Mascaras

Nothing makes eyes look bigger and brighter than a good coat or two of mascara.  It makes your eyes pop so that they look fresh and awake. Often a swipe of mascara  is all it takes to give your face a burst of life even without wearing other makeup. Choosing a mascara, especially if you're not an avid user, may pose difficulties since there are so many available. In fact, mascara  is one of the easiest beauty products to pick whether you are a novice or an expert.

Choosing Mascara

1. Find a brand that you feel comfortable with regardless of the price range. Mascara, no matter which brand makes it, has the same ingredients (minus one or two exceptions, such as Blinc Kiss Me Mascara ). In other words, you don't have to spend a lot to get a quality product so just find a brand you like or want to try out.
2. Decide what you want from the mascara. Once you have selected a few top brands see what types of mascara they offer. Some are meant to thicken while others are meant to lengthen. You can even get waterproof mascaras  perfect for swimming, sad movies, weddings, etc.
3. Choose a color. For day to day wear, basic black or a soft brown (great for those with very light skin and hair) is what you'll want. For days when you want to be a little daring or if you are doing special makeup for a night out there are a number of colorful shades to wear, such as burgundy, navy and even hunter green. One to try is Pout Lash Flash,  a double ended mascara that offers black on one end and a vibrant green or blue on the other.

What's Hip

Earth & Water Mascara Duo  This mascara duo deserves the spotlight with its great user ratings and attractive price-point.  Rock on! Revolutionary Liquid-Flex Technology Long-Lasting Smudge and Smear Proof

Mascara Types

Find the right type of mascara for your needs.

Non-Mascara  Clear mascaras  and lash tint.  The look is natural. Great for first time mascara wearers or those with long but light colored lashes who wish to make them stand out without adding volume or length. It can double as eyebrow gel.  Quick Picks Neutrogena Lash Tint  Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara  Jemma Kidd Make Up School Semipermanent Lash Tint	Soft and Natural  These claim to give feathery, natural looking lashes without clumps. They build the lashes slightly to give them color and definition. Ideal for young girls or those who like a "natural look." Quick Picks Maybelline Full and Soft  Clinique High Definition Lashes Brush Then Comb Mascara  Clinique Naturally Glossy	Lengthening  Lengthening mascara  gives you mile-long lashes but sometimes thickness is sacrificed. The look is elegant and glamorous. Good for those with thick or thin lashes that are shorter than they would like. Quick Picks Lancôme Definicils  Shu Uemura Fiber Xtension  YSL Intense Lengthening	Volumizing  Volume mascara is what gives you the "false eyelash" look of ultra-thick, fat lashes. This is ideal for wearing out at night to give a sultry look to your eyes. A must-have for those with thin lashes. Quick Picks DiorShow Mascara  Lancôme Fatale  Chanel Inimitable Mascara

Special Mascara "Features"

Geka Brushes

There's not too much to say about mascara "features" but there are certainly trends in the mascara market. Here are the most recent.

• The Brush and Its Shape
• The most common brush type is a simple nylon number that may be straight, slightly angled, tapered or rounded and it happens to be one of the most important features of any mascara.
• There are two things to note about a mascara brush -- the length and separation of the bristles. Bristles that are longer create length, while shorter ones create volume. You'll also notice that the further apart the bristles are, the better the brush is at separating lashes.
• Molded brushes are the newest type and are quickly infiltrating the market. They may look like your average mascara brushes, more like a comb or even a combination of the two. They may make it easier to separate lashes and keep them from clumping. Other than that, they still function in the same way as normal nylon brushes. Here are some examples of these new brush types:
• Maybelline Lash Stylist  -- Features a comb-style brush for creating long lashes.
• Cover Girl Lash Exact  -- This is a molded brush geared towards eliminating clumps.
• Chanel Inimitable Mascara  -- The ultra-soft molded brush is said to lengthen, plump and curl all in one swipe.
• Brushless mascaras have come and somewhat gone. They present a significant learning curve and aren't as easy to use even once you figure them out. Plus, they're not really recommended for those with short lashes because they tend to create a clump. For those with an interest in these sub-par mascara imitations, here are some to check out:
• ModelCo Lash Scara 
• Bare Escentuals Magic Wand Brushless Mascara 

Primer

• Dual Primer and Mascara
• Lash primers  are just starting to get popular. The reason for using a primer is to build and shape the lashes prior to applying mascara. They're not for everyone, but they can help add extra thickness or length to the lashes before applying color. One of the best things is that you can set the lashes so you know that you won't have clumps later on. There are a number of brands that make primer. Below are just a few of the options.
• Lancôme Cils Booster 
• Estee Lauder Lash Primer Plus 
• Paula Dorf Perfect Lash 
• Smashbox Layer Lash Primer 
• Clinique Lash Building Primer 
• Since it's not practical to have to carry a primer and a mascara, manufacturers came up with a dual mascara and primer, most often double ended style applicator. Most brands have their own version and here is a brief selection of them.
• Maybelline XXL Intense 
• Bare Escentuals Double-Ended Black Mascara & Lash Builder 
• L'Oréal Volume Shocking Mascara 
• L'Oréal Double Extend Lash Fortifier and Extender 
• Lash Fantasy Primer and Mascara 
• Bourjois Coup de Theatre False Lash Illusion - Duo Mascara 
• DuWop Lash Lacquer 

• Smudgeproof Mascara
• One of the most pressing issues in the world of mascara is how to make it stay put, not just in water, but while sleeping or engaging in any activity that might cause your mascara to smudge, flake or smear. So far, only one company has dared to venture down this road. Blinc Kiss Me Mascara  is the result (reviewed below). It allows you to wear mascara all day and night without smudging. The big difference comes when you go to remove it with water and get to see the mascara slide off the lashes in little tubes.

Video Review

Blinc Kiss Me Mascara

Submitted by: tarrina
 Votes:1

Blinc Kiss Me Mascara

Submitted by: tarrina | Submitted on: 2006-06-13

Votes:1 | | close

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International Resources

For this resource in your home country, please see:
NL: Mascara Shopgids