Clinique - High Impact Curling Mascara

As a Curler devotee imagine my delight when Clinique made the claim that you can throw out your curler when using their new mascara. Unfortunately it doesn't live up to this lofty claim, but nevertheless combined with a curler this mascara is quite lovely. It gives your lashes a very glossy black finish, and will hold them in place with industrial strength all day. The instructions provided suggest to scoop lashes and wiggle the wand through, then turn the curved brush around and apply pressure to curl your lashes - I've tried several times with this technique and all it leads to is very clumpy looking lashes that are certainly not as curly as using an actual eye lash curler. Also when applying go sparingly as this mascara does have a tendency to clump due to it's quite smooth almost runny consistency - it's easy to put too much on too quickly leading to the dreaded Tammy Faye look. The other great thing about this mascara is its ease of removal - I soak my eyelashes gently with a fashwasher then rinse off - it come away in clumps without the need for makeup remover and doesn't irritate my eyes at all. Just a note on the images - I've used Mabelline Great lash mascara on my bottom eyelashes as the small brush is great for getting to those small lashes without smudging. For the Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara I give it 4 winks out of 5.

Maybelline - Great Lash Waterproof

So the year is 1990, you've just hit your teenage years and are allowed to finally, wear some makeup, and get your ears pierced. The $5 nan had given you is in your hot little hand, as you scan the rows of mascara enticing you to purchase. Instinctively you reach out for the lurid hot pink wand, and grab some pink sparkly eye shadow to match, surely Dylan will notice you now you can wear some makeup... although, he probably is a little too old for you (and on TV but don't let that small matter deter you)..... Fast forward to 2008, I had to weigh up the rather weighty claim that Great Lash is the #1 mascara. I have to say I haven't purchased this mascara since back in the day, something about the hot pink wand just doesn't seem like it can stand up to the claim that it "conditions & thickens with no clumps, globs or smudges. Although I'll hasten to say I was really, really impressed with this mascara. It both lengthened and thickened without clumping my eyelashes together, the little brush is tiny but easy to handle. The only downside is it can smudge a little by the end of the day or if splashed with water too much - not one to go swimming in. But certainly holds up on a wet day, or a trip to the gym. It gets 4 winks out of 5. 

Clinique - Lash Doubling Mascara

This is another of my stock standard mascara's, and is one of my favorites. It gives great length, without clumping, smearing or flaking (just as it claims on www.clinque.com). I don't think it really thickens all that much but does really define for a good daytime, natural look. (If natural for you is extra long luscious lashes!) At around $40 a pop it is heading into the more expensive arena but well worth it. One of my gripes with the more pricier mascara's is that they never seem to last as long as their cheaper compatriots, however Clinique mascara's seem to keep for at least 9 months, and honestly I usually keep my mascara's for at least a year (shock horror!) although the recommended shelf life for mascara is around 4 months. It gets 3.5 winks out of 5.

Maybelline XXL Waterproof

I’m off to the snow in a couple of weeks, so am on the hunt for a waterproof mascara that will last the distance. This week I tried out Mabelline XXL Waterproof, and found it quite unwieldy - it took me all week before I had mastered its application. The main problem was that the black top coat just didn’t cover the white basecoat effectively – leading to grey eyelashes (not good!). If you use too much white base your lashes clump together, so a really really light application was needed, which meant that it didn’t really lengthen all that well. One bonus is that this mascara does really stay put – no smudging/flaking even after a gym class and shower. At around $13 it’s a budget option, but I wasn’t all that impressed – it was just too hard to get the right balance of top & base coat. I give it 1 & a half winks. (just an update - this mascara actually works better without the basecoat)

Napoleon Perdis - Jet Black Mascara

There is something about Napoleon "the man" as opposed to Napoleon "the products" that freak me out. Perhaps it's because he is not a drag queen, but still insists on waxing his eyebrows? Some of his products are great i.e his mascara and auto pilot primer, however his lippies have always fallen way below par for me, anyways back on point - the Jet Black Mascara is quite good. It's a good daytime mascara with a thick brush that defines without clumping, thickens and provides a little bit of extra length. It does smudge a little throughout the day and takes a bit to dry (which can be annoying if your curling your lashes - the longer a mascara takes to dry, the more likely you'll loose a bit of curl). 

I couldn't find any reference to this product on www.napoleonperdis.com.au so perhaps it has been discontinued. It gives a slightly more natural look than the Clinique High Impact so therefore earns 2.5 winks out of 5.

Clinique - High Impact Mascara

OK, I admit that this is my stock standard, fall back, fool-proof mascara - only because it's always included in those Clinique free bonus gifts. I find it an easy to use, smudgeproof mascara. It's good for everyday use, defines & thickens without clumping.

As for the marketing schpiel, as stated on www.clinique.com -

"Kicks up the volume and length of each and every lash for a look that's lusher, plusher, bolder. Pure, deep colour only adds to the impact. Wear it once and you'll feel naked without it". 

I don't think it really lengthens but does provide good volume, colour and defines each lash really well without clumping them together. I definitely would feel naked without it! But that could be said for any mascara! The other great thing about this mascara is it feels very mild on the eyes, if I ever commit the ultimate sin and don't remove makeup prior to bed, this mascara very rarely leaves red peepers behind in the morning.

This mascara gets 3.5 winks out of 5 as a good everyday mascara.

Welcome

Hey All,

Well here it is - my first official blog on my very own blogspace. If you love mascara, and in fact, like me will not leave the house without it - hopefully you'll enjoy this page. I intend to profile a new mascara each week, compare the marketing claims to the actual outcome of the product and post pictures of the product in use. Best of all I can use this site as an excuse to buy a new mascara weekly!