Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

Today I have my review for the new Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara.  Lash Sensational was released for Spring 2015.  If you read my March Favorites post, then you already know that I am really enjoying Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara.  It gives me a lot of length and a beautiful fanned out effect that I love.  It is hard to do mascara reviews because mascara is so subjective.  We all have such different needs when it comes to mascara.  For me, I look for a product that gives me length and volume in one coat, and that doesn’t clump or flake.  (I can’t stand spider lashes.)  I feel like Maybelline Lash Sensational really delivers.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

Here is what Maybelline has to say about Lash Sensational: “Lash Sensational Mascara is the first patented fanning brush with 10 layers of bristles to reveal a full flourish of lashes. Liquid Ink formula coats from all sides for a sensational full fan effect.”  So, let’s talk about this brush.  It has a slight curve, and the bristles on the wand are different sizes.  The inside of the curve and the tip of the wand have short bristles, good for getting to the base of your lashes.  The bristles get larger on the side and the bristles on the outside of the curve are long and give lashes the “full fan effect” that Maybelline promises.   Here is a closer look at the wand.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

Now let’s see Lash Sensational in action.  The top photo is my naked eye.  All I have done is curl my lashes, though my super straight lashes do not like to hold a curl.  As you can see, my short, stubby lashes need a lot of help.  The bottom photo has one coat of Lash Sensational.  You can see it is a vast improvement.  I like to stick to one coat when possible because I feel like piling on any mascara weighs my lashes down too much.  I’ll do two coats if I have to, but I love mascaras like Lash Sensational where I can get away with just one coat.  I love the length it gives me.  There is a little extra volume, but the wand does a great job of separating my lashes and making it look like I have more lashes than I really do.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

For me, Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara is a keeper.  Long fluttery lashes are my preferred look, and Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara gives me what I need.  I had no issues with flaking or smudging, and I like the formula a lot.  Everyone has different needs and preferences with mascara, but I think it’s a great formula for me.  Maybelline has become my favorite drugstore brand for mascara.  Between Maybelline’s The Rocket Mascara and now Lash Sensational Mascara, Maybelline is doing it right.  What about you?  Have you tried Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara?  What did you think?  What are the most important aspects for you when it comes to mascara?  Let’s talk lashes in the comments below.

Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara

Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara

Today I want to tell you about Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara.  A couple years ago, I tried Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara, but wasn’t a fan.  It was clumpy and flaky, and I disliked it so much that it took two years for me to try another Essence Mascara.  I finally decided to give Essence another chance, largely because they are so inexpensive.  I hate spending a lot of money on mascara, and the Lash Princess Volume Mascara is only $4.99.  And, let’s be frank, the adorable packaging won me over.  It also looked like the formula  had potential.  Here is what Essence has to say: “Get the royal treatment! Essence’s Lash Princess Volume Mascara is presented in a fantastic evening gown design and has a unique wand applicator designed for extra control to reach every lash. The prestige inspired cobra brush is specially shaped to lift, separate, and cover each individual lash for the most majestic volume.”  I’ve been using Lash Princess Volume Mascara for about a month now, and (spoiler alert) I love it!

Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara Packaging

Let’s start with the packaging.  The evening gown inspired design with the corset style lacing and bows is simply irresistible.  I honestly could not help myself.  It looks so pretty that I want to leave it out to admire it instead of putting it away in my makeup drawer.  I am a sucker for really cute packaging, and Essence nailed it with this one.  What’s especially great is that the designs on the handle are not just cute, but also functional.  The the coral designs are rubberized, so the handle has an easy, no-slip grip.  It fits comfortably in the hand, and provides good control over application.  The wand has a curved “S” shape that is pretty popular these days.  Take a look.

Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara Wand

Here is a close up of the wand brush head.  The wand reminds me a lot of the LORAC Cobra Mascara that was featured in my Monthly Favorites for January.  The bristles on the curvy wand really grab my lashes and give me excellent length.  It even helps curl them up a little.  It does not clump and give me spider lashes, which was the issue with the last Essence mascara I tried.  I don’t know that I would call Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara an extremely volumizing mascara.  It adds volume, but the real star here for me is the added length.

