Mascara: The Good and the Evil

I feel compelled to blog about a good mascara after falling for what is quite possibly the most over-hyped, over-marketed mascara to come along in years: Maybelline Lash Stiletto. I fell for the marketing crap and bought this, thinking my lashes would be long and shiny and amazing. I was a fool to believe! I threw the tube out after one use, which I NEVER do. I always give things a few tries. But, I didn't think it was possible to make your lashes look worse than they do with nothing on them. This mascara lives up to none of its promises.

So, in the spirit of honoring that which is good...

:: Maybelline Volume Express Turbo Boost Mascara ::

This mascara is a staple in my bag. I wouldn't necessarily call it a holy grail item, cause it's not perfect. But the price and the performance are such that it's the one I grab most days, and I have repurchased many times over.

Good things:

1. It does volumize your lashes pretty fabulously.
2. For the most part, it doesn't clump or make a mess of your eye area.
3. Doesn't flake off during the day.
4. Cheap.

Bad things:

1. Sometimes it can get a little shitty on you. i.e. it globs up on the wand and acts like a fool. If this happens, I resort to wiping the excess off with tissue first or just buying a new tube. It's not a problem most of the time, though.

Mascara that won't smudge.

I had a request for non-smudging/melting mascara. There are some *great* drugstore mascaras out there. But a lot of the quality lies in process, not product, much like a great Julia Child recipe.

With any mascara, you should follow these rules to get a goof-proof application:
1. If you have oily eyelids, wipe them a bit with toner first.
2. If you don't have toner, put on a good layer of loose powder before applying mascara or any eye makeup.
3. When you pull the wand out, use a clean tissue to squeeze it and remove excess product. This is KEY! You will not believe how much better the mascara goes on if you do this.
4. Use Waterproof mascaras to prevent smudging and raccoon eyes.
5. Apply several coats, starting at the base of your lashes and *slowly* move the wand through and *wiggle* the wand back and forth as you go to the tips.
6. Don't blink too hard before allowing the mascara to dry completely.

Top picks for drugstore mascaras:
Max Factor Lash Perfection Waterproof
(I want to try the Volume Couture mascara from Max Factor but haven't yet.)
Cover Girl Lash Exact Waterproof
L'Oreal Voluminous Waterproof

You'll Poke Yer Eye Out

I've been out of commission with illness. Apologies for not posting in days. Won't happen often.

Okay right to it: Holy Grail Mascara! I like the black 905.

:: Cover Girl Lash Exact Mascara ::

Good things:
Nice formula.
Brush is awesome.
No clumping.
No irritation (for me, anyway)
No flaking.
Lengthens and volumizes without drying out lashes or making them spidery.

Bad things:
Can dry out quickly...must repurchase often.

This product has gotten a lot of hype in magazines and on the Today show, et al for being a great product. It *is* a great product, but don't expect miracles. It's a great daytime mascara that will give you definition and some length and volume, but if you want high-impact lashes you're gonna have to put on falsies.