PREVIEW + REVIEW: M.A.C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin’ Black Shine & Rollerwheel Brown

Hello everyone!

Makeup trends come and go, but winged eyeliner remains as one of the most classic looks in history. In spite of this, not everyone can pull off or master the delicate art of eyeliner application, especially if you have not-so-steady hands coupled with a pair of hooded eyelids which magically makes any sign of eyeliner disappear (or worse, smear on the upper lids) the moment you open your peepers. The felt or brush tip that comes with most eyeliners gives the user full control of the placement and direction of the line so mistakes tend to be less forgiving. Even seasoned wing drawers, despite having gone through a couple cycles of trial and error, make ghastly goofs sometimes (on what I call “bad hand days”), much less amateurs!

Which brings me to the proverbial million-dollar question – what would be suitable for beginners and clumsy hands, then? M·A·C might have just found the answer with their upcoming Rollerwheel Liquid Liner.

Dubbed the “training wheels” for liquid lining, the limited-edition Rollerwheel Liquid Liner features a pizza-cutter-like spinning disk applicator that absorbs adequate amount of product from its little bottle to provide a continuous and smooth stroke of colour. The rolling tip is made with the right thickness to create precise and geometric flicks while hugging the lash line so even the shakiest of hands won’t stand a chance. Also, since the applicator is made entirely of plastic, it will not fray or become blunt after several uses unlike felt- or brush-tip nib, or mechanical and regular liners. So the perfect skinny-lined winged effect is guaranteed every time (no sharpening required!) until it runs out of product.

The Rollerwheel Liquid Liner is available in 4 shades: Rollin' Black Shine [Shiny Black], Rollerwheel Brown [Warm Brown], Roller Royale [Royal Blue] & On A Roll Black [Matte Black]

The Rollerwheel Liquid Liner is available in 4 shades: Rollin’ Black Shine [Shiny Black], Rollerwheel Brown [Warm Brown], Roller Royale [Royal Blue] & On A Roll Black [Matte Black]

The all-black packaging that we M᛫A᛫C addicts are so familiar with..

The all-black packaging that we M᛫A᛫C addicts are so familiar with..

Encased in long colour-coded boxes and tubes which coordinate with the shade of the eyeliner for easy identification, only a third (or less) of the packaging contains the product. The rest of it is taken up by the incurvated screw cap which is designed for better grip and a more effective handling.

The stopper is shaped like a starburst so that the roller applicator can be inserted into the tube in any way

The stopper is shaped like a starburst so that the roller applicator can be inserted into the tube in any way

I don’t know about you, but I thought this was a groundbreaking invention that would actually solve most eyeliner woes and I’m pretty sure other cosmetics brands shared a “Why didn’t I think of that?” moment when Ashley Rudder posted a sneak peek of it. But does it live up to its hype or is it just another gimmick? I (gladly) took one for the team and purchased two of the shades from the preview to try it for myself.

#1 Rollin’ Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin' Black Shine (US$21 / S$36)

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin’ Black Shine (US$21 / S$36)

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin' Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin’ Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin' Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin’ Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin' Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin’ Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin' Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin’ Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin' Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin’ Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin' Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin’ Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin' Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin’ Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin' Black Shine

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollin’ Black Shine

When it comes to eyeliner, most of us tend to default to black because it is always a safe bet due to its versatility. Therefore, M·A·C has come up with two finishes of black for this collection – shiny and matte – to satisfy your inner goth. I had picked out the former because the matte one appeared too flat for my liking. The subdued glint pervading Rollin’ Black Shine, on the other hand, adds more dimension and brightness to the eyes.

Rollin’ Black Shine glides easily with no tugging or pulling on the lids and dries down almost instantly with an even and opaque consistency. It bleeds slightly when swatched but isn’t noticeable on the lids. The rolling tip restricts application to some extent which is good in a way because it helps prevent you from going off course. It hugs every curve of the lash line so it tends to smudge into the lashes in the application process. For this reason, I find the Rollerwheel Liquid Liner to be great for tightlining. Smudge-proof once the product dries down, it stays put even when the lids become visibly oilier after six hours.

#2 Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown (US$21 / S$36)

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown (US$21 / S$36)

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

 

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner in Rollerwheel Brown

Black may be a classic colour but it is far from the only option. In fact, brown and grey have become the go-to eyeliner shades ever since they have been proven by beauty experts to accentuate and bring features forward in a flattering way. If you are one of those who have already ditched black eyeliner for brown, Rollerwheel Brown would be right up your alley.

