Mascara … not any ol’ one will do
Estee Lauder Turbo Lash Mascara
I know many women are as interested in mascara as I am. Here’s an interesting article with a rundown on new introductions from Fashion Wire Daily.
Judging by the sheer number of high-tech mascaras currently on the market, the days of buying any random mascara in “black” and applying two coats are numbered, if not already gone.
Besides new and improved lightweight formulas, which make clumpy lashes a thing of the past and new brush styles that promise to comb and coat each and every lash, the latest must-have mascaras take both those standard features one step further by giving the mascara wand its own motor. In July, Estee Lauder introduced TurboLash ($30) with a vibrating brush that promises to thicken, lengthen and curl lashes (including the “lashes you didn’t even know you had,” says Estee Lauder’s Web site) better than any manually applied mascara ever could.
Lancome, who planned to launch their own battery-powered vibrating mascara, Oscillation ($34) this fall, ended up releasing a few thousand units in advance of that following TurboLash’s launch this summer. It immediately sold out – as did TurboLash. Both Oscillation and TurboLash will be available again in the fall, just in time for achieving the coming season’s smoky eye look.
If you can’t wait that long for lustrous lashes, there are plenty of other options. One of the most popular mascara trends right now is protein-based mascara that creates a “tube” around each lash, which not only makes lashes thicker, and builds up lash length with each coat, but it also stays put until washed off with warm water.
Celebrity makeup artist Craig Jessup praised Kevyn Aucoin Volume mascara ($25) — a tube-style formula — for this smudge-free quality. “It doesn’t dissolve into panda eyes,” he said. “One time I was doing a wedding and had just finished the bride’s makeup when she got an upsetting call from a family member, moments before she was to walk down the aisle. She hung up the phone, grabbed a handful of tissues and proceeded to projectile-tear into them. I was sure she would remove the tissues and expose a beauty crime-scene: Running mascara, smeared eyeliner, matted brows, and eyeshadow removed in patches from all the saline. The room was silent. Everyone was holding their breath waiting for the reveal. When she brought the tissues down from her eyes, not only was every stitch of makeup in place, it all looked better than before! It was blended more thoroughly than any finger or brush could ever achieve.”
If smear-prevention is less of a priority, Jessup also recommends the popular Great Lash mascara by Maybelline ($4.49) in Blackest Black, but his tip is to “age” the mascara — buy it, but then wait for two or three weeks after opening it to let it dry out a bit.
Too Faced’s new Lash Injection Pinpoint ($19.50) uses 3D polymers to build waterproof tubes around each lash. While its brush doesn’t look particularly fancy at first glance, don’t let that fool you. A fine point micro brush combined with a lightweight, yet effective, lash building formula creates a false eyelash effect—even more so if you create your own version of an oscillating wand the old-fashioned way, by rapidly moving the wand back and forth across lashes.
Speaking of false eyelashes, Japanese cosmetic company Imju’s big selling point for the much-hyped Fiberwig ($22) mascara is that it is “Paint-On False Eyelashes.” Well, not quite. While its long, thick brush certainly gives the impression that it will accordingly create long, thick faux-looking lashes, after three or four coats, eyelashes were nowhere near the obvious thickness of a good pair of falsies, Instead, they looked remarkably natural with nary a clump in sight. Not necessarily a bad thing.
And finally, the award for a mascara wand that most resembles a medieval torture device goes to Givenchy’s new Phenomen’eyes ($27), with its spherical, spiky wand. The unusual shape makes it easier to reach those elusive outer lashes, that is, if you can get over the fear that you might accidentally poke yourself in the eye by misjudging your aim. The round wand also makes it more difficult to evenly coat lashes, leading to over-coating — as in the clumpy lashes that your grandmother used to have. The formula is also quite heavy and in effect, very sticky. Recommended only for the most scrupulous mascara scholars who are willing to take some time to learn how to best use the unconventional wand for their lashes.
A freebie: L’Oreal Bare Naturale mascara
When it comes to mascara, I have my favorites. And, in case you’re wondering, Maybelline Great Lash isn’t one of them, even though it’s reputed to be the best-selling mascara in the U.S. It’s just too wet for me.
I prefer L’Oreal Voluminous and Dior Diorshow. I tend to use the less-expensive Voluminous on weekends; workdays I reach for the more pricey Dior.
Now L’Oreal has introduced Bare Naturale Luminous Lengthening Mascara, a mineral-enriched mascara. Press info says the mascara is gentle, nourishing and paraben- and fiber-free. It contains 86 percent natural-origin ingredients and shine-enhancing minerals.
The company tosses out words such as ”flawless volume,” “weightless feel” and “absolutely clump-free.” Sounds like an easy sell, huh?
While I’m tempted to give it a try, I really love what I use. Not that there’s not something better out there. This might be it, but I’m feeling generous today. This tube of black mascara is going to a reader. And after you’ve used it a few days, post a comment here so we’ll all know whether it’s as good as L’Oreal says.
E-mail me at fashionmatters@oklahoman.com and tell me why you should be the lucky one to get this mascara. I’ll ship it out to the winner Friday morning.
Is it a phenomenal mascara?
All mascaras are not created equal, but usually they look pretty much the same.
No more. Givenchy has introduced Phenomen’Eyes mascara and its brush is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Phenomen’Eyes has a spherical brush designed to reach every single lash from root to tip.
The formula is made from water and a special polymer that sticks to the lashes, separating and lengthening them.
Phenomen’Eyes, priced at $27, is available now at Sephora. Look for it at Givenchy cosmetics counters in a few weeks.
I’m hoping to hit Sephora in a day or two, and I plan to give Phenomen’Eyes a try. Isn’t it great that Sephora encourages women to play with their makeup!
I’ll let you know what I think. If you get there before me, share your thoughts.
UPDATE, JULY 25. I stopped by Sephora in Penn Square Mall. The store is waiting for its shipment, so I wasn’t able to give this mascara a try. Coming soon, I was told.
Freebie for you
From me to you: One tube of Physicians Formula Plump Potion mascara, touted to plump, add volume, lengthen and stimulate to make lashes look and feel plumper, thicker and longer.
Shoot me an e-mail at fashionmatters@oklahoman.com and I’ll put it in the mail for you. I have only one tube, so this is not the time to be fashionably late.
Check back often because I plan to offer more freebies.
