Charlotte Tilbury
charlotte tilbury eyeliner

I didn’t wear my first cat-eye until about a year ago, but it’s been a quick education: basically, it’s all about the tools. Yes, a steady hand is important but even laser-like precision won’t help if the applicator itself makes the eyeliner come out all gloopy. Charlotte Tilbury’s eyeliner, The Feline Flick, is the right combination: precise, easy to use, and it has unrivaled staying power. 

Product: Charlotte Tilbury The Feline Flick Eyeliner

Price: $30

We Think:

How to Use: Charlotte Tilbury modeled her The Feline Flick eyeliner after the Japanese shodo pen, a calligraphy brush for writing characters. This means the tip of her eyeliner is very fine, like an extremely pointy felt-tipped pen. It also comes with an ergonomic handle.

Above all, move slowly and precisely, because wiping off your eyeliner and re-doing it is annoying. To apply a cat-eye, you want to gently tug your eyelid to the side to make the skin taut, then use the liner add dots close together along your lashline. Connect the dots together with the liner, sweeping outwards away from your eye for the “cat-eye” effect. Obviously, you need to do all this in a mirror unless you are Beyoncé. 

Results: This is an eyeliner that I can depend on for a cat-eye that stays put from day into night. It simply does not budge. I’ve tried a few other black eyeliners to get a cat-eye (gels, mostly) to usually-disastrous-eventually results. This is the only one that where the makeup doesn’t melt on my face and smudge, or worse, fade off throughout the day.

The applicator is a little bit intimidating — I’m not a fan of pointy objects so close to my eye — but it really is idiot-proof. I didn’t have to trace and then re-trace or even get out the dreaded eyemakeup remover. Thirty dollars is a lot to spend on an eyeliner, but as far as I’m concerned, if a cat-eye is a regular part of your makeup look then it’s worth it. Meow.

Disclaimer: I received Charlotte Tilbury The Feline Flick as a sample.