Um, This 2-in-1 Mascara and Liquid Eyeliner Is a Total Game-Changer

Let's go ahead and get this confession out of the way: I suck at eye makeup. If you want to get more specific, I'm talking about applying eyeliner. Yes, I realise testing beauty products and writing about them is my job, but I have hooded, downturned eyes, and it seems like no matter how many tutorials I watch, I can never seem to get it right. I've tried liquids, I've tried powders, I've tried angled brushes, and even using tape, but I'm genuinely hopeless. One of my best friends happens to be a celebrity makeup artist, and she's always willing to give me a wing anytime we get ready together, but when I'm by myself? I'm sh*t out of luck.

I've got my base makeup down pat, I'm a whiz when it comes to contouring, and don't even get me started on my eyebrow skills. Eye makeup, though? It's just not really my thing. I had pretty much resigned myself to the idea that a winged liner was just never going to be in the cards for me, and then I tested the Jillian Dempsey Flyk Trick 2-in-1 Mascara (£22) — and everything changed.

Ahead, read my full review of the product and find out why I can't wait to bring it with me on my next trip.

About the Jillian Dempsey Flyk Trick 2-in-1 Mascara

• The product is a mascara and liquid eyeliner in one, created by celebrity makeup artist Jillian Dempsey.
• The wand features a plastic brush with an attached eyeliner stamp.
• It's formulated with the botanical extract myrothamnus flabellifolius (resurrection plant) to help promote lash growth.
• The formula is also clean, vegan, and cruelty-free.

What I Like About the Jillian Dempsey Flyk Trick 2-in-1 Mascara

The first time I tested this product — scratch that — the first time I looked at this product, I was intrigued. It looks like nothing I've ever seen before. My brain understood that yes, it was a mascara and a liquid eyeliner in one, but to my eyes, it looked like a mini medieval torture device that could poke my eyeball out. However, after testing it out a few times, I pretty much had it down. It's actually a lot easier to manage than it initially looks, and it makes applying a wing super easy.

My favourite thing, however, has to be the formula. It doesn't flake or clump, but it's somehow easy to remove with just a little makeup remover. It doesn't dry out throughout the night and it also doesn't smudge. Honestly, it's kind of magic. Also, I haven't travelled with it yet, but I'm already excited about the prospect of bringing less products with me thanks to this new tool.

How to Use the Jillian Dempsey Flyk Trick 2-in-1 Mascara

My biggest suggestion for how to use the product efficiently is to check out the tutorial video Jillian Dempsey created, which you can watch here. It will still take some getting used to, but watching her demonstrate how to use it was completely necessary for me because I hadn't ever used something like this product.

The brand recommends starting out with curling your eyelashes. From there, they suggest keeping makeup remover on hand (and I'd agree with this suggestion — things got a little messy initially). Depending on which eye you're starting with, you want the "point" of the wand to be facing the same way. In order to switch back and forth, you can use the inside of the mascara tube. (Again, this will make more sense once you watch the video.) Then, line the point up to your lash line and start "flyk-ing." You can then take the pointed tip to line the inner corner and then connect it to the outer line.

When it's time for mascara, since it's all in the same tube, you can use the eyeliner stamp to coat your lashes, and then use the brush to swipe through and make sure there are no clumps.

I don't like a full lid of liner, so I do things a tiny bit differently. I just use the tip of the stamp to create a tiny wing on the outer corner of my eye, then I curl my lashes, and then I coat them (focusing on the lashes in the outer corners) using the stamp and run through them with the mascara brush. At the end, I usually use an angle brush to pull the wing out a tiny bit.

What to Consider Before Trying the Jillian Dempsey Flyk Trick 2-in-1 Mascara

This product will take some getting used to. I had to try it out at least four times before getting the hang of it, and watching the tutorial video on the brand's website was necessary at first because I didn't even know where to start. I was frustrated in the beginning, but luckily the product swipes off easily with a little makeup remover, so it wasn't hard to keep trying over and over — just time-consuming.

I've also found that it takes a bit of product to get my lashes coated enough to where you can see them. I typically like to cocktail my mascara, though, so adding a second layer of another product on top is no biggie for me.

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