pretty review: mascara wars!

If you're anything like me, then you love mascara. I've spent hundreds of dollars over the past decade alone trying to find a mascara that would work magic on my short, straight, slightly downward-pointing Asian lashes. Oh how I covet Sean's long and curly lashes! From high-end to drugstore brand, I've probably tried the majority of mascaras on the market and have avoided the ones that I know just won't work (CoverGirl, I'm looking at you). Join me in this long and photo-heavy post as I run through a recent sampling of my path to the perfect mascara.

The contestants for this round.

Let's start from the beginning. On days when I plan on wearing makeup, mascara is a must. I always curl my lashes beforehand with my trusty Shu Uemura eyelash curler, which really does wonders for Asian eyelashes. I've tried the Western brands with various outcomes and always come back to my good, ol' trusty SU eyelash curler. I've gone through at least five in my lifetime but I don't really know what the general rule is for changing up your eyelash curler or just the pads really.

So after using the eyelash curler in which I do the "3-step method," I apply my super reliable and trusty Shu Uemura Basic Black Mascara, now discontinued. It was super duper in the way it held the curl in my lashes and lasted all day. It wasn't clumpy and didn't look too over-the-top for daily use. It was perfection! And then they discontinued it :( I then started using Precise Volume Mascara by SU as well but as you can imagine (or maybe not, it's kind of gross), because of the price tag I used that mascara for years! YEARS! I actually still have it but can't remember the last time I bought a Shu Uemura mascara. All I know is that it was from Sephora but do they even carry Shu products anymore? I have no idea. I should probably not think about it. The reason I couldn't let it go is because it was the perfect replacement for Basic Black. It was waterproof, provided volume and length and made my lashes long and voluminous without looking too "done." And that's what I look for in a mascara: volume, length and waterproof. The only downside with Precise Volume is that it was a bit difficult to remove. Unless I used a creamy, slightly greasy (oil-based) makeup remover, there were always little bits of mascara left on my lashes and in the morning I'd wake up with a bit of mascara on my lower lash line.

Only recently did I think about tossing my beloved Precise Volume Mascara for something similar but without the steep price tag. And so here begins the Mascara Wars! Photos of the tube as well as the wand are available and then my review of each mascara. Sit back and relax (preferably with a drink because this is a long one).

Revlon Lash Potion Volume & Length Waterproof Mascara by Grow Luscious

I felt like this mascara was going to be promising. Volume, length and waterproof? Sign me up! This wand is triangular in shape with triple grooves (according to Revlon's website). The pros to this mascara were that it did lengthen and amp up my lashes, however, the waterproof formula left a lot to be desired. Waterproof formulas tend to be less "wet" and therefore set quickly but this mascara surely didn't. My curl died within a minute. Boo.

Dior Diorshow Waterproof Mascara

After I had read all the rave reviews about Diorshow Waterproof mascara, I had to try it out for myself. Promising to curve lashes to the nth degree, how could I resist? Sadly, this wand was so big that while it did an awesome job of lengthening and thickening my lashes, no matter how widely I opened my eyeballs to let the formula set, it smudged onto my eyelids. It was impossible to avoid. Even after the formula had set, the monolid "set in" and my curl was gone. So I don't think that this waterproof mascara was waterproof enough for my lashes. Oh and here's a look at the super big brush wand:

Another disappointment especially considering how many people rave about this mascara. If you have lashes that are already slightly curly and are just looking for volume and length, this is definitely for you. If anyone out there with a monolid has had luck with this mascara, please tell me your secret!

Shu Uemura Precise Volume Mascara

As you can see from the photos above of the brush wand, there's a thick and thin side which makes application a breeze. You can customize your look with the help of the wand and the formula from this mascara was perfection! It was glossy and waterproof and held my curled lashes all day long. I loved it. I loved it so much that I probably used the same tube for a good three years. Shocking, I  know. Even I'm shocked now that I hear you're supposed to change your mascara every three months. Here's the wand up close which shows just how perfect the bristles are. They grab your lashes and keep them volumized while also clump-free.

Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara

A tried-and-true favourite amongst makeup artists and consumers alike, I think I've given this mascara a try at least thrice in the past. Usually one of the cheapest mascaras in the beauty department of any drugstore, I purchased mine at $5 from Walmart, but I know I've paid a couple of dollars more in the past.

