance to actually streamline the process. Still, whenever one hits the market, I’m tempted to put it to the test, hopeful that this one will be the one that changes the game.
Enter the L’Oreal Flash Cat Eye liner, the newest addition to my collection of stencils. The $8 liner pen has a brush tip, and comes with a small stencil that slides right into the cap. The guide itself is a triangle with a single-size cutout for a wing, or you can use the other flat sides to create a straight line, as you would with the Pinterest-famous tape trick. What’s most appealing about it (aside from the price), is that it’s so compact. Most guides add an extra piece into your routine, but with this one, everything you need is right there.
Despite all that, I had my doubts. I’ve been burned by eyeliner stencils too many times before. I challenged my fellow Glamour editors, from cat eye queens to newbies, to put it to the test. Read on for our honest thoughts.
