I received a large response from my last mascaras review post, and many of you have given me a lot of suggestions on other drugstore mascaras. Thank you all! I have indeed purchased a lot based on your recommendations, and here are the three mascaras I have been using for the past 3 months – the Makeup For Ever Smoky Lash, L’oreal Extra Volume Collagen and KissMe Impact Frame & Curl Mascara.
To recap: I have stick straight lashes with medium volume and medium length (Asian standard..). I need my mascara to hold the curl (I use my Shu eyelash curlers), volumize and separate the lashes and to be smudge proof. I also use mascara on my lower lashes so preferably the brush of the mascara is easy to work with, without staining my skin, and is black enough to make my lashes pop.
1. L’oreal Extra Volume Collagen Plumping Mascara Blackest: This is a mediocre mascara for me. I like the brush which reminds me of the infamous DiorShow. The formula is on the dry side and is quite waxy, so it tends to clump my lashes but are fixable using an eyelash comb (I love mine which is by tweezerman!). It gives medium volume and length, holds the curl and stays put all day. Overall it is quite a satisfactory mascara but there is no aspect of it that blows me away.
2. KissMe Heroine Make Impact Frame & Curl Mascara: I am a big fan of the original KissMe Heroine Make Volume and Curl, so I was very excited to try out their newer version. It has a comb style, and the teeth is finely spaced so it separates the lashes amazingly. I absolutely hated this mascara when it was first opened, as the formula was so wet it made my lashes look spidery. I gave this mascara a second chance after letting it ‘dry’ for 2 months, and an amazing thing happened – it worked so well for my lashes as the result was even slightly better than my beloved Maybelline Falsies. It adds medium volume and length, but the unique comb just really helps to separate and fan out the lashes beautifully. It holds the curl all day without smudging, so a big thumbs up from me! I probably would repurchase this one, but the fact that I had to wait till it dries is off putting.
3. Makeup For Ever Smoky Lash Jet Black – Compared to the above two, this is a very dramatic mascara. It is ultra black and thickens the lashes a lot! The effect is more of a doll-like (thick and slightly clumpy lashes) rather than natural-but-better lashes effect. I like it because it is so black and I only needed a little bit on my lower lashes which really helps to open up my eyes. I only wish it had a better brush design for separation.
Whilst the quality of makeup is generally improving in newer releases, I think the overly saturated mascara market can be a little gimmicky with their newer inventions (ie. the 360 degree rotation brush). So I don’t keep track of the new mascaras, but if you have discovered any new ones that knock your socks off, please let me know!
{ 11 comments }