This warm brown has a matte finish for a more subtle look. Similarly, it applies smoothly with no tugging or pulling and has amazing staying power. It has more of a watery consistency at first but dries down to an opaque and completely matte finish after a few seconds. It is highly-pigmented as well. Although it bleeds when swatched, it is hardly ever noticeable on my lids.

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner smudge test

M·A·C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner smudge test

Compare the finish and pigmentation with other eyeliners I have. In terms of longevity, and pigmentation, Benefit's still wins hands-down. It takes 5 times more effort to remove the Benefit eyeliner

Compare the finish and pigmentation with other eyeliners I have. In terms of longevity, and pigmentation, Benefit’s still wins hands-down. It takes 5 times more effort to remove the Benefit eyeliner

The applicator of these two featured shades picks up enough product from the bottle to line both upper eyelids every time. It feels a little sharp and, no doubt, will take some getting used to. Do not apply full pressure to it or you will tear. Exert light pressure to create a thin line, or press down for a more dramatic cat-eye look. The position of the applicator has to be such that the edge of the wheel is directly on the lid or it won’t give a defined line. For novice users (which basically means everyone of us since this is a new invention), application would perhaps be more manageable if short strokes are used instead. According to M·A·C, each bottle will last about three months if used on a daily basis.

[BEFORE] With only eye shadow on

[BEFORE] With only eye shadow on

[AFTER] M.A.C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner - left: Rollin' Black Shine / right: Rollerwheel Brown

[AFTER] M.A.C Rollerwheel Liquid Liner – left: Rollin’ Black Shine / right: Rollerwheel Brown

All in all, I would say that the Rollerwheel Liquid Liners is one of, if not the best eyeliner I have come across because they offer great precision and pigmentation and are also relatively easy to use. The price is (in my opinion) pretty affordable as well so you don’t have to break the bank to get it. It is a pity that these are limited edition because they definitely deserve a permanent spot in the M.A.C inventory. But since it’s such an innovative product, I’m sure it won’t be long until other brands start churning out something similar as well 😭 (Psst… please price them lower if you can!)

What are your thoughts about these new offerings by M.A.C? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or take a quick poll!

Thanks for reading!

M·A·C Rollerwheel liquid liner is expected to drop this Thursday (3 August 2017) at all local M.A.C outlets as well as on MACCosmetics.com on 17 August 2017. this product is already available in the u.k. and Canada with limited access.

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PREVIEW: Luxola x Alcina Launch in Singapore

MEDIA INVITE

Hey ladies!

Singapore-based online beauty store Luxola is no stranger to many beauty fanatics here. Since it first started in 2011, it has brought countless popular and niche beauty brands from all over the world to the Singapore e-market. Some examples are Sigma Beauty (I was eyeing on their brushes for the longest time), Real Techniques, Sleek MakeUP, Wet n Wild and 3CE which, as far as I know, are not available in any brick and mortar stores. This, no doubt, saves us shoppers a lot of shipping and agent fees because with Luxola, we don’t really need to purchase products by the aforementioned brands overseas anymore! 🙂 (Hmm.. perhaps they should consider bringing Lorac over as well?)

A few days ago, I received an invitation to attend a beauty cafe (or simply put, a pre-launch event with lotsa awesome food) for Luxola’s latest brand partner Alcina. Alcina is a makeup and skincare brand from Bielefeld, Germany. It was established around mid 20th century (If I’m not wrong it was somewhere in the 1970s) aimed to provide skin care for all ages. Prior to its existence here, this brand was pretty much targeted at some parts of Europe, having garnered a huge following in Germany and Russia especially. The launch here marks Alcina’s first step to going global and Singapore is in fact the very first Asian country chosen to stock the brand. *honoured* The products will go live on luxola.com on 11 May 2015.

(Please allow me to interrupt this post with some mouth-watering pictures of the irresistible hors d’oeuvres I had at Club Street Social where the event was held. Sorry, just couldn’t resist!)

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The fruit carving on the right is madness!

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At the event, we had makeup artist Frouka from Germany demonstrate how she did her makeup with Alcina products and I also had the opportunity to test out and swatch some of them.

