How many of us are on a never-ending search for that perfect, wear-all-the-time purse, little black dress, lipstick, stilettos, boyfriend, earrings MASCARA? You know, one that doesn’t disappoint, wears perfectly all day and night, and opens doors for you (boyfriends/husbands…hint hint).
I’ve been searching for the perfect mascara since I was 12 years old. Between allergic reactions, ones that flake off and stick to my contacts, smear below the eyes when you smile…(all the horrors) I am confident I have a few great options for you to choose from that will not only open doors but stop traffic.
Before I give you the goods, I need you to know one important thing: eyelashes need to be prepped. That means they should be clean with no leftover makeup and curled with an eyelash curler. My favorite eyelash curler is the Shu Uemura curler. It runs about $20 and you can order it online. If that’s a bit too pricey, I also love the Sonia Kashuk curler, which can be found at Target and costs about $7. Not all eyelash curlers are created equal – it’s all about the pad in the curler (who would have known!).
Now the goods…
Everything listed below can be bought at your local Target, CVS, MAC Counter (in Macy’s), Sephora and any Aveda Concept salon such as Neroli or Vici Capilli.
Maybelline Great Lash in Very Black ($7)
It’s been America’s favorite for 40 year! Why I love it: You can build your lashes to the sky by layering. Just recently they re-engineered the brush to a stationary heart shape, which allows for less clumping and more definition. It also washes off easily – however, if you take a nap (and you’re a bit slobbery) or get caught in the rain, you may notice a few black tears of this mascara screaming for help.
Maybelline Falsies Flared ($8)
They are not kidding when they call them Falsies! Why I love it: I was shocked with the amount of length and thickness I got from this little purple tube. I liked the stationary wand (rather than a traditional bristle mascara wand). It gives you more control and if you do come upon a clump, you can easily brush it out without creating a disaster. This one does hold up a bit better than Great Lash when it comes to splashes of water and sloppy naps.
MAC Haute and Naughty Lash ($19)
This one has a nice little surprise: two-in-one mascara wand. Unscrew the pink top only for “Haute.” When used it gives your lashes a bit more of a natural defined look. You could say they are your daytime lashes. Unscrew the purple and pink tops together and WATCH OUT for “Naughty” nighttime lashes! Full on, pin-up sassy blinkers! It’s very bold, but still does a good job not getting gunky (do be careful though, too much could turn in to a catastrophe).
Aveda Mosscara ($19)
Just the name makes you feel “greener”. This one is special in it’s own way. It doesn’t really give you tons of length or thickness, you do have to fight with clumps a tiny bit…but it’s “green”. Any ladies out there that have trouble with their mascara bothering their eyes or allergic reactions, I would definitely try Mosscara. Why? Most mascara’s (even the expensive ones) have elements of tar in it. Yes, like road construction get-my-stiletto-stuck-in tar. For some individuals this ingredient is very irritating, and who can blame you? Mosscara is tar free. I had one of my most eye-finicky clients try this one out and it worked like a charm!
…and my all-time favorite.
Benefit “They’re Real!” ($22)
People ask me all the time since I’ve had this mascara if my lashes are fake. The name says it all because you’ll be saying “They’re Real!” It never clumps, smudges, smears or flakes. When you put it on, it’s on. You can build and thicken with it, or just go through once with a sweep for a natural defined look. It has my favorite brush (the stationary brush) and the bristles are spaced just so perfectly it’s like tiny little hands are coming through to paint each individual eye lash. Users beware: even though it’s not water proof, you will need makeup remover to get this off. A regular face wash will not do the trick and your hand towels will have seen better days. Tip: get eye makeup remover and disposable pads, or just use kleenex. It’s not hard to get off, but you don’t want to be stuck washing your face four times (I’m serious).
Do you have a favorite mascara that you swear by that I didn’t mention? Let me know what does the trick for you and why!
