Tried & Tested: Mascaras

Caution Extreme Lash, Hourglass

Brand description: Defy gravity with the Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara, an all-in-one mascara that delivers incredible length, volume and lift for lashes that will dazzle.

Tube & Wand: The brush totally sold this mascara to me — two single brushes, twisting together to form one, thick brush. I found the tube itself to be a little to chunky and therefore difficult to hold.

Verdict: After giving it a whirl for a couple of weeks, this has to be the least favourite of all the ones I’ve tried out. I found the formula dried up very quickly, and it was very flaky, which meant that by the end of the day, some of it had transferred to under my eyes. Not a fan of this one, clearly!

Available at: Space NK

Little Black Primer, Estee Lauder

Brand description: Think of it as the little black dress for lashes. Unlike traditional lash primers that are white, this primer is tinted black, so you can use it on its own. Colours and lifts bare lashes so they stay silky black throughout the day and even overnight. As a primer, it's the optimal mascara base for volume, lift and length. No well-dressed lashes should be without it

Tube &Wand: Pretty standard when it comes to the tube. The brush is classic, not a silicone one. It’s quite thin and curved and it really grips the eyelash roots to curl and lift them.

Verdict: This product is one that I apply before mascara, but you can also use it on its own, giving a subtle definition. The formula is light, non-moving and has become an instant addition to my everyday makeup bag. 

Available at: John Lewis (and most department stores)

Mascara Volume Effect Faux Cils The Curler , YSL Beauty

Brand Description: YSL’s new mascara with our 2-in-1 wand offers stunning curl and beautifully defined volume. Curl: The black rounded fibre wand to curl lashes. Define: The pink elastomer comb to add a look of instant lift and definition. Get a curl for a new signature eye look. A mascara that matches wand technology with a curl formula, offering a breath taking lash curling effect that lifts and volumises lashes.

Tube &Wand: The tube is a soft, metallic pink exterior - very pretty! The hot pink wand made of silicone and fibres weaved together. It's curled (to help curl the lashes—duh) but has a flat side that adds lift and definition. The brush itself is brilliant, helping you catch each and every lash—you'll have heard that before, but this really delivers on that promise.

Plus, it’s not a bitch to remove at the end of the day, unlike some of the other YSL mascaras I’ve tried in the past!

Verdict: As someone who has straight, short lashes, you can imagine that I was very quickly sold on the name of this mascara. I’ve used YSL mascaras in the past, and they’ve always been great so I was excited to try this one out.

Long story short, I love it! 

Available at: Selfridges (and many other department stores)

KUSH Mascara, Milk

Brand Description: According to Milk Makeup’s website, Kush High Volume Mascara uses "conditioning hemp-derived, CBD-infused cannabis oil that fuses heart-shaped fibers to lashes for thickness without the fallout.” Like its name, the mascara formula is supposed to give you high volume, while still managing to hydrate your lashes (they won’t dry you out).

Tube &Wand: This is, by far, the heaviest mascara I’ve ever held! It’s stainless steel tube feels so solid to hold and the wand has a good amount of balance in the hand, without feeling weirdly heavy. The brush is a tapered, tree-shaped brush with criss-cross bristles coats and lifts every single lash from root to tip for a defined, clump-free effect. 

Verdict: CBD….anyone bored of hearing about it yet?! It is everywhere at the moment, from food products, skincare, tampons, you name it! I was a little bit skeptical when reading the packaging in Sephora, but after trying it out, it actually seems to work! It definitely gave my lashes length, and there was no smudging or flaking plus, my lashes did feel quite nourished even after removing the mascara at the end of the day.

Available at Cult Beauty

High Impact Mascara, Clinique

Brand Description: High Impact Mascara is a multi-benefit mascara that adds maximum volume with definition and length. Specially developed brush and formula work together to dramatically thicken lashes while separating.

Tube &Wand: Standard tube and wand - standard wand. None of this spiky ball or rubbery wand nonsense. Just a good ol’ mascara wand. It isn’t big like the Diorshow wand, but I like that, because I use it on my top and bottom lashes, so it gives me control at the bottom lashes since the wand is smaller.

Verdict: This became an everyday mascara for me. Easy to apply, super buildable, gave my lashes enough definition. What’s not to like?

Available at Boots (and most department stores)

Lash Slick, Glossier

Brand Description: The perfect everyday mascara. Lash Slick curls and sculpts as it lengthens, enhancing the look of your natural lashes instead of clumping them together or spackling them in product. Teeny-tiny fibers coat lashes from root to tip to create a lengthened baby-extension, while flexible film-forming polymers lift and lock each fiber into place. And it’s water-resistant (not waterproof), so Lash Slick washes off easy with warm water at the end of your day.

Tube &Wand: Standard, lightweight pink tube. The brush is a tapered comb brush, given you an even and natural-looking application.

Verdict: Now, this probably isn't the mascara for you if you're looking for something that practically cakes your lashes in product. For me, it's the mascara I'll reach for when I want just a little something-something to perk up my face. 


Available at: Glossier.com

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