Trend alert: Roller ball applicators

Beauty, like fashion, cycles in trends. And when one manufacturer comes out with something cool, chances are you’ll see a version of the same concept in a handful of OTHER lines in less than 12 months.

Such is the case with the latest skincare craze: the roller ball. It’s basically a tool to help massage in the product as you apply it—a metal ball that rolls around (replacing the standard tube-type tip). The idea is that it helps decrease puffiness and boosts circulation. (You may have also seen the same device in those portable-size perfume bottles, like the one on my beloved Red Flower Guaiac.)

I’m fairly certain the first company to come out with this concept was By Terry (in the VIP Skin Expert Peace & Glow Roll-On). Launched in Canada last year, this is from the line created by French makeup artist—and MAJOR innovator—Terry de Gunzburg, who was also the brains behind Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic Touche Éclat.

So does the roller thingamajig work? I’m not convinced it’s going to perform miracles. But hey—it feels nice and it seems to cool the skin. I’d keep this at work for those mid-afternoon moments where you catch a glimpse of your haggard, tired-looking self in the bathroom mirror and panic. This might help!

Here’s the lowdown on this fall’s selection. (One more—from Olay—is coming in January, too, but I’ve been told it’s too early to share details on that.) So… let’s roll!

	Sampar Paris Age Antidote Eye Rule fills in fine lines and wrinkles and reduces dark circles and puffy eyes.$89 for 10 mL, at The Bay stores across Canada.
	Nuxe Aroma-Valliance Express Deep Wrinkle Filler Roll-On targets deep wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes and lips.$49 for 15 mL, at The Bay and Shoppers Drug Mart stores across Canada.
	Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Awakening Face Massager softens fine lines and boosts circulation for a more radiant appearance.$19.99 for 50 mL, at drugstores and mass retailers across Canada.
	Vichy Aqualia Thermal Eye Roll-On targets dehydration lines around the eyes and under-eye bags and circles.$34 for 15 mL, at drug stores across Canada.
	By Terry VIP Skin Expert Peace & Glow Roll On softens signs of fatigue, stimulates microcirculation and relaxes skin tissues.$78, at Sephora and Holt Renfrew stores across Canada.
	RoC Complete Lift Eye Roll-On lifts and firms the eye area while decreasing the appearance of puffiness. $15 for 30 mL, at drugstores across Canada.