Naked Eye

Here is a look at my naked eye.  All I have done is curl my lashes (no really, I did).  As you can see, I have short, stubby lashes naturally.  They are very straight, and do not like to hold a curl.  Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara thickens them up a bit, and adds twice the length in only one or two coats.  I had no issues with flaking or smudging.  Everyone has different needs and preferences with mascara, but I think it’s a great formula for me.

Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara

I am a fan of Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara, and definitely recommend that you try it for yourself.  Again, it is only $4.99 which is several dollars less than other drugstore brands.  I find Essence at my local Ulta and ulta.com.  I think the formula performs admirably, and is just as good as L’Oreal, CoverGirl, or Maybelline mascaras.  I am really enjoying the new products that I have been trying from Essence, and am impressed with the brand overall.  Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara is a win for me.

L’Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

 

L’Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

Today I have the L’Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara for review.  L’Oreal claims that the cone-shaped 360⁰ flexor brush on their Miss Manga mascara builds up to 15 times the volume in a flash. Top lashes are amplified, bottom lashes maximized for the ultimate wide-eyed manga look.  For those who are unsure what Manga is, the term refers to Japanese animation.  The female characters are drawn with long, thick, spiky lashes.  In theory, that’s the type of look that Miss Manga promises.  I have the mascara in the shade Black Brown.  I have so many mascaras, that I like to throw a brown one in every now and again.  Rest assured, though, that the have Black and Blackest Black for those who don’t want to compromise on getting the darkest lashes possible.

L’Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

Here is what L’Oreal says about the new Miss Manga Mascara: “L’Oréal Paris introduces new Voluminous Miss Manga mascara featuring the 360 flexor brush to build bold volume with high intensity from top to bottom. For the first time, L’Oréal Paris creates a flexible brush with a unique conical shape to catch those hard to reach lashes with an incredibly even application. The Mega Impact Formula instantly builds oversized volume for 15X lash volume in a flash. Top lashes are amplified and bottom lashes maximized for the ultimate wide-eyed Manga Look.” I have to say that I love the pink and black tube.  While I am surprised that L’Oreal (who is usually so classy) introduced this loud, juvenile, and gimmicky packaging that seems so out of character, I definitely see the appeal.  I think that this mascara will be a big hit for the younger crowd.

360 Flexor Brush

L’Oreal is very proud of their new 360 Flexor brush, and it is one of the main selling points for Miss Manga.  I am actually not a fan of this brush, but that is because of my particular lashes.  The Miss Manga formula is pretty wet, so the combination of a super flexy brush and a wet clumpy formula makes a mess.  This is especially true for short lashes, which is my problem.  The cone shaped brush tapers nicely to get hard to reach lashes, but the bristles are very short at the tip, and the product gathers there which leads to more clumping.  I was not as happy with Miss Manga as I hoped that I would be.

Normal lashes with no mascara

Here is a picture of my naked eye with no touch ups or adjustments.  I have no liner or shadow on so that you can see the lashes as clearly as possible.  I have already curled them but that’s it.  As you can see, I have short, wimpy lashes, and I need a mascara that lengthens, volumizes, and possibly performs miracles.  This picture is so that you can compare to the following shots with one and then two coats of Miss Manga, to see what it can really do.  Oh, and I did not apply Miss Manga to my bottom lashes because I rarely use mascara on the bottom.  I usually find that liner is the best bet for my bottom lash line, since the lashes are sparse and pretty small.

L’Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

As I said before L’Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara has a wet formula.  I don’t see a big difference between one coat and two coats.  I did not find the length or volume built up that much with subsequent coats.  What did increase was the spiky-clumpy look.  It is easy to get spider lashes with Miss Manga.  Even with careful application, I feel like the wet formula leads to messy transfer onto my lid.  I do like the length that Miss Manga gives me, but I personally prefer a little more volume.  My lashes did not hold a curl, and you can see them getting straighter, the more coats I apply.  Miss Manga also flakes on me after a few hours of wear.  I have not used L’Oeal mascaras in the past, so I am not sure if this is unique to all L’Oreal mascara, or just Miss Manga, but I found the mascara to be a bit irritating.  I don’t like wearing it for long periods because it makes my eyes itch.  That could be a personal issue, though, because I haven’t heard others complaining about irritation.

