The Revlon Oil-Control Roller Is the Best Thing I Bought This Year
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If you’ve read any of ourStrategist editor hauls, you’ll know that our writers and editors buy a lot of stuff, and even though we think carefully about each thing that goes into our carts, there are still standouts. To close out the year, we’ve asked our staffers to write about the best thing they bought in the past 12 months. Today, Ambar Pardilla on the Revlon oil-control roller that’s finally left her face shine-free.
Keeping my faceshine-freeis a Sisyphean effort. I’d like to look like a perfectly lit Gucci ad but end up looking like a meltingGoober candle. I’ve tried all the glossy mag tricks —thatcleanserwiththisprimer. And I’ve decided all the beauty influencers are lying because their belovedsetting powdersare b.s. Even my friends can’t be trusted. Their “miracle” blotting papers are nowhere near divine. My skin obviously made a pact with the devil — in exchange for a slick surface, it was essentiallypimple-free for years.
The more I try to mattify, the angrier andreddermy face becomes. It’s a vicious cycle of oil production, inflammation caused by one of the “solutions” above, and then even more oil.
The algorithm caught on to all my searches for oil control because for weeks I kept seeing theRevlon Oil-Absorbing Volcanic Face Rolleron my For You page. But #BeautyTok is known for shilling #ad and #sponsored content disguised as real reviews, so I ignored the recommendation at first. But eventually, the succession of roller review videos convinced me (theveryclose close-ups onthis TikToktipped the scale.)
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The roller almost looks too minimalist to work (the vibe is Dame meetsThe Flintstones), but the spherical volcanic rock is really the main attraction. It does the oil absorbing by swiveling around inside the handle while I lightly roll it over my cheeks, nose, and forehead.I thought “volcanic rock” was a weird ingredient at first — it sounded like something my mom would use as a cure-all (she’s a big believer in using limón on breakouts). So I turned to two experts to explain what makes volcanic rock work. New York City–based dermatologistDr. Debra Jalimancompares volcanic rock to clay — think Caudalie’s cult-favoriteInstant Detox Maskor the ever-popularAztec Secret facial. It works the same way, attracting oil like a magnet to remove it, she says. Cosmetic dermatologistDr. Michele Green, who is based in the Upper East Side, echoes this: Volcanic rock “draws all the impurities from your pores and beneath the skin.” This “super absorbency” is what makes the roller work so well.
The volcanic rock feels surprisingly smooth gliding across my face. Rolling is like amini-massage— not quitegua-shalevel, but just enough. The rock sucks off oil very quickly. It takes just one pass to get rid of most of the excess on my cheeks, chin, and the center of my nose. My forehead hoards grease, so it does take a few passes there. And you don’t have to press it into your skin for it to work (actually, Jaliman says, be gentle or riskirritation.)
Those swipes leave my face magically matte-ish — like a muteddewiness. That balance is the best part. Post-roll, the oily parts of my face aren’t greasy, but they aren’t completely dry, either. As bizarre as this sounds, my skin is left looking like skin rather than that mannequin-like matte you see in Instagram filters. Plus, myconcealerstays in place, as does mycream blushandhighlighter.
The roller isn’t a cure-all. My face will always be on the oily side, despite having my skin-careroutinedown pat. But when I gettoooily, I now have the perfect fix.
The Strategistis designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the bestacne treatments,rolling luggage,pillows for side sleepers,natural anxiety remedies, andbath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
