little white truths

Hello and welcome to another little mascara post.

I don't do many of these because I don't own heaps of mascara and I prefer to only have one open at a time, but I do tend to try different mascaras every few months when I throw out the one I'm using (my eyes are too sensitive to risk an eye infection), and this is the one that's currently in rotation.

L'Oreal claims/product details:

• Features micro-stretching fibres, which link and bind together to build the length and intensity of lashes by up to 1.2mm
• Gentle formula that applies smoothly and is comfortable to wear, for a truly captivating lash 
• Also features a unique, technologically advanced brush; thanks to its design, the brush stimulates the eyelid shape to capture every lash, lengthening the lashes with each stroke
• Lashes look elongated, as if beyond their tips
• Available in Magnetic Black and Waterproof Black
• RRP $26.95 AUD for 9ml, but do shop around (I bought mine at half-price)

There's the brush:

Wearing one coat of mascara:

And again:

Verdict

This is a great product, and while it's not my favourite budget mascara (I still prefer Maybelline's Lash Sensational, reviewed here), I still think it's decent and I recommend it.

Please note that my main issues with mascaras are: I need lengthening more than thickening (though both is preferable) and far too many products thicken but do nothing for length; I don't like mascaras that look clumpy and unnatural; I have hooded eyes and invariably wind up with black sh*t on my puffy upper eye area when wands are too fat or poorly designed; and the hooded area can also make it harder to reach the base of my lashes (I think that's hard for everyone, but even harder for those of us with serious eye puff).

Happily this mascara ticks all the boxes. It gives me good length and nice volume with just one coat, plus it doesn't clump easily (unless you start layering too much on), so I can get a good natural look from this but can also build it for something more dramatic.

I also barely ever get mascara goo where I don't want it when I use this, because the brush is designed so well: it's skinny and the bristles aren't too long, and because the wand isn't too fat, it's easy to use - both for my upper and lower lashes, and also for getting product onto the base of each lash.

The other good news is that the formula doesn't smudge or flake throughout the day, so I can whack this on in the morning and forget about it, knowing that it will stay put.

I guess the only thing I don't love about this mascara is that the formula was quite dry to start off with so I have a feeling that it won't last as long as other mascaras, and of course the dry formula makes it more prone to clumping and also to depositing mascara globs on the end of my eyelashes (like little antennae), although I can manage those with an eyelash comb so it's no big deal. Nevertheless, I prefer to avoid extra steps when I can.

All in all, I think this is a great mascara and I recommend it, and while I still prefer the Maybelline mascara I've linked above, I would be happy to use this L'Oreal one again because they're quite similar (they both lengthen well and neither has a fat brush). Next time I'll try the original L'Oreal Telescopic, and I look forward to comparing that one with this down the track.

Worth trying.