I used to have this colleague who is obsessed with mascara. She was the only one I knew who could say yes to all the mascara brands I could name. Paul&Joe? Tried and tested! YSL? Chanel? Maybelline? Loreal? Everything else? Okay, so maybe she might not have tried Helena Rubinstein, but I am certain she has tried 90% of all the wands you’ve heard that was good.
The trick, she said, was in the wand. The fatter it is, the more luscious you’ll expect your lashes to be.
The one that I swear by is the Chanel Inimitable Waterproof mascara in black. It is perfect, except it smudges on my oily lower lids after a long day of wear.
The brush is white in the picture, and it is when brand new I suppose, but if you focus you will realise how thick it is. Just great to plump up the lashes. I know we’re supposed to throw out mascara every three months but I think I’ve been having mine for 4-5 months now and it still hasn’t dried out or given this foul petroleum smell. I’m already shopping for a new one though.
You know you have a winner when people come up to you and ask which brand of mascara you’re using – which actually applies for everything from clothes to nail polish.
The reason why I always stick to waterproof mascara is because there was once when I was still young and tender, and very prone to having horrible graphic images stuck in my mind, I witnessed a classmate whom I didn’t know was wearing mascara (no one wears mascara to school in my days) cry, and she cried a river of black tears.
It’s definitely worth the costs of a lifetime of eye makeup remover just so the same thing will never happen to me in this life.
I’ve used the Lancome Hypnose Waterproof Mascara before, and it is pretty good for a starter but I just decided for a change after two tubes of this, mostly because it smudged too much for my liking after a long day.
And these few below are on my consideration list for my next purchase!
I had introduced my mascara-obsessed colleague to the YSL Faux Cils (black) since I read rave reviews about this, but I was sold when I read on the Fashion Spot that the Olsens swear by this product.
However it seems there seems to be word that it dries much too quickly for its price. Her report on this is that it was not as great as the Chanel one – but I am a firm believer that different products differ from individuals so I’m still thinking if I want to purchase this.
This is cute! I was recommended the Paul&Joe Mascara Duo by another friend who was a huge makeup queen, and I like how it has two ends – one for volumising and one for lengthening. The reviews are pretty good so I will recommend this to you hardcore mascara buyers. I have to disclaim that I have not tried this too, but it’s also on my to-try list in 2008.
The Maybelline Great Lash has always attracted me, and by the time I wanted to buy it it was only available overseas. Then Dottie and I went to Europe but for some reason I held back on it – now I really want it and will get a tube when I’m overseas this year. While the ratings aren’t exactly high for this one I just thought it will be a great drugstore product to test out.
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So what about you? Let’s discuss your Holy Grail of Mascaras in the comments – we’ve shared our mascara secrets so now it’s your turn! I’ll be covering mascara bases in a bit because that warrants an entirely seperate post from this. (:
flutters and batting of eyelashes,
Stephie
16 Comments
January 6, 2008 at 8:09 am
Oh, wow, thanks for the tips! Mascara is totally my favorite cosmetic.
January 6, 2008 at 8:37 am
whao. but i’m still digging my DIOR blackout! its fantastic! u should try that!
January 6, 2008 at 10:52 am
i really recommend the DiorShow Waterproof! It volumnises, thickens, lengthens…does basically every single thing that you’d want a good mascara to do!
January 6, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Hey I use mascara religiously. I prefer waterproof mascara because of the heavy rains in singapore. Which brand of eye make up remover do you use? I have a Loreal one which does not remove waterproof make up as ideally as it should. Plus, rubbing your lashes too hard causes it to fall off! and causes premature wrinkles too!
I’m really torn between using waterproof mascara and looking like a panda when caught in an unexpected rain!
January 6, 2008 at 3:15 pm
i’ve tried the maybelline great lash, which i bought overseas. its really great and the best part is that it layers really well, and u can build up the layers to get your desired level of thickness and intensity. totally versatile!
January 6, 2008 at 9:34 pm
heather: You’re welcome!
ettenylsecrets & cori: Yes I have heard that the Dior ones are really great too! There are so many mascara products out there that I am dying to try out but Dior is definitely on my to-try list.
TORN: Oh how coincidental – I’m also using the Loreal waterproof remover, the one you need to shake before use. I think its really great so I stuck with that.
lynn: You make me really want to try Great Lash!
January 7, 2008 at 2:39 am
I’ve used the Maybelline, and I think that for the price it’s a great product. I liked it.
January 7, 2008 at 8:46 am
i love fresh’s supernova mascara and also the sets like bourjois, etc, where there’s a lash primer and a little comb to apply the blackening. actually, l’oreal’s lash architect is also wondrous.
question though, i have teensy, sparse, and thin lashes and i find that the plumpest brushes are too dense to grab on to my lashes and apply product. that’s why i didn’t like chanel… but maybe i’m applying it incorrectly?
January 7, 2008 at 9:49 pm
thejulia – I have sparse eyelashs too and find most brushes too big. I aklso think trying to creat volum where there is none is a no no. To me it like trying to out concret on a paper wall – it just falls off.
Lancome defincils is good and a budget one is Maybelline – lash discovery if you can get it – its not available in Ireland.
January 7, 2008 at 10:10 pm
hi thejulia – I’m not sure if you are situated in Singapore. If you are, there is this great product called Double Lash by Mavala – you can Google for it. While there has been mixed reviews, it worked wonders for my lower lashes which often drop after I remove my mascara.
A way to actually solve your mascara woes for thicker brushes can be that you get one of those mascara bases which will add volume. Do that after curling lashes and before mascara, then perhaps it will be easier for application.
January 8, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Assuming you are located in either HK or Singapore (which I think you are), you can pop into SASA and pick up Pupa’s DIVA Lashes which comes with a complimentary bottle of mascara remover which is DIVINE!
Nothing else compares.
January 8, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Hi ann – oh that sounds so enticing!
January 10, 2008 at 2:15 am
hi becks and stephie,
thanks for the tips. i’m not located in singapore, but i can get my hands on some mavala. will check it out. really not into maybelline mascara, for some reason it smudges all over but i do like lancome definicils.
confession: i AM into adding volume where there is none. i’m never going to like tammy faye tarantula legs, but when i was living in paris chez a ysl executive’s family, the glamorous wife always wore about 5 layers caked on so i figure it’s all right. it’s pretty much the only way i can make my eyes pop at all.
thanks girls.
January 13, 2008 at 4:52 am
I only use Clinique High Definition Lashes mascara — they NEVER smudge as they are gel-based and best of all, they remove with WARM WATER (mine goes off in the shower when I wash my face).
They are oil- and water-proof otherwise, and the brush is dual-sided — one for volume and a comb for definition and lengthening. It’s layerable and the comb has a mini-end for your lower lashes and the outer edges.
I LOVE it. You have to try it.
It comes in black as well as a really gorgeous dark brown. I always stock up when I travel (it’s cheap at the Singapore airport and I get a further discount).
http://www.clinique.com/templates/products/sp_shaded.tmpl?ngextredir=1&CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY4904&PRODUCT_ID=PROD10409
January 13, 2008 at 10:44 am
Ooh Eileen – that sounds great too! Will add it to my must-try list (:
January 29, 2008 at 10:47 pm
i tried ysl before and yes it was too quickly becoming dry eventhough the price was expensive.Now, i switch to Givenchy eye fly which delivers a very dark rich black colour, however, it is not really lenghtening. I once tried Benefit badgal and it is totally waste of money because the brush was too big and make it impossible to reach the roots part of my lashes to push them forward and makes them lengthen.