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Here’s a sneak peek at some Alcina products that will be debuting on Luxola later, beginning with the products from their skincare range. Descriptions are lifted from Alcina.com.

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The premium cleansing foam of the Alcina Cleansing Mousse Nº1 stands for ultimate indulgence and with its mild tenside system and moisturising complexes it ensures deep-down, thorough facial cleansing which is nevertheless gentle. The foamy, creamy cleansing mousse also nourishes your facial skin as part of your daily cleansing ritual.

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Cleansing Mousse N°1 – Premium foam for gentle yet thorough cleansing

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Hyaluron Gel 2.0 for a firmer complexion. This helps to fill out small wrinkles by giving the skin moisture for combating fine lines, leaving the skin looking significantly more vital and smooth.

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Nourishing Capsules with natural ceramides, vitamins A and E and jojoba oil help the skin to store oil and moisture more effectively. They strengthen the skin’s barrier for silky smooth skin straightaway. The light, oily concentrate of these energy-rich capsules leaves damaged skin feeling wonderfully smooth without a greasy sheen.

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Nourishing Capsules provide facial care for a silky smooth skin sensation. To use this, simply twist or cut off the neck of the capsule and press out the oil and apply on cleansed facial skin.

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Facial Cream N°1 is a moisturising cream which provides intensive care to dry facial skin, relieves any uncomfortable sense of tautness and restores the skin’s elasticity and fresh look. Thanks to the carefully combined ingredients in Facial Cream N°1, including urea and the essential amino acid arginine, the skin is nourished and provided with long-lasting moisture. For beautiful-looking, pampered and relaxed skin – 24 hours a day.

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Eye Cream N°1 provides optimal protection for the skin against harmful environmental factors and ensures beautifully bright eyes. This eye cream increases the skin’s moisture content and reduces fine lines and small wrinkles around the eyes. If used regularly, Alcina Eye Cream N°1 helps to prevent the formation of wrinkles and skin aging caused by light.

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Eye Cream N°1 has a tip for easy application. Use this to increase the skin’s moisture content.

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The Alcina Eye and Lip Cream boasts a dual function: it makes the skin around the eyes smoother and also ensures beautiful lips. The linoleic acid in this cream moisturises the extremely dry eye and lip areas. The rich cream can reduce new wrinkles around the eyes and gently soothe lip wrinkles, both caused by dryness, and make stressed lips soft and smooth again.

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Lip and Eye Cream

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The Alcina Day & Night Facial Fluid with allantoin, liquorice and bisabolol balances out excess sebum production on the face and stabilises moisture levels. If used regularly the Alcina Day & Night Facial Fluid ensures a matt and balanced complexion.

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The Alcina Herbal Mask helps to clear impure skin. The combination of the active ingredients kaolin, sage and lavender oil ensures that excess sebum is absorbed and that the facial pores are visibly reduced.

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Herbal Mask: The colour does look very “herbal” to me!

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SOS Stick has an antibacterial effect which dries out spots and impurities more quickly. It’s so small and portable, great for combating pimples before you go for an event!

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SOS Stick comes with a roller ball. I’m planning to get this when it goes live later!

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AHA Facial Fluid 10% nourishes and smoothes stressed skin and is particularly ideal for mature skin subject to natural or light-induced skin aging.

Let me just say that most of the skincare products above smell REALLY good. But fret not, these products are fragrance-free and non-toxic so it’s perfectly safe to apply on your skin.

Moving on to their makeup products. Alcina specialises in skincare products but they believe that makeup can be used to enhance and develop one’s own style of beauty. Thus, that propelled them to launch a makeup line as well!

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Alcina Perfect Cover Make-up offers long-lasting coverage to give your skin a flawless look and semi-matt finish. The soft texture gives it an ultralight and comfortable feel when applied. It provides full coverage for pigmented spots, redness, impurities or an uneven complexion to achieve a perfect finish.

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Alcina Perfect Cover Make-up Swatch! These are the 3 chosen shades (there’s also a Dark shade but it’s not available on Luxola) for the Singapore consumers.

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Silky Matt Make-up leaves your skin feeling silky-smooth. The skin’s pores appear smaller and a powdery light, matt finish is achieved all day long thanks to the light and equalising coverage. Also comes in Medium shade (not in picture).

