Newest mascara purchases

I hadn't bought any mascara in probably a month...but I made up for it in the last week.  Here is what I've hauled!

LashBlast Fusion:  I finally caved and gave into my love of purple.  I was only so-so on this mascara the first time I tried it, but I want to give it another shot.  Hope springs eternal, right?

Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes:  I ordered this package in my Sephora Friends & Family purchase for this year.  I'm excited to try it--but I wonder if NYX is annoyed that someone stole their name concept. 

L'Oreal False Lashes:  I'm a little nervous about the fibers...Maybelline had a mascara called Unstoppable, and it had a lot of fibers in it--but I found it to be really flaky.  Thankfully, they no longer make that mascara, so maybe this is a better version?  From what I've read, it's a drier formula, which should be interesting.

Cover Girl Lash Perfection redux

Earlier this month, I received a free Cover Girl item in the mail.  You can "Like" Cover Girl on Facebook, and if add the "My Cover Girl" application, you will be entered into their database and can win free products.  I won something almost immdediately, which is pretty cool.

 

A few weeks after I got the email saying that I won, I got my free gift in the mail.  I was wondering if I would get something that I already had...well, I was right!  It was the new Lash Perfection mascara, which I bought almost as soon as it came out.  But it was free and I like it, so all it good. The shade is black/brown, which is different than the normal black that I usually use.

 

However, since I have tons of mascara in my stash, it will probably be a while before I use it. 

A rant about Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

Allure magazine is still raving about the worst mascara ever, Maybelline Great Lash:  http://www.allure.com/beauty-products/best-of-beauty/2011/best-of-beauty-hall-of-fame#slide=2

Here is why it sucks:  the brush is outdated and actually promotes spiky lashes.  The formula is weak and neither thickens nor lengthens your lashes.  And I'm also told that the washable version is prone to running and smudging.  (I am lucky enough to have no issues with mascara running or smudging, so I'm taking other people's word for it.)

The only thing I can say that is good about it is that it's cheap.  It was probably one of the first mascaras that I ever bought, and it was fine for my 13 year old self.  But never again!

I can't guarantee that this will be my last rant on this topic!  ;-)  It's been something that has bothered me for years.

PS--For a good time, check out the low reviews for this product on Makeup Alley (registration is required to view):  http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp?ItemId=897&skintonetype=-2&AgeRange=0&SortBy=rating-asc

Mascara amnesia?

I keep wanting to buy some L'Oreal Voluminous mascara (the original version), since so many people and magazines rave about it.  I used to use it a long time ago (like 10 years ago) and I found it serviceable, but the last couple times I tried it, I was not happy with the clump factor.  As in, I had clumps at the end of my lashes, and there was nothing I could do to fix it other than using a lash comb (which I don't like to do.)  So it was too much work and I gave up on it.

I've had much better luck with L'Oreal Voluminous Full Definition, so I usually stick to that--but it doesn't provide that much volume.  Although it does come in a pretty golden tube.  So why do I feel compelled to buy something (original Voluminous)  that will most likely be a disappointment?  Peer pressure from other makeup geeks, perhaps?

Do you have a mascara that you keep going back to, against your better judgement?

Pretty, pretty purple

I liked Lash Blast Fusion the best of all four (current) versions of Cover Girl Lash Blast.  However, I didn't think it was that great, I just really don't like the other versions (Volume, Luxe, and Length.)

But I keep wanting to buy it again.  And I think the reason why is because the tube is purple.  I love purple!

Review: Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush mascara

I just started on a tube of Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush mascara in black last week.  I usually use regular black mascara, or "very black" if I'm feeling more adventurous.

So far, I'm not really loving this one.  I didn't really have any expectations, since I basically bought it to fill out an online order that needed to get to a certain dollar amount.

The brush is big--almost the size of the original Diorshow brush.  The handle is short, almost like a trial-size mascara--I find if it's a shorter brush, it can make it a bit harder to work with.  The brush is a conventional brush, not one of the new-fangled plastic ones (which I do enjoy.) 

I found this mascara hard to remove--I only buy washable mascara for this very reason.  I don't want to pull out a bunch of lashes using a waterproof formula (or be forced to use something greasy to remove it.  My skin is oily enough on its own!)

Product claim:  A lush stroke of lash-enhancing color! Pigment-rich formula defines lashes in wearable color for look-at-me eyes.

Does it clump?  This is an important question!  I had a little bit of clumping, but nothing horrible.

Does it deliver on its claim?  Well, the product description is a bit vague, but based on the brush shape I'm assuming it's supposed to be a volumizing mascara.  It fine, but it didn't knock my socks off.

Would I buy it again?  Probably not, there are more exciting mascaras out there.

The story of my lashes

How mascara performs on you really depends on what your lashes are like naturally.  So here is a little story about mine.

I know that I am lucky--I am blessed with great eyelashes.  They have been thick and long since I was a child...I was always afraid that they would fall out or get thinner as I aged, but they are still here (and I'm almost 33.) 

My lashes are mostly black (dark brown?) with blonde tips, so wearing mascara is pretty important so they look normal.  I have a very thick row on the top, it's bordering on a double row.

I never use a lash curler, but I think my lashes are naturally a bit curly.  I used to wear mascara on my bottom lashes, but a rarely do that now.

