I am a huge fan of lash extensions (and have talked about them several times on my blog) so I haven’t been using mascara since…..well probably July. However, I have decided to let me lashes “rest” for a month or two and have gone back to using mascara.
I’ve found that the mascara ‘market’ has expanded, and I have accumulated different types of mascara quite quickly (some of that’s a personal problem though. ha.) I thought I would share some of my thoughts on some of the mascara that I have been using recently. I didn’t pick these 5 for any special reason-these are just the ones that I have right now:
From Top to Bottom:
Annabelle Le Big Show
Marcelle Precision Volume
L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Million
MUFE Smoky Lash
MAC False Lashes
My preferences:
I am a 2 coat kind of girl when it comes to mascara.
Color doesn’t matter too much to me, but usually I go brown-black or BLACK.
Lash drama is okay but not all the time (and since I workout 3-4 times a week, I try to get extra ‘dramatic’ with lashes in between).
I’m not a huge fan of curling my lashes, although I will if I am going out. I have a horrible fear of pulling my lashes out with the curler for some reason.
I am a big brush kind of gal-in fact, the bigger the better. All of these mascaras have big brushes. I like the brushes to be somewhat flexible, and 2 of these mascaras had the ‘stiff’ brushes.
I don’t have to have waterproof mascara-but I won’t turn it away either. I have heard stories about more expensive brands smudging/flaking almost immediately. That’s a no-go.
My results:
Favorite:
Honestly, if I had to pick out of the 5 mascaras above, my favorite (at this moment) is the Annabelle Le Big Show. It does the job in 2 coats with a big brush that gets all the lashes-lots of volume and buildable. It doesn’t flake or clump.
Just okay:
MAC False Lashes. When I saw this I immediately visualized some serious lash drama. Then I applied it. It’s “okay”-nothing special. Certainly does NOT compare to the Le Big Show (!). I’ll use it until it runs out but won’t repurchase I like MAC products but have never been a cheerleader for their mascara. One thing I am going to do sooner rather than later is take a peek at their lashes. I have heard MAC false lashes are amazing. Any truth to that ladies?
My least favorites (yes that is plural):
Overall disdain: MUFE Smoky Lash. I don’t think MUFE and I were meant to be at all. I have tried so many of their products and they have all been huge fails. Everything from foundation to eyeshadow to this mascara. Don’t get me wrong-I wanted to love this mascara; the brush is large, and the packaging says “Volume, Length, and Curl.” Something in the formula just doesn’t work for me. This mascara clumps, flakes, and is NOT buildable. 2 coats weigh my lashes down to the point that they are sticking straight out (no curl at all!). 1 coat isn’t enough. I wanted to like it, I really did. I think it’s time for me to stop buying their products. There, I’ve admitted it.
Stiff brush mascara-in this case, the Marcelle precision, and the L’Oreal voluminous million. Both mascaras did an adequate job, but working with the stiff brush is challenging and a bit uncomfortable for me. The Marcelle brush is curved, which I liked, but when you poke yourself in the eye with either one of these, it hurts! I won’t totally write these two off, as I could probably grow to love them.
So for now, I’m sticking with Le Big Show. There are so many mascaras available now-I think I could review a different one everyday for an entire year!
What’s important to you when you look for a mascara? What are your favorites?
Cherry
No curling?! That’s basically all I do everyday even without mascara HAHA! When I actually wear mascara, I use my only choice – Covergirl Lash Blast fusion. What I look for is no clumping & must be dark. I’m not big on waterproof either, mostly because I hear they’re a hassle to remove. Wish a fabulous New Year, Meredith! 😀
meredith
@Cherry eyelash curlers scare me….big time. I have used the Covergirl and find it to not be dramatic enough for me (gasp! Shocking).
Hope your new year was well!
Leesh
I use to be a mascara junkie but now, I have stopped wearing mascara. I always curl my lashes and if I use a non-waterproof mascara, my lashes get weighed down and lose its curl. When I did wear mascara, my favorites were Max Factor 2000 Calorie Lash Plumper and Volume Couture (sadly no longer available in North America) and Chanel Inimitable. So you see, I always have to use a waterproof mascara to hold my lashes and since trying to take off waterproof mascara every night is a pain in the butt, I decided not to use mascara anymore (it’s only for special occasions. Now I am thinking of tinting my lashes…
meredith
@Leesh-I don’t curl my lashes often. I am not comfortable with that. I have had my lashes tinted before and I will never do that again. Dye that close to my eyes makes me incredibly nervous. When I was laying there waiting, my eyes did nothing but burn and sting. Never again!
Mary
I just recently got into using mascara, so in a span of four months I went from 0 mascaras to like 15! I’m really digging the Lancome Hypnose one right now, and the Rimmel Lash Accelerator for more casual use. Try them out if you have the chance! 🙂
meredith
@Mary mascara was always a staple with me until I got extensions! I am taking a break from lash extensions for now so the mascara is key! I’ll definitely check out that mascara!