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Cover Coat Concealer hides shadows under the eyes to give a wide-awake and fresh appearance. The pleasant texture makes minor skin imperfections, pores and lines less visible thanks to its seamless coverage which can be increased as necessary.

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Cover Coat Concealer only comes in light and medium shades.

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Cover Coat Concealer swatch

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Matt Sensation Powder is an innovative wet & dry powder which gives your skin a matt and naturally beautiful complexion which lasts all day long. The novel powder technology leaves the skin feeling wonderfully soft and also fixes your make-up perfectly in place. Apply using a moist sponge, can also be used as a powder. Perfect for minor make-up corrections. Only available in Light and Medium.

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Matt Sensation Powder swatch (hope it’s visible on your end!)

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Sun Kiss Powder gives your skin a summer glow. Light-reflecting shimmering pigments make your skin look fresher, smoother and altogether flawless. As if kissed by the sun. In layman’s term, this is a bronzer. Hehe.

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Sun Kiss Powder swatch! Three different shades in one 🙂 How value-for-money.

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The standard packaging for most of the make-up (powder) products.

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Brilliant Blush adds gentle contours to your face and gives you a fresher-looking complexion straightaway. The multi-shade powder impresses thanks to optimal shade brilliance and creates vivid highlights, from delicate through to intensive. Advanced micropigments guarantee a radiant finish. Comes in two shades.

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Brilliant Blush in Triple Rose 010

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Brilliant Blush in Triple Peach 020

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Perfect Eyebrow Powder intensifies the colour of your eyebrows and makes them appear thicker. The quick and easy way to the perfect eyebrow shape for a finish ranging from natural to striking. Great hold and can be simply and professionally applied using the oblique brush. Comes in Lightbrown and Greybrown.

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Perfect Eyebrow Powder swatch

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Wanna make a guess what these are?

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Pretty eye shadow! The bronze (foreground) is so captivating *_*

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Miracle Eye Shadow adds fascinating colour brilliance to your eyelids for a sensational colour result. This smooth and luxurious eye shadow with its innovative texture is particularly rich in colour pigments and guarantees a perfect hold. It can be used both wet and dry for an individual look – from subtle to expressive. It combines the very best of baked, powder and cream eye shadows. Comes in 6 amazing shades!

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Miracle Eye Shadow swatch. Missing Mocca 070 here.

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Wonder Volume Mascara gives your eyelashes maximum volume, a thicker eyelash base and stunning length. The exceptional microbrush coats and shapes every single lash. For seductive and voluminous eyelashes.

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(My favourite part of the event) Luxola launches two types of Alcina lipsticksShiny and Intense. This picture does not (obviously) show the full collection.

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There will be 8 Intense Lipsticks and 7 Shiny Lipsticks. Intense lipsticks leaves an intensely rich and perfectly opaque colour while Shiny gives a seductive shine.

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What were available at the talk! Scarlet is the only Shiny lipstick here.

The lipsticks (both types) don’t really provide full, opaque coverage as you can see from the swatch above.

In general, the products felt amazing and high-end. Most importantly, the prices would be relatively affordable.

I didn’t get to really try most of these products so I can’t do a proper review for each of them (that’d be crazy I know but yes, I love pushing boundaries!). But I got to take home some of the products featured above 🙂 Shall do a quick review on those that I’ve used.

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Shiny Lipstick in Scarlet 010

I love the lipstick! It has a very nice sheen (though I don’t really find it seductive haha) and it feels really emollient! It gives off a nice stain effect and glides on really smoothly on my lips. It’s slightly sheer and not really pigmented so you’d need to apply multiple times for the colour to really show.

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I like how the Sun Kiss Powder has three different shades in it! They blend to form a really nice gradual tan.

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Sun Kiss Powder comes with a brush!

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With Sun Kiss Powder and Shiny Lipstick in Scarlet on

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Lips close-up

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Contoured my face with Sun Kiss Powder. Turns out great!

And that’s all from me! How do you find the products? Do you use Alcina if it’s available in your country? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

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Thanks for having me Luxola!

And thanks for reading! 🙂 Stay tuned for more posts coming up!

Alcina will be launched on Luxola.com on 11 May 2015.