I will eventually post a picture of my lashes (with and without mascara) once I finally figure out how to use my hand-me-down digital camera.

My backup mascara stash (the reserves, if you will)

Here are the mascaras that I have on deck...ready to go when I throw away the a tube, or retire a tube to my travel bag.  Once I've tried them, I will provide reviews of the products I have never tried before, denoted in green.

Maybelline The Falsies--I've tried this before, and I really liked it.  I got a 2 pack of this and gave the other one to my sister.  Yeah, I'm nice like that.  

Prestige My Biggest Lashes--I've seen good things about it on MakeupAlley, I think it's one of those mascaras with the huge brush.  We'll see!

Avon Super Magnify--I'm excited about this one, it has a teeny brush with lots of bristles.  It should be interesting to use.

NYC Showtime--Not sure why I bought this, I was in a bargain makeup mood at the time.  I don't have high expectations, given the reviews I've seen online (the few that I could find.)

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush--This was an impulse buy, and I don't have any expectations of this being good.  I hope I'm pleasantly surprised!

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous--I love this one, it's really easy to use and it never clumps for me.  It has an S-shaped brush, similar to the Lancome Hypnose Drama brush.  (As you may already know, L'Oreal is the parent company of Lancome and Maybelline.)

Current mascara stash

Here is what is currently in my mascara rotation, and some thoughts about each.

Diorshow Iconic:  This one is really disappointing, especially for $28 a tube!  It's supposed to be a curling mascara, but it doesn't do much of anything.  The brush is great, but the formula is weak.  I've started using this mascara as a base for layering mascaras--I add something volumizing on the top of this. 

Would I purchase again?  No!

Rimmel The Max Bold Curves:  This mascara is pretty disappointing so far--it's clumpy and doesn't curl very much, which is the big claim with this mascara.  I've started using this as a top coat when I use Diorshow Iconic.

Would I purchase again?  No!

Cover Girl Lash Perfection:  This is a reboot of the Max Factor Lash Perfection Volume Couture...but I never tried that before Max Factor was pulled out of the US market, so I can't tell you how it stacks up.  I like it so far, it's pretty similar to Cover Girl Volume Exact, but a bit easier to work with.

Would I purchase again?  Yes

Maybelline Volum' Express One by One:  I love this one so far, but I've only used it a few times.  Lots of length with decent volume.  Unfortunately, it has the "roses on crack" smell that Maybelline/L'Oreal has been putting into their new mascaras (like Lash Stiletto and Volum' Express Colossal.)  I really like this one, but we'll see how I feel about in in a couple of months--sometimes I change my mind over time.

Would I purchase again?  Yes

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes:  This one reminds me a bit of L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen (the shape of the tube, mostly), but it has a plastic brush and has the horrible "roses on crack" smell, just like the One by One mentioned above.  However, I still like this one--I didn't love it at first, but it grew on me.

Would I purchase again?  Yes

L'Oreal Telescopic Clean Definition:  I bought this mascara because a beauty guru on YouTube raves about it...it's not bad, but it's mostly a lengthening mascara and I prefer volumizing mascaras.  It provides a more natural look.

Would I purchase again?  Yes

NYX Doll Eye Volume:  The formula is very dry--it almost feels like there's no product in the tube!  However, the dry formula makes it very buildable.  The brush is an interesting shape, it's almost like a barbell...not sure if that helps with application, but it's cute?  I don't know if this is worth $9.
Would I purchase again?  Yes 

What's in your current stash?  Leave a comment below!

Linkage!

Here's a related link...my mascara reviews on MakeupAlley:  http://www.makeupalley.com/product/userreviews.asp?u=tracyveronika&CategoryID=101&brandname=&Brand=&submit=Find+Products

My Current Top 5 Best/Worst Mascaras

Just to get things started...best and worst mascaras!

Top 5 Best Mascaras

L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen:  The formula is thick, but it's easy to work with.  This is a worthwhile mascara if you have time to work on your lashes.

Cover Girl Professional Super Thick Lash:  The price is great (around $4-5 at Target or Walmart) and it performs better than a lot of other mascaras that cost twice as much.

Rimmel Sexy Curves:  The brush is an interesting shape, and it does provide some curling action.  It doesn't clump...at all.

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous:  Volume and length, and an S-shaped brush...it's really easy to apply, and the packaging is cute.

Cover Girl Volume Exact:  In my opinion, this is 10x better than Lash Blast Volume!

Top 5 Worst Mascaras:

Maybelline Great Lash:  Wet, thin, and provides no volume or length.  I don't understand the hype in magazines about this, it's the worst mascara I've ever tried!

Diorshow (Original):  Also doesn't live up to the hype--the formula barely provides any volume.  It's not worth $24!

Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume:  The brush is hard to work with, and it's hard to remove (and I'm referring to the non-waterproof version.)  The brush handle is fat and hard to hold, so it's challenging to apply this mascara.

ELF Mineral-Infused Mascara:  Doesn't do much, and it came off in chunks when I removed it at the end of the day!

Cover Girl Lash Blast Length:  Nice brush, but doesn't provide much length and provides zero volume.  It gives a very natural look, but that's not what this mascara is meant to do.

What are your favorite and least favorite mascaras?