Beauty Break: The Mascara Wars

Let me start off by saying that my husband came up behind me last night to rub my shoulders in a much appreciated spurt of affection, saw me scrolling through an endless array of waterproof mascara on a cosmetics site, and said, “Why are there so many? They all serve the same function. I don’t understand.” Needless to say, I didn’t bother to respond.

If you’re a longtime StyleCarrot reader, you might remember, that while I rarely blog about beauty, I did gush over a particular mascara a few years back. Dismayed to find my Bobbi Brown mascara had been discontinued , I took an inexpensive chance on a drugstore brand with great success. I feel like it’s time for a change, so I decided to poke around the Interwebs. These smudge and waterproof mascaras caught my eye, for one reason or another. I’ll share my non-scientific findings.

Waterproof Mascara Designer & Drugstore Brands

S H O P P I N G 

1 Tarte Lights, Camera,  Lashes 4-in-1 Waterproof Mascara, $19
Never mind that the brand name “Tarte” is alluring, look at the packaging of this beauty—deep purple snakeskin and gold anchor insignia. Reviewers claim it’s great—no smudgy racoon eyes.

2 Chanel Inimitable Waterproof, $30
I like the descriptor “Inimitable.” Obviously it’s a more pricey product, but reviewers rave about it. I like the sleek packaging, but what really pulled me in is the color selection—it comes in aqua and lime. Fun!

3 Yves Saint Laurent Waterproof Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils, $30
Love the blingy packaging (brass is back, baby). Love the electric “Majorelle” blue color even more. True, Katy Perry turned in her blue wig, but blue eyelashes still work. Most of the reviewers liked it, but one mentioned that it’s perfume-y, so, no thanks.

4 Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara, $25
I was using a dark brown Bobbi Brown mascara before it was discontinued, so obviously it made sense to have a look at this one. Plus, I like the name and the charcoal mirrored packaging. (Call me superficial, but hey, we’re discussing makeup.) Reviewers weren’t completely sold at first, but came to love it, particularly when they layered it with another mascara. Um, who has time for that? Still, it’s available in chocolate, and it’s Bobbi, so I’d try it.

5 Marc Jacobs Lash Lifter Gel Volume Mascara, $26
I didn’t even realize Marc Jacobs launched a cosmetics collection until I was in the Marc Jacobs boutique in Provincetown over Labor Day weekend. The rounded packaging is very Marc. Unfortunately, people seem to hate it.

6 CoverGirl LashBlast Water Resistant Mascara, $6.94
This is the mascara I’ve been using for several years, with great success. It goes on smoothly, doesn’t smudge, and comes off without a hassle at night. (I use Neutrogena eye makeup remover). If you want drama, this one’s not for you, but for me, it’s ideal for everyday.

7 Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, $23
Like a true girl, I clicked through to this because of the metallic pink packaging. And, ok, because it’s called “Better Than Sex.” Not so much. Most reviewers declare it “clumpy.”

8 Benefit BADgal Waterproof Mascara, $19
Benefit Cosmetics opened on Newbury Street  near me. I haven’t gone in yet, but as a preview I thought I’d see about this mascara, although it’s name, “BADgal” is hardly a selling point for me. The reviews are so-so, but if you want mascara that absolutely doesn’t come off, even if you want it to, this seems to be it.

9 Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, $4.44
For years, models and celebs claimed that this is the mascara they used. It’s the one I grew up with, since my mother used it. I tried it once but wasn’t a fan. I suppose if you’re super preppy, the pink and green packaging is a draw. And yes, it’s very affordable.

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Beauty Break: Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara

I’ve been on the quest for the perfect mascara since I was 15. I wore contact lenses, and most mascaras could not stand up to the saline solutions. Smudgy undereye —not a good look. Despite the decades of hype, the pink and green Maybelline Great Lash Mascara never worked for me. Do you really think supermodels and celebs se drugstore stuff?

Over the years, I’ve used numerous brands with success, including Chanel and Trish McEvoy. For a while I was addicted to a dark burgundy by Make Up For Ever. For the past ten years or so, I’ve been using Bobbi Brown in brown. It had become increasingly difficult to find. Last week what I suspected was confirmed: the salesperson at Neiman’s in Copley said it had been discontinued.

Rather than go through the hassle of trolling department store counters (and spending too many $$$), I did something a little bit crazy. I bought  . . .  drugstore mascara. Namely, CoverGirl LashBlast Water Resistant Mascara. Yes, it’s true. My husband, who was with me, asked, “Who are you?”

Here’s the thing. I liked the ads – those crisp yellow print ads with Drew Barrymore really appealed, and I’m not even a huge fan. I actually used the images in a yellow trends story for The Inside Source. No, they did not send me the mascara (though I wish they had). Each time I saw the package at CVS – it’s been heavily promoted – I was drawn to that yellow, plastic wand. It seemed so wonderfully clean and durable compared to the usual clumpy black ones. And, the product comes in brown.

Guess what? I LOVE it. Seriously love it. The packaging, the wand, the color, the product. And, of course, the price.

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