I tried 5 mascaras over quarantine, this is me listing the attributes and flaws of four popular picks. You’re welcome.
Mascara might just be the new holy grail of makeup, in the world of masks, continuous face-washing and zoom calls. Mascara is the perfect bridge between “I don’t wanna look like I got up 15 seconds ago” and “I wanna sleep 15-minutes longer.”
To make your 15-second makeup routine more efficient, I tested out 5 different mascaras and judged them on a variety of criteria; increase in volume, increase in length, durability, the functionality of water-proof feature, and even how much they stained my glasses.
Coming in last is the beach mom staple; MAC’s False Lashes Waterproof Mascara
Frankly, for anyone with hooded eyes (like me) it’s a hard no.
It kept colliding with my hooded eyes, and the shape of the wand, size, and flexibility of the bristles, and length of the stick made it troublesome to apply. As for the formula? A few complaints there. Apart from the uncooperative brush, the application was not bad. The mascara didn’t clump up, flake, or irritate my eyes. The volume was good, an 8/10. However, it was suspiciously easy to remove, almost too easy, actually.
When I put it to a “shower” test, it told me in less than 3 minutes why my mother opts for sunbathing at the beach. Early into the test, the mascara began to run, making me look like someone who had left the makeup trailer on a horror movie set. Definitely not what I would expect from waterproof mascara, especially with that price tag. It did not lengthen my lashes well either, giving it a 4/10.
Overall, a 5/10. It was like a reliable friend cancelling plans, I expected better from you MAC!
Next is a name that made me feel sophisticated just adding it to my online basket - the Estée Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Waterproof
This one was hard to judge due to the even amount of pros and cons. The formula was flawless, with no complaints there. The biggest issue was the wand and application. What I liked was that with 2-3 coats, there were no clumps, while giving an easy, natural look. But if you wanted something more dramatic, a few more coats caused a lot of clumps. While the brush gave good coverage, and the lashes were separated, it was much larger than the conventional mascara wand. The biggest issue for me was how hard it was to remove, which I guess should be good in waterproof mascara, but I was so scared I would rip my eyelashes out in the process of removing them.
However, it did not run. At all. Or smudge, even after I rubbed my eyes for a couple of minutes. I came out of the shower test looking like I had just applied a fresh coat of mascara.
All in all, it’s a solid 7/10.
The Drugstore Regular- Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara
This is one that is truly a gift to mankind; It’s affordable, easy to find, and does the job really really well. Its formula, while not waterproof, does not start to drip after a few tears. Actually, it didn’t drip after a complete meltdown either, or so I’ve heard. It gives you the long, thick lashes you’ve dreamt of, and doesn’t take many coats to achieve that. However, be forewarned- it takes a while to dry completely, and may smudge if you plan to add eye primer straight after applying it. It’s definitely long-wearing and lasted a good 6-7 hours before sort of crumbling up and falling off, but with a touch-up or two throughout the day, it could probably stay on for much longer.
Fair Warning: It’s not as lightweight as you would expect.
It’s a solid 8/10 in every way.
In the second place, a Vegan Bestseller; the KVD “Go Big or Go Home Mascara”
This mascara definitely takes a couple more swipes to start noticing a major difference, however, it added more volume than length, which is something I personally like, because it made my lashes look full in a natural way. It makes good on its promise, delivering on voluminous, defined lashes. It has a slightly drier formula, which is why I think it took more swipes and coats to latch on, but it definitely made its durability better, lasting for a whopping 9 hours without needing a touch-up.
It’s a 10/10 for volume, a 6/10 for length, an 8/10 for “smudgibility” and 10/10 for durability.
It’s vegan, cruelty-free, and a great item, although it is a bit pricey. 8.5/10.
A crowd favourite; Two Faced’s Better than Sex Mascara (Waterproof)
2-3 coats give you this luscious, false lash illusion, and it does not budge. After a six-minute shower, I still didn’t look like Jenny Humphrey, a success in my eyes, 10/10. The brush shape was exceptional, reaching the fine lashes in the corners of my eyes without irritating my eyes. The increase in volume was a solid 10/10, definitely as good as subtle lash extensions. In terms of lengthening, I would rate it an 8/10. It went around 6 hours without needing a touch-up. As for staining my glasses, it barely left a couple of marks, and definitely did not obscure my vision. A solid 8/10 for that.
Tip: To make the best use of this mascara, make sure you start really low, from the base of your lashes, wiggle the wand a lot, and push up and out to get bold lashes.
9/10, would recommend.
Links to all Mascaras in the Beauty Section of our Hi Society Page.
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