The formula for this mascara is super black and glossy and the brush is a lot smaller compared to Diorshow Waterproof. It's a bit like an oval: bigger in the middle than the sides though you can't quite see that in the photo above. It's a nice formula but again, the same old problem happens, the formula doesn't set fast enough for my curled lashes to hold. The become a straight but volumized and lengthened mess in minutes. For the price and the size of the brush, this is a great lower lash mascara for my almost non-existent bottom lahes.

Anna Sui Super Mascara DX Waterproof 
Oh Anna Sui, you always have such pretty packaging! The AS line has a few mascaras to choose from but I chose the waterproof version for obvious reasons. You can see how long and thin the brush is...perfect to get those hard-to-reach short end lashes.

The thin brush is great and the formula is super black and glossy. The only problem I had with this mascara is that it really is waterproof. It should be called mega waterproof or something like that because one coat throughout your lashes is probably all the time you're going to have before it sets in place.

Be A Bombshell Lash Out Mascara

I received this  mascara in my June Ipsy Glam Bag and while it did great stuff for my lashes, which I'll get to in a moment, it does have a very chemically scent to it.

I did use it on my lashes despite the scent because I wanted to know if it worked. Described as a "rich pigmented mascara...that offers a multidimensional look," I have to say that it did what it said it would. My lashes were noticeable longer and thicker though I didn't notice that "multidimensional" look because I didn't apply it to both sides of my lashes as directed by the instructions. I felt like that would have weighed down my naturally thin lashes. It didn't keep my curl one bit but I really liked the formula. If they added waterproof version to their line and removed the chemical scent, I'd definitely be a future buyer. Another interesting thing I noticed when removing this mascara is that it came off in "tubes" similar to Blinc Mascara. I don't know if that's what was supposed to happen with the mascara but it was a welcomed surprise and made mascara removal easy peasy!

L'Oreal Illegal Lengths Fiber Extension Mascara

I had read great reviews of this mascara for women with straight, thin lashes. I went out and bought this on those recommendations and let me tell you, it's great! It lengthens your lashes to a whole different level. I could actually see and feel my lashes pushing back against my eyelid. A bit bizarre but the length was definitely there and the brush does a great job at keeping your lashes separated. The brush is actually kind of like a triangle. The bristles come to a slight point on three sides. I suppose this is to keep your lashes separate and clump free but I normally don't have that problem since I only typically apply two coats. The only negative is that it tends to make my eye sting a little bit. I don't know if that's normal as it only happens to one eye (my right) but it happens every single time. A little bit of a sting and then my eyeball wants to tear up.

L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Waterproof Mascara
So I was really planning on waiting to purchase this mascara until I had read more reviews of it but when faced with the numerous online ads, magazine ads and poster ads for this in-store, I couldn't help myself. "It's all in the name of research" I said to myself as I stood at the wall of mascara in Walmart. The first thing I'll say about this mascara is that I hate the packaging. The tube is so wide and fat that it hardly makes for stashing in your purse. It would practically take up one-third of my evening clutches with little room for my phone.

 

But then I say, look at the wand! See that little notch in the applicator about a third of the way down? That's what L'Oreal calls its "360 degree Flexor Brush" that allows maximum application to upper and lower lashes. I have to say that it does a great job and applying mascara on both the bottom and lower lashes but it does take some getting used to. It's kind of springy in its application and though it probably does move back and forth quite easily, it doesn't with my lashes. There's just the slightly bend where the notch is. Even so, the mascara applies like a dream, separating and lengthening my lashes as it holds the curl with its waterproof formula. I love it the mascara. I hate the tube.

Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara
Gifted to me by Sephora via their Beauty Insiders program, I actually selected the Tarte set because of its bronzer, Park Avenue Princess. I tried out the mascara and while it claims to offer all kinds of health benefits to your lashes over use, it did nothing to hold my curl. The brush is really nice too. I don't know if this is the regular brush as I received a sample, but it's got a nice shape and size to it. I also really like the fact that it doesn't contain GMOs, triclosan, petrochemicals, synthethic fragrances or dyes and the like so I'm really interested in trying the Lights, Camera, Splashes, Waterproof mascara that Tarte offers.

Phew, well I think that's it. There was just a quick sampling of the nine different mascaras I've tried in the recent past. I have a few others on my list, specifically L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Waterproof Mascara which I'm currently having a hard time finding. Until then, let me know what your favourite mascaras are!