Is it just me, or does every mascara claim to be a specialist these days? They don’t just make your lashes black; they lift or separate, curl or lengthen, thicken, strengthen, multiply, falsify… I’m surprised Ron Popeil hasn’t jumped on this.
That said, some of these gimmicks really work. And some of them are just – well, just gimmicks. In this video I provide a quick look at four I’ve tried, with mixed results.
The good
I’ve blogged before about two of the specialized mascaras I really like. Urban Decay’s Supercurl Curling Mascara made my “best of 2011 beauty” list, and Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies has made the blog a few times, including a post of its very own back in 2010. In the video, I talk about how I use each one; they both have unique properties and require some special handling.
Also, no matter how many times I type it out, “Volum’ Express” never stops seeming like a silly name. I mean, what’s with the apostrophe? What is that conspicuously missing E really supposed to convey?
The bad
Two gimmicky mascaras that disappoint: Physician’s Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Mascara Duo in Glam Brown Eyes has a brush that is just as oversized and unwieldy as its name, and the bonus bronze highlighting mascara doesn’t do a thing for me. (Besides which, just because I have brown eyes doesn’t mean bronze is a good color for me. Brown-eyed girls can have cool-toned skin, you know.) And L’Oréal Telescopic Explosion Carbon Black Mascara, with its strange, ball-shaped wand, just wasn’t happening for me.
More detail in the video, including a rambling story about how I used to wear blue mascara when I was in elementary school and a lot of strange hand gestures as I try to explain how I use various mascara wands. Enjoy!
I wore blue mascara too. And green…and yellow…and pink. What was I thinking?