Ah, the humble cat eye. An age-old, somewhat iconic beauty trend that should never be underestimated: not only does it have the power to elongate and open your eyes, it also has the ability to take your look from day to night. Versus Versace’s extreme take on it steps things up a notch - but how wearable is it for every day? The Stylist beauty team tried it to find out…

Anita Bhagwandas, Stylist’s beauty director says:

I like a wing generally. An elongated line that makes my eyes look a bit bigger, a bit more sultry and a tad more defined. It’s pretty much my go-to for when I need to instantly feel ‘done’. What is not OK is this wing. Ghoulish, feline and just too, er, wingy. It’s too extreme and makes me feel like I’m 14 and I just discovered Slayer. I much prefer a more delicate Forties flick. Count me totally out on the grounds that it makes me feel really old.

Lucy Partington, Stylist’s beauty editor says:

Heavy black liner takes me back to my teenage years when I’d listen to My Chemical Romance on repeat, and for that, I love it. Managing to get the flicks equal without it smudging was way more difficult than it should have been though, especially for somebody who isn’t a natural artiste. Honestly? It’s too much effort for every day and it would definitely smear all over my face if I wore it ‘out out’ so, sadly, I don’t think this is one suited to 28-year-old me. 

Ava Welsing-Kitcher, Stylist’s junior beauty writer says:

There’s a crucial boundary for me when it comes to heavy black eyeliner: the waterline. I love a bold black line across the top and bottom lashlines, but rimming the waterline makes the look less Sophia Loren and more Joan Jett. Never a bad thing, but harsh liner just doesn’t suit me. I used a kohl pencil to map the shape onto the eye and line the waterline, then a liquid liner pen to sharpen the flick. Maybe it’s the shape of my eyes, or maybe I’m just used to something more doe-eyed – either way, I’m not into it.

Verdict:

We’re all dedicated to our particular shapes and styles of winged liner, and Versus’s extreme version didn’t quite make the cut. Whether it was the elongated flicks stretching towards our temples or the rings of kohl in the waterlines, we just weren’t sold. Plus, wearing a stark reminder of how long it’s been since our teenage years? No, thank you.

£21, selfridges.com

£17, harveynichols.com

£10.99, superdrug.com

£9, cultbeauty.co.uk

£20, johnlewis.com