We're coming up on the end of our Seven Days of Mascara feature. I know it wasn't seven consecutive days, but you know. I do what I can.
This time we've got Pixi Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Blue. I picked it up only because I wanted a mascara that was the same exact color of my hair, and this one matched it perfectly. I absolutely love the color. That's all well and good, you say, but move along - is it all clumpy and awful?
I am so pleased to say NO. It's not. Thank goodness. Because if I came across one more of those I was going to give up on mascaras altogether.
We've got another good, old-fashioned spooly wand, which I think I might love more than anything, and while it's not fat, it's long. It is easy to hit all those lashes with this brush. And how does it look? It's not clumpy. And while it doesn't go on as thick as I personally like, it sure is buildable. This picture has only two coats.
Now, Pixi isn't the cheapest mascara you can pick up at Target - I paid a whopping $19, which is a lot to me while shopping at Target. However, it's considerably cheaper than what I usually spend at Sephora. But I'm going to be using this one a lot - especially with my Make Up For Ever Lash Fibers as a base. It gives some nice curl and buildable volume, and that's all a girl can really ask for.
Someone asked me recently what sort of camera I was using to take the photos, and I'm embarassed to say that it's just my iPhone 3GS camera. I should have broken out the Canon, but I was just too lazy and/or in a major hurry when I needed photos. I had to make a few adjustments in iPhoto, because my yellow bathroom just threw the whole color balance thing off.
So, did you find any new mascaras to try? I hope I've made it easier for you to wade through the "just pass" items out there. Leave me a note and tell me what you're loving on your lashes right now. I am still in search of that perfect product!
Seven Days of Mascara: Pixi Lash Booster Mascara
Seven Days of Mascara: L'Oreal Paris Extra Volume Collagen Mascara
L'Oreal has yet another new mascara, which claims to be their biggest volume builder. I think L'Oreal has a good solid line of mascaras at excellent price points, so I was eager to try L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen Washable Mascara
According to the company, the brush is 50% bigger than their other mascara wands and is made with hydra-collagen which can enhance your lash thickness up to 12 times.
The brush is a standard spooly brush, and it is larger than your typical brush. It's nothing exceptional, however, and I'm not seeing anything that is unique or different at first glance.
So far, so good. No mess, no dripping mascara wand. Application was easy, I snapped a photo after my typical three coats.
All in all, it's a nice, easy to use mascara. It's not bringing anything new or special to the table, but really, is that a bad thing? What good is a cool new wand if you can't use it because it's all gooped up with product? At least this simple wand applied the simple product without a whole lot of fuss. The wear was excellent - no flaking or smudging even though I caught myself rubbing my allergy-ridden eyes a few times.
You can find this one at most mass retail outlets. It is also at Amazon
Seven Days of Mascara: Smashbox Lash DNA Mascara
Smashbox claims that their amino-acid packed Lash DNA ($19) mascara gives you amazing length and volume. This is my first experience with a Smashbox mascara, and I got it as part of the "After Hours" kit at the Nordstrom beauty event. From the Smashbox website: "The unique double helix brush grabs each lash, no matter how small, for the ultimate fanned out effect." So I was pretty excited to check out the wand, as well as the formula.
Whoa. Well, I did want to see the brush, but I kind of can't. I mean, I think I get the general idea of what is going on here. Maybe. But it doesn't stop with the brush - I then take a look at my tube:
Holy crap. THAT is going to make a mess when I go to put my wand back in there. But I don't want to think about that yet. Let's take that wand and give it a whirl.
The end result is some really lovely lashes. Full, long, and inky black. However, it did require some brushing and declumping. I like the effect, but I don't know that most people would want to put the time in to deal with the mess. Would I buy it again? I don't know. Would I recommend it? Only to another mascara junkie.
Seven Days of Mascara: Revlon DoubleTwist Mascara
Okay, I'll admit it. I was suckered in by the ads for Revlon's DoubleTwist mascara. Those TV spots that showed us the fabulous wand that brought you volume beyond your wildest imagination sold me. I had to get my hands on the coolest brush I'd seen: a combination plastic and old spoolie brush TOGETHER! For every benefit POSSIBLE! I was excited.
And I still am. This is a fabulous mascara, and I love it. I'd compare the volume to Diorshow, and I don't say that lightly. It thrills me that it comes in a waterproof formula, and it's easy to get off, doesn't make a mess, doesn't smudge, doesn't flake, and stays put all day long.
But...you knew there was a "but," didn't you?
Yeah. It's a bit of a mess. No, not a bit. It's a huge mess. It's scary and intimidating when you pull your wand out and see this.
It can clump. You have to just gather up your courage and slap that wand on those lashes. Trust. Keep an eyelash brush or comb near, if you must. But don't back down. One coat can give you this:
And it only gets better from there.
PS: This was supposed to go up last night, and for reasons unknown, it didn't. So you get two mascara posts today. Aren't you thrilled?
Seven Days of Mascara: Rimmel Glam'Eyes Mascara
I didn't like it at first. My first impression of it was that it really didn't do much in the way of volume at all. But I kept reaching for it. Now, about two weeks later, I'm kind of digging it.
The brush is one of the newfangled plastic/silicone ones. It's thin and flexible, and you can work it. Normally I like old style spoolie brushes, but this one isn't half bad. Also, the formula is buildable. You can really build up some amazing lashes if you're willing to let each coat dry and be patient.
Frankly, I can get better lashes in one coat with my favorite, Diorshow, but if you don't want to spend much money on a drugstore mascara, and don't require super volume, and don't mind the learning curve, then this mascara might be right up your alley.
Bonus points for the cute pink and black boudoir packaging, though. Super cute.
Seven Days of Mascara: Better Than Waterproof Mascara by Cargo
Why? Because it lasts. Forever. Through the beach, the shower afterward, and just about anything else you can throw at it. The best part? It's actually a really good mascara! It goes on easily, it does not clump up at all, and has some excellent volumizing properties for a mascara that lasts so long.
Cargo claims that it will come off with gentle pressure and some warm water, but since I wear contacts, I'm hesitant to put gentle pressure on my eyes at all. However, it comes off just fine with my eye makeup remover, and doesn't make a mess while you're doing it.
While I wouldn't grab it for a night out on the town, mostly because I'm usually sporting some falsies, this is my gold standard for any active days I have and need to know that my mascara isn't going to make a mess on my face.
Grab it at Cargo.com or Sephora for $20. You won't be sorry.
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