Rimmel Scandaleyes Exaggerate Eye Definer: The Snap-Happy Liner That 78% of Buyers Rave About Anyway

The Snapping Tip: Let's Address It First

Normally a review would save the criticism for the back half. We are flipping that order because the tip issue is the single most important thing you need to understand before buying this eyeliner. About eight to ten reviewers across our sample of 100 specifically mentioned the pencil snapping, the tip falling off, or the liner breaking during normal use.

Furbaby, writing in February 2026, put it bluntly: "Just opened package which arrived yesterday. Absolute rubbish! Put a light application then another and it broke. Then another and broke again." Liza G reported the same thing in December, saying her pencil "snapped twice." Amira bought two brown versions and found "both not working and one of them is bending."

But here is the important nuance. Monti, who rated it five stars, quietly flagged the fix in her review: "The only thing I try to remember to do is retract the pencil when putting the lid/cap back on so the tip doesn't get knocked off." One of the four-star reviewers, Excellent Quality Reviewer, also warned "don't be too rough as the end can snap off."

The formula is a soft, creamy gel, which is what makes it glide on without dragging. That same softness is why the tip shears off if you press too firmly, twist out too much product, or close the cap without retracting first. It is a design trade-off, not a manufacturing defect in most cases. If you are someone who applies liner with a heavy hand, this is probably not the pencil for you. If you have a lighter touch and remember to retract before capping, you will likely join the 78 percent who gave it five stars.

Why the Loyal Fans Refuse to Switch

Get past the snapping issue and the praise becomes remarkable in both volume and consistency. This is the kind of product where people say things like "I won't use any other eye pencil now" (Amazon Customer, March 2026) and "Honestly the best eyeliner I've tried. I've used high-end brands before, but this one is still my favourite" (L C, December 2025).

The most repeated compliment is staying power. Wendy Purvis summed up the general feeling: "I love this eye liner, I have bought expensive ones that have not lasted even 20 minutes, this eye liner lasts practically all day, I will continue to buy it." Amanda Roberts said it simply: "Love this, it lasts ages without smudging." Kim, a 40-year-old reviewer, wrote a detailed five-star review describing how she applies it at 7am and it is still there when she goes to bed.

The second theme is ease of use. There is no sharpener required, which dozens of reviewers mentioned as a major selling point. Soapie Zo! captured it well: "I love the fact that you don't need to sharpen them!" If you have ever dealt with kohl pencils crumbling or wooden eyeliners going blunt halfway through application, that retractable mechanism is a small daily win.

How the 24-Hour Wear Claim Actually Holds Up

Rimmel markets this pencil as waterproof, smudge-proof and transfer-proof with "up to 24 hour wear." That is a bold promise and one that deserves scrutiny, because the reviewer experience here is sharply split.

On the believer side, Andrea Illingworth gave it five stars with a very specific test: "A fabulous waterproof, smudgeproof eyeliner that lasted after a full game of golf." Emma J wrote "My fave liners, I'm quite fussy and want my liner to last! These are the best I've used." Multiple reviewers specifically mentioned surviving full workdays without retouching.

On the other side, R S gave it two stars in February 2026: "It's definitely not water-repellent and gives me panda eyes." Mrs J Bruce had a similar experience: "By the end of the evening it's smudged underneath my eyes and looks a mess." Kirstiep said it "didn't last the day."

Reading between the lines, the pattern seems to be about skin type and application area. People who use it on the lash line and wait for it to set report excellent wear. Those using it on oilier lids, or who rub their eyes during the day, or who apply it as a smudgy look rather than a sharp line, tend to see migration. It is water-resistant rather than truly waterproof, and the "24 hour" figure should probably be read as "all day for most people" rather than a literal endurance claim.

The 001 Intense Black Shade and Pigment Payoff

The 001 Intense Black is exactly what the name promises. This is not a dark grey pretending to be black, not a soft charcoal, not a washed-out smoky shade. Ollieburgs described it as "very very dark" and recommended it specifically for beginners because "you have a lot of control over how heavily you want to apply it, and the colour is great."

