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I've always been pretty pleased with myself when it comes to winged liner. Despite not having the steadiest hand, I've managed to create clean, even flicks ever since they came back into fashion a few years ago. (I know, it's hard to remember a time when we weren't winging it, right?) But I eventually noticed that my wings were a little different than many other people's; they were lower, and often curved down a bit instead of shooting sharply upward. It was simply the way I worked around my hooded lids; I liked how it looked, but I longed for a more angular outcome.
I've tried creating a cat-eye look with wings that unwaveringly reach for the outer corners of my eyebrows, but I simply haven't been satisfied with the freehand outcome. And that can be especially frustrating when I'm using a waterproof liquid liner that decides to instantly stay put despite mistakes I'd like to easily clean up. But L'Oréal Paris Infallible Flash Cat Waterproof Eyeliner makes getting waterproof liquid-liner wings right the first time, and practically foolproof, thanks to one ingenious addition: a built-in stencil.
Attached to the cap via a little slot, the removable stencil features a cutout of a relatively narrow right-angle triangle that's missing one side — the side that will meet with the line you've drawn along your upper lash line. Although the very fine tip of this liquid liner allows for total precision, you can pretty much go full-blown kid-with-a-coloring-book when you're filling in the stencil. As long as you have it flush against your skin, you'll be able to create that perfect, sharp wing — just like on my colleague above, Allure editorial assistant Angela Trakosis — even if you're totally distracted by things going on around you.
The formula itself is a bit wetter and lighter than some waterproof liquid liners, so once you've filled in the stencil, you may find you want to increase its intensity. Thankfully, the aforementioned super-fine tip means you can tweak your stenciled results with freehand confidence, making the wing bolder or even more sharp if you see fit. And even those with hooded lids, like yours truly, will find they, too, can create their most incredible cat-eye ever, thanks to this 2019 Allure Best of Beauty Breakthrough Award winner.