Ultimately, for me, L’Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara is a fail.  Mascara is tough to review because everyone has such different lashes and lash needs.  Some people love a dramatic spiky look and don’t mind a few clumps.  Others can’t stand clumps and prefer natural looking lashes.  I fall somewhere in between.  But with the messy application, limited buildability, and clumps (not to mention the irritation), Miss Manga just doesn’t do it for me.  If you are looking for a drugstore mascara that does a fantastic job of lengthening and volumizing, try Maybelline The Rocket Mascara.  But I would Skip L’Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara if I were you.

Last chance to enter my 3-year blogiversary giveaway.  The winners will be announced tomorrow.

Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara

Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara in POP Purple

Colored lashes are all the rage right now, and there is a decent drugstore version to help you get the look.  I’m talking about Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara.  Extra POP Lash comes in three vibrant shades and a basic black.  I was able to find the Limited Edition display at my local Walgreens, but you should be able to find them wherever Rimmel is sold.

Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara Display

I purchased Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara in POP Purple.  I’m not sure how I feel about colored lashes, but I wanted to give them a try and I figured that purple would be the most unassuming of the shades for my first go.  There have been other colored drugstore mascaras in the past, most notably Maybelline Great Lash, but the color pay-off has never been that great.  I was hoping that Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara would be something different.  Before we talk about color, however, let’s talk about the formula.

Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara

Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara is a dryer formula, which I happen to like.  I am not a fan of really wet mascaras, so the dryer formula works for me.  The brush is standard, no frills, and tapers at the end. I had no issues with smearing, smudging or flaking.  Unfortunately, while there were no real problems with the formula, there were also no real pluses to it either.  I have sad, wimpy lashes that need a lot of length and volume from a mascara.  While Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara did alright at lengthening, it didn’t volumize very much.  It did not hold a curl and left my lashes stick straight.  I also found that after the second coat, it trended to clump the lashes, but it did not leave them feeling hard or crunchy.  In general, it’s a ho-hum mascara, not great, but not terrible either.  I recommend layering over a different mascara if you want real volume and curl.

You can see from the picture above that POP Purple is  a medium cool toned purple.  I thought that the color pay-off was decent.  It’s better than Great Lash, but not as good as some of the high-end brands.  I have black lashes to start with, so if you have blond or light brown lashes, you will have really good luck with Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara.  Here is a before picture of my puny little lashes on my naked eye.  I’m not wearing anything but Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara in any of these following pictures so that you can really see the product.

Naked Lashes

I usually apply two coats of mascara, so that’s what I did here in the following picture.  You can see the purple, definitely, but it’s subtle.  Two coats leave my lashes defined, but still clump free.  I think my lashes  look best with two coats, though not the most purple they could be.  You can click on the pictures below to enlarge them for a better look.

Two Coats of Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara

The last picture is three coats.  As you can see, my lashes are getting clumpier.  You can see the purple better here, though.  Again, if you have blond or light brown lashes to begin with, you will have a much easier time of getting the color to show.  My lashes are wimpy, but they are dark.

Three Coats of Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara

All in all, I think Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara is a decent choice if you want to play around with color.  I would not buy the black shade in this line because there are definitely better mascaras in the drugstore.  If you want a pop of color, though, for $3.99 this is a viable option.  I am curious as to how the other two shades perform.  I wonder of they would be easier or harder to see on black lashes like mine.  I certainly don’t think that Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara is a must-buy, but at the same time, it’s inexpensive and fun.

What do you think of colored mascara in general?  Have you tried Rimmel Extra POP Lash Mascara?  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

February 2013 Favorites

February is over and that means it is time for my Monthly Favorites post.  I actually had a really hard time deciding what to put in my February Favorites because I’ve been really enjoying my makeup this month.  I’ve been testing a ton of products, and have been loving several of them.  I could easily have included Maybelline’s Color Whisper lip color in Made-it-Mauve or Maybelline’s Instant Age Rewind The Lifter foundation, because I’ve been loving both of them.  But in an effort to keep this post from reaching novella length, and since I recently reviewed both of those items, I decided to just mention them here instead of featuring them.  I think this is the first time I’ve had honorable mentions in a monthly favorites post.  😉  Anyway, let’s move on to what I did actually decide to include.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Deep Brown

