Mascara!
Mascara and lipgloss have always been my "essentials." I can leave the house not wearing anything else, but without those (especially without the mascara!), I just feel...naked... and I feel less pretty than I'd like to, which just messes with a girls day, you know?
I've tried more mascaras than I care to count, and very recently I've been on a (somewhat painful) hunt for a new brand so I thought I'd share the results... Maybe spare someone else the pain, the raccoon eyes, the eyelash loss...etc. The reason I was on a hunt was because I'm trying to shop at just one store for all of my "good" (aka expensive but better for my face) makeup - I was shopping between Sephora and Estee Lauder so I'm trying to switch to just Sephora. I'm also trying to use products with more natural ingredients (More on that in another post)... I love, love, LOVE my Estee Lauder mascara so it's hard for me to switch over.
So here goes:
Product 1: Bare Escentuals Flawless Definition Mascara ($18)
Did it "define" my lashes? Yes, moderately.
Did it clump? No.
Did it separate the lashes: Yes. The wand is perfect for separating lashes, I must say. (In fact if I could just buy the wand without the mascara, to separate any time two get stuck together, I would!)
Was it easy to remove? Yes.
Did it lengthen? Not really, but it is more for defining than lengthening.
Sounds good so far, right?
Did it smudge? Yes.
The deciding factor: Did my husband say, "honey, I think you need new mascara, you're getting that raccoon eye look because there's a bunch under your eyes lately"....
YES.
I had just purchased this brand-new mascara, so I didn't need brand-new, I needed a different brand.
Perhaps someone else has had a different experience with this, but I took it back to Sephora and exchanged it for...
Product 2: d.j.v. beautenizer Fiberwig LX ($24... the highest priced mascara I've ever bought)
Did it "define" my lashes? Sort of but not really.
Did it separate the lashes? Yes.
Did it clump? No.
Did it smudge? No.
Did it lengthen? No. (side note: I have really long eyelashes, so maybe it would lengthen if I didn't? Who knows.)
Was it easy to remove? No-The packaging touts "easy removal with warm water" and so do some of the reviews, but I usually ended up having to wash twice and even then had mascara "particles" all over my face.
The deciding factor: Did my eyelashes break off while removing the product? Yes. What this product does is "encapsulates" your lashes to make them fuller and longer...it's actually called "brush-on fiber extensions" right on the package...sounds great. When I washed it off (this is just a personal testimony, remember) my eyelashes broke off within the capsule, and washed down the drain with the mascara. Sad day, my eyelashes happen to be one of my favorite attributes (hope I don't sound vain) and losing them makes me want to cry. I paid close attention to my eyelashes to make sure it wasn't just product washing down the drain, but was actually lashes - and I'm pretty sure it was. Sigh. Back to square one!
(I do have to say that I think this mascara might work really well for someone else, especially someone with shorter eyelashes. Perhaps someone else wants to give it a shot and provide feedback?)
Product 3 aka the product I was trying to find a replacement for: Estee Lauder Projectionist ($19.50)
Did it "define" my lashes: Yes.
Did it separate the lashes: Yes.
Did it clump: No.
Did it smudge: No.
Was it easy to remove: With water/soap, no; with eye-makeup remover, yes.
The deciding factor: Did it make my lashes look oh-so-fab? Yes.
I love this product and haven't found anything that compares! My eyelashes don't clump together, I don't get raccoon eyes, my lashes don't break off, and just putting on this mascara makes my entire face look better. ;)
Looks like I'll still be shopping at two different stores - at least for now!
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Hey folks, Product Gal #2 here with a few of my reviews also. I've long been on a quest for the "perfect" mascara...and while it may be elusive, I still have hope that it's out there. Here are a few I've tried along the way. These four (yes, four!) are currently in my makeup drawer.
Product 1: Cover Girl Lash Blast Waterproof (about $7)
Did it "define" my lashes? Somewhat
Did it clump? A little, but not too bad
Did it separate the lashes: Not as much as some.
Was it easy to remove? Yes, with eye make up remover
Did it lengthen? Somewhat, but it is more for volumizing than lengthening.
Did it smudge? No, but it flakes off just a little bit, though I found that the flaking happened less with the waterproof version.
The verdict: This mascara is pretty decent in every category. It's not the absolute best, but it's pretty dependable and will do a decent job of volumizing with minimal clumping. It's also pretty reasonably priced. The one downside--I have long lashes, but they stick straight out, so I have to curl them with a lash curler. Lash Blast mascara tends to make them uncurl, and won't hold the curl as well as some mascaras. Other than that, it's a pretty good contender. I used this as my primary mascara for a long time.
Product 2: L'Oreal Panoramic Curl Waterproof (another favorite...but in doing my research I think it's actually discontinued!)
Did it "define" my lashes? Yes, better than the average mascara
Did it clump? Hardly at all
Did it separate the lashes: Yes
Was it easy to remove? Yes, with eye make up remover
Did it lengthen? Yes, although it's more for definition
Did it smudge? No
The verdict: If I haven't curled my lashes ahead of time, it will give them a nice curl. If I have, it really helps hold the curl all day. The one drawback? It doesn't thicken the lashes very much, so if it's volume you're wanting, this won't satisfy.
Product 3: Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara ($8)
Did it "define" my lashes? Yes
Did it clump? Not at all
Did it separate the lashes: Yes
Was it easy to remove? Yes, with eye make up remover
Did it lengthen? A little
Did it smudge? No
The verdict: This is the mascara that claims to promote lash growth, leading to longer, thicker lashes when used regularly. I naturally have pretty long lashes, so I'm not sure if it actually is making them grow longer, but when I use it on a regular basis I definitely notice an improvement in the condition of my lashes. They do seem to be all growing in the right direction and fanning out nicely.
Bottom line--I was pretty excited about this mascara, and ended up with mixed feelings. It lengthens, but not as well as the other mascaras I've tried. And forget volume. It has a big, thick brush and it looks like it'll give you great volume--but it doesn't seem to coat very well. I have to use two or sometimes three coats. And it doesn't come in waterproof yet, as far as I know.
The flip side--it's a much more natual looking mascara, so it's great for those who only want a little lash emphasis, and want a very natural look. It won't make your eyes pop as much as some other kinds, but it also looks more natural than many. It's just a little too natural for me. :)
Product 4: Maybelline Lash Stilletto Voluptuous Waterproof ($7)
Did it "define" my lashes? Yes, it does a great job of defining
Did it clump? Hardly at all
Did it separate the lashes: Yes, really well
Was it easy to remove? Yes, with eye make up remover
Did it lengthen? Yes
Did it smudge? No
The verdict: Right now this is the winner in my makeup drawer. To date I've not found a better mascara, though I will probably continue my search. I really liked the original Lash Stilletto, but felt it lacked volume. Lash Stilletto Voluptuous is a great mix of length, definition and volume, plus the waterproof version wears well all day long. I use it as a second coat over my Grow Luscious, or sometimes just by itself. It coats without clumping (if you don't use too much) and doesn't smudge or flake. At $7, it won't bankrupt you either. My only caveat is this--make sure you don't layer too much on, or you'll end up with the dreaded "spider lashes."
Let us know YOUR thoughts on these products in the comments section!
Got a product you'd like us to review? Or want to share your thoughts on a product you've tried? Email us at productgals@gmail.com!
