Major Mascara Review!

 

      Whew!! I got a little carried away with this post. I was only going to review two new mascaras that I spotted at Fred Meyer the other day and of course, had to try, but I also wanted to show you two that I wear often as well. So I did four. You're welcome. The two I bought were Maybelline's Lash Sensational and from their Great Lash line, Real Impact.  I had recently read some posts about a new mascara that was out and I thought it was the Lash Sensational, but it was only after purchasing that I remembered the new one is by Covergirl and is called Lash Bloom, not Lash Sensational. Oh well. I'll just have to try it too! The two favorites that I've been using lately are Ulta's Twisted Volume and Revlon's Lash Potion. Read on for more info and swatches! ;) All the photos below show the mascara on the left and my natural lashes on the right. All mascaras were swatched with two coats and the shades are all Blackest Black, except for the Ulta mascara which is Jet Black.

     I tried the Real Impact mascara first. I've always heard great things about the Great Lash line and was expecting this to live up to the hype but I was a little disappointed. If you want natural looking lashes this will get you there. Application was difficult for me. It took 2 good coats to get the look you see in the images and I felt like I was struggling to get anything out of the tube. I could tell that there was some product in the tube but I couldn't seem to get it out. I also did not like the brush. It wasn't very good at separating my lashes no matter I much I wiggled and combed. In it's defense, there was no smudging and only minimal flaking after 7+ hours of wear. It might not have flaked at all if my lashes didn't hit my glasses frames every now and then. That can cause any mascara to be temperamental. Regardless, this mascara is not a yes for me.

     Up next is the Ulta Twisted Volume Mascara. This mascara is not as soft or dry as other mascaras but it does not smudge at all on me. It also has a unique brush that you twist to adjust how close the plastic bristles are. It's really easy to get the exact look that you want.  I've been using this mascara every day for the past week and I really like it. You do need to let each coat set or they start to clump together. (I was a bit impatient in the photo above...) Sometimes I layer this over other mascaras that I like but are less smudge resistant. It helps set the mascara and gives less flakes throughout the day.

     Here we have my least favorite of the four, Maybelline Lash Sensational- Waterproof formula. I did not realize this was the waterproof formula and then only had one kind of this mascara out. Ironically, the only thing I have against this is the waterproof nature itself. It has a tendency to clump together and takes a bit to dry. The brush is great. It had short bristles on one side and longer fan bristles on the other to give you a full look. I think I could really like this mascara and it's asymmetrical brush if it wasn't waterproof. This stuff is NOT easy to remove. I don't usually wear waterproof mascara but even in the past I don't remember having this much trouble taking it off. I was a gentle as I possibly could be and still lost an eyelash. Boo. If I ever find a good price on this in the normal formula I may try it, but for now I'm not going to wear it again. Ever.

   
     The other favorite mascara I've been wearing is Revlon's Lash Potion mascara. I got it about a month ago, before I got the Twisted Volume mascara and I love this one, although I didn't at first. The brush itself alternates between short and long bristles and it took me a little getting used to. After the learning curve though, I really liked it. The formula is great for giving you softer lashes and it it is very lightweight. I prefer drier formulas like this one though it does smudge a bit. Layering another mascara over it, such as Ulta's Twisted Volume make a pretty perfect pairing for me.






What are your thoughts? Any mascaras I should review next or favorites of your own?












***Disclaimer: All items mentioned in this or future posts have been purchased by me, at my own expense unless otherwise noted. I am not affiliated with or sponsored by any company or brand so you can be assured my opinions are mine alone. My opinions are based on my own experience and independent research.