The pigment comes from iron oxides suspended in a wax and isododecane base, which is why a single pass delivers real opacity instead of the patchy layering some cheaper pencils need. Dawn Poole called it a "nice soft gel type liner" and praised the pigment specifically. If you want a dramatic, defined line without going near a liquid liner brush, this is where the Intense Black earns its place.

One small note for anyone considering the other shades in the range: some reviewers reported unexpected shimmer in the taupe version (JD wrote "Wish I'd known it has sparkle!"), but the 001 Intense Black is reliably matte and solid.

A Gift for Mature Eyes

One theme that came through clearly in the reviews, and which deserves its own section, is how well this pencil works on older skin. Traditional kohl pencils can be brutal on crepey lids because they require pressure to deposit colour, and that pressure pulls the skin and creates gaps between the liner and the lash line.

Kim, aged 40, explained it perfectly: "At 40 years old my eyelids are a little bit more wrinkly than a young 20 year-old so I find that the kohl pencils pull my skin and then I end up having a gap between the eyeliner and my lid line. This one is the perfect match between the two."

Ingrid Harris echoed this in her five-star review: "Great for the older woman who just wants to define her eyes. Have bought this in preference to the more expensive ones I own." Lesley A, who turned 60, wrote "Decided to have a change from black liner as I have reached 60, it's too harsh and heavy. I am very happy with the chocolate brown."

The soft, gel-like formula glides without dragging, which is the single most important property an eyeliner can have if your skin is no longer taut enough to handle a scratchy kohl pencil. That is a real benefit you do not see mentioned in Rimmel's own marketing, but it is one of the strongest themes in the reviews.

The Removal Problem Nobody Warns You About

There is one complaint in the reviews that deserves a quick flag because it catches people off guard. Gail K gave it a scorching one-star review titled "More like a TATTOO" and wrote: "Virtually IMPOSSIBLE to remove! Even with Micellar water. Never again!"

This is the paradox of a truly long-wearing waterproof formula. The same properties that make it last through golf, workouts and long days at the office also make it stubborn to remove at night. If you have been using a water-soluble liner up to now, you will need to upgrade your cleanser. Several reviewers specifically mentioned using a cream cleanser or oil-based remover and having no problem at all. S9 noted that despite long wear, "it removes easily with a cream cleanser at the end of the day."

If you are planning to cleanse with plain micellar water on a cotton pad, expect a battle. That is not a fault in the product, but it is a reality you should budget for.

The Retractable Design and Price

At £4.55 down from an RRP of £4.99, this sits firmly in the affordable drugstore category, and it is doing what drugstore makeup should do: solving a real problem without asking you to remortgage your house. Alan L, who orders this regularly for his partner, reported that "she usually only needs 1 every 8 months or so, so it lasts well." At that rate you are spending under £7 a year on eyeliner.

The retractable twist-up mechanism is the other half of the value story. No sharpeners, no wooden shavings on your bathroom counter, no accidentally stabbing your waterline with a freshly sharpened point. You twist the bottom, a few millimetres of product emerges, and you apply. When you are done, you retract the tip (please remember this, it is how you avoid the snapping issue mentioned earlier) and cap it.

The pencil itself measures 130mm long by 8mm wide, with 0.35 grams of product inside. That sounds tiny, but a little stroke across the lash line takes a fraction of a millimetre, which is why single pencils last months rather than weeks for most users.

Who This Is For, and Who Should Walk Past

Buy this pencil if you want a smooth, heavily pigmented black liner that lasts through a normal workday, hate sharpening pencils, have mature or sensitive skin that does not tolerate scratchy kohls, and are willing to retract the tip before capping. Buy it especially if you have been spending £15 or £20 on higher-end liners and want to test whether a drugstore option can match them. A surprising number of reviewers came from exactly that direction and stayed.

Skip it if you apply eyeliner with a heavy hand and have a history of snapping pencils, if you need a true liquid-level precision line with a hairline edge, if your eyes run or water a lot during the day, or if your only makeup remover is micellar water on a cotton pad. None of those are dealbreakers for most buyers, but they are worth being honest about.

If you are on the fence, the price makes this one of the easiest gambles in the Rimmel catalogue. At £4.55 you are risking less than a coffee shop latte. If it works for you, you will probably never buy another eyeliner.