First up is Batiste Dry Shampoo.  Batiste has several versions of dry shampoo, but I have the “hint of colour dark & deep brown” version.  Most dry shampoos come out as a white powder, which can be challenging to work out if you have dark hair.  Batiste Dry Shampoo in Deep Brown comes out as a dark grayish brown, which is a lot easier to work through and “disappear” into darker hair.  As far as the formula, I really like batiste.  I’ve tried the Tresemme dry shampoo and hated it.  It really turned me off of dry shampoo entirely.  But I heard this Batiste Dry Shampoo raved about so often that I thought I’d give dry shampoos another chance.  Not only does it soak up oil really well on second or even third day hair, but I love the texture it gives my fine, ultra straight hair.  I can spray it in, and instead of my hair lying limply flat, it gives my hair some life and movement that I don’t have naturally.  The only down side is that the spray leaves a grayish cast on my hands as I work it through my hair, so I have to immediately wash before I touch anything.  Otherwise, I give Batiste Dry Shampoo two thumbs up.

Maybelline the Rocket Volume Express Mascara

I was excited to try Maybelline the Rocket Volume Express Mascara because I’ve heard great things.  I think it’s totally worth the hype.  I purchased the Rocket in Brownish Black, Waterproof.  The rubber bristle brush is similar to Covergirl Lashblast.  The tip tapers a bit more than Lashblash, and the bristles seem spikier to me, but they are pretty darn close.

Maybelline the Rocket Volume Express Mascara

The formulas are very similar as well.  I didn’t experience any smudging or flaking, and the waterproof formula has all-day staying power.  I have short, sparse lashes, and I feel that the Rocket gives me added volume and length that I am looking for.  Frankly, it’s very difficult to see much difference between Maybelline the Rocket and Covergirl Lashblast.  But since Lashblast is my favorite drugstore mascara at this point, I’m fine with that.  Basically if you love one, then you will probably love the other, but if you have issue with Lashblast, then you will most likely have similar problems with the Rocket.

Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner

I have never been a fan of toner.  When I was in high school, I used toner for a little while, but it was the alcohol-based kind that is terrible for your skin.  What I like about this Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner is that it is so gentle, fragrance and lanolin free, and doesn’t stink.  I can put my nose right in it and not get a trace of that horrible alcohol smell.  It’s a basic, gentle toner formulated for sensitive skin.  I wash my face at night, but do not use cleanser in the morning.  The toner wipes away any impurities that I may have collected while sleeping, without stripping my face  dry.  Oh, and double bonus, it’s less than $5.00 at Target.

WnW ColorIcon lipliner in Chestnut and Revlon Balm Stain in Precious

In an attempt to shop my stash and use up some of the products I’ve had for a while, I discovered a new lip combo that I really like.  I purchased Wet n Wild ColorIcon lipliner in Chestnut on a whim a couple weeks ago when it was 40% off at Rite-Aid.  It’s just a simple pencil liner, not the softest thing ever, but it gets the job done and was only 59 cents.  Chestnut is a lovely medium chocolate brown on its own, but can be a little severe for day.  Precious is one of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains that I got from my sister.  It gives a very pretty glossy finish, but the shade is so light and I don’t often wear shades like this.  So, by layering Precious over Chestnut I soften the liner, but still have decent color on my lips.  It’s a lovely neutral lip that utilizes products that I normally wouldn’t use on their own.

Chestnut topped with Precious

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush in Adventurous

My last item is Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush in Adventurous.  Adventurous came in my Tarte Carried Away set that I got at Christmas time.  Oh my gosh, it’s such a gorgeous shade!  Tarte described Adventurous as a shimmering rose, but I have to disagree.  It’s more of a burnt peach with a rose-gold sheen.  It gives me a healthy-looking natural glow that has been really handy as I’ve struggled with not feeling very well so far this year.  Adventurous has made me look a lot healthier than I’ve been feeling.  I have been using it almost exclusively.  Love, love love!

Well, that’s it for my February Favorites.  I hope that you saw something that you like and may want to try for yourself.