May 30, 2012

Product Rant: Mascara

I have a very cut and dry relationship with my mascara, you're either in the drawer or in the trash.

High standards?  Absolutely. 

When a new mascara comes on the market, I always approach with a high level of skepticism.  Products ranging from 5.99 at the drugstore to 30.00+ dollars at Sephora and Department Stores always tout lofty promises like "fatten lashes by 120%" or create "5x the length" with a single coat.  More often than not, they disappoint.

Then there is the issue of staying power, smudging and waterproofing.  Don't get me started.  Lofty claims indeed! You can swim in me, cry with me, and then NEVER get me off!

I don't use waterproof mascara, ever.  Waterproof mascara makes me feel like a claustrophobic person, stuck in an elevator.  At the end of the day, when it's time for the magic to be washed off, I practically break into hives thinking that after a soak with makeup remover and a good washing, my delicate lashes may still be coated with whatever chemically induced cocktail was combined to create the chosen mascara formula.  Do you see how as I talk about it I become more melodramatic?  Just as the claustrophobic person becomes more hysterical the longer they are trapped between floor two and three.

My rules for mascara are simple. I want:
-Rich inky black color
-Completely coated lashes, in ONE coat
-Soft and approachably separated lashes (no spider lashes need apply)
-A non-waterproof formula
- NO smudging even on the hottest days
-Affordable price tag (which I would define as under 20.00 or so)

I would fear that my standards are too high, that I ask too much, however, I have found a choice few mascaras to live up to these standards - more on that later.

What are your mascara make or break mascara rules?

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