Benefit have already nailed the mascara category, with iconic products like They’re Real and Roller Lash, but have yet to reach cult eyeliner status. Enter: Roller Liner.
Waterproof, 24-hour long wear, a ‘true matte‘ finish, and available in Black and Brown, it’s pegged to become a Bene-favourite. The felt tip is slim and precise, to allow for full control and fine lines.
I used to wear an eyeliner flick years ago, where my go-to products were Maybelline Master Precise (for a felt tip) or Rimmel London’s Waterproof Gel Pot Eyeliner (for a gel applied with an angle brush). But in more recent years, I’ve preferred a thin tightline, which is almost impossible to stuff up.
For this, I definitely prefer a felt tip, the thinner the better.
BENEFIT ROLLER LINER REVIEW:
At a first glance, the Roller Lash looks like every other felt tip liner on the marker. BUT, upon closer inspection, the entire top section (from where the base of the lid rests, to the pointed tip of the liner) is definitely longer, leaving plenty of room to work and manoeuvre the liner, and minimise the chance of smudging.
I took to my hand for the first few swipes and holy mother of pigment. Some liners take a few strokes to warm up, but right from the start the Roller Liner bled black and slid smoothly across the skin like the stroke of midnight.
Then came the real test; the eyes. I generally apply the first tail-end swipe with the eye closed, drawing from the middle of my eye to the outer corner flick. I swiped this line on, holding the felt tip horizontally along my lash line, gliding in an outwards direction. And glide, it certainly did. There was no need to go over the same spot twice, the line was completely clean.
Next, I went to the edge of my eye to create the ‘wing’. I got a little excited and decided to do a fairly bold one, using the full length of the liner, rather than just the tip, to create the flick. The line I was left with was crisper than a packet of McCoys Salt ‘N Vinegar and sharper than a jailyard shiv, with no signs of smudging.
I then went to do the inner corner of my eye (with eyes open), using just the tip of the liner to keep it nice and thin in this area. I did find the tip not to be as precise when used right on its point, as the felt material is quite bendy and malleable, so it can’t withstand much pressure. The liner definitely works best at an angle, or horizontally. But I also think it’s this flexibility of the tip that allows the lines to be created so smoothly. And it is the slickest felt tip liner I’ve ever tried. It will not drag the skin at all.
After wearing the liner all day (up to 8 hours), it lasted really well. While the edge of my wings weren’t as crisp as they’d been at first application, it still held its shape and only blurred slightly.
My one small gripe with the liner is with the packaging. The lid doesn’t make a satisfying click when it closes, so I find myself double-checking it each time to see if it’s properly closed, as it would be a shame for it to dry out.
FINAL VERDICT:
As far as felt tip eyeliners go, this is a winner. Its ability to glide across the skin is unmatched in any other I’ve tried. If you like extremely thin lines it might not satisfy your level of subtleness, but for small flicks to big cat eyes and Ariana Grande-esque wings, you’ll have no problem.
