Long Time No Post

Hi, stranger! Yes, it's me - Monika, that blogger chick you used to read. I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth, no mysterious NYC subway monster has snatched me off the platform without a trace... I just struggle with prioritizing my hobbies. That's really all there is to it.

But I haven't come out here to make excuses or apologize; I'm sure we've all been busy in the meantime and things are running their course regardless of whether I blog or not. I decided to post again because I want to make time for writing again, because I love taking photos and I feel happier for having this little corner to express myself. Thank you for sticking with me for this long and I'd love to have you along for the ride again!

Realistically though, with the time constraints that I face as a stay-at-home mom of a toddler, I'll need to make some adjustments to my blogging style. I know that I can't reasonably expect myself to stick to a regular posting schedule, or write these thorough and extensive reviews that I used to love to type up. Instead, I'm going to stick to what I can do: shorter reviews & comparisons, little snippets of favorites here and there, anything really that feels exciting enough to write about.

In fact, what really spurned me on to break the silence is explaining my blog situation to my best friend, and while doing so - actually expressing to myself that there is no reason why I shouldn't be doing it - and more prosaically, finding this bowl of make-up empties that I'd like to finally be able to pitch in the trash. It's as good a starting point as any, am I right?

While I may have abstained from blogging, I have still been loving beauty products and trying to wear make-up somewhat regularly. I also still try to make an effort to use up make-up but I'm not committed enough to do Project Pans or stick to a 'use-up plan' of any kind. Instead, I'm enjoying most of my collection and when stuff gets finished in due time, it's an added bonus and I'm happy to move something out - because I am still buying new products and would like to keep the stash somewhat contained if I can.

But anyway; there's not that much I want to say about the contents of this particular round of beauty trash. Firstly, I am disappointed that Fresh discontinued these Sugar Shine glosses: I really quite enjoyed this formula, but have since gone back to my other favorite, the Buxom Full-On Lip Polishes & Lip Creams. Secondly, I've been pleasantly surprised by NYX Worth The Hype Mascara* (provided by Influenster for testing purposes) and I would repurchase, and while I also enjoyed Chantecaille Faux Cils, there's no way in hell I'm spending $72 on a tube. I did like the finish of It Cosmetics CC Cream, but it lacked longevity on my combination/ oily skin.

How have you guys been? I missed talking to you, and I really do hope I can share with you again. Let's see how long my resolve lasts - well, taking that first step into writing again is always the hardest, and that's done, so... fingers crossed :)

Customized Lashes: Pacifica Beauty Dream Big Mascara* Review

Have you ever tried one of those customizable mascara wands? You know - like those brushes that are actually two in one - a large one for volume, and a small one for definition - or a newer version, where you twist the top of the cap to change the length of the wand and the distance between the bristles. While I'd always been curious about this type of mascara, I've actually never pulled the trigger to try it, fearing it would be more of a gimmick than a useful feature. So I was quite skeptical yet interested when I was given a chance to test the new Pacifica Beauty Dream Big Lash Extending 7 in 1 Mascara in the shade Black Magic* ($16 for 0.25 oz).

Right of the bat, let's choose to ignore the '7 in 1' claim. Pacifica is basically trying to convey this mascara will change your make-up life: on top of volumizing, lengthening and lifting up your lashes, the Dream Big mascara contains a conditioning lash serum. There are two settings you can use for the wand - the 'Length' setting elongates the brush and moves the bristles more further apart, whereas the 'Volume' setting shortens the wand and makes the bristles more dense.

Left: Wand at the Volume setting, right: Length setting

I'll get right to the heart of this review: I quite like this Dream Big mascara, despite my initial wariness. HOWEVER. Frankly speaking, I don't see any difference in terms of look or performance on my lashes between the Length and Volume settings. In both cases, the result of applying two coats of this mascara is pretty much the same: nicely separated lashes with a bit of extra volume and length. If you like va-va-voom lashes, this is not a mascara for you. It definitely gives more of a natural daytime look, and if your lashes are already pretty good or you dislike to see product on your lashes, I'd say to give it a try. But if you're hoping for a more dramatic effect, I think the Dream Big would leave you disappointed.

Top: bare uncurled lashes, bottom: two coats of Pacifica Dream Big Mascara

The formula itself is perhaps a bit on the wetter side, and I tend to get a glob of product on the tip of the wand every time I open up the tube. But thanks to the rubber bristles, it doesn't clump up on the lashes too much unless I really rush my application. The mascara also wears well throughout the day; I don't get the dreadful smudging under my browbone but I've noticed it can sometimes flake a little bit, especially if I happen to touch my eye area by accident.

All in all, if you're looking for a natural - both in terms of effect and ingredients' list - mascara, the Dream Big from Pacifica is a great option. Like all Pacifica's products, it's also vegan and cruelty-free. Green beauty addicts, what is your favorite brand for mascara? From what I understand, mascara is a more difficult product to get right if you want something with clean ingredients, so I'd love to hear some recommendations from you!

Disclaimer: Product featured in this post is a press sample I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the product featured was purchased with my own money or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

Cult Classics: L'Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara in Blackest Black*

Bad beauty blogger strikes again: would you believe I'd never tried the cult L'Oreal Voluminous Original Volume Building Mascara* ($5.50 - 8.50 for 0.28 oz) before? My first lash love from L'Oreal was the Telescopic, but when I repurchased it more recently, it turned out to be a bit of a fail (review here). After that, I wasn't too tempted to try another L'Oreal mascara, even though the brand releases at least a few new iterations every year. However, I was recently sent the original Voluminous and since it's a HG product for a lot beauty bloggers and gurus out there, I was very curious to give it a try.

In general, I increasingly believe that mascaras are a rather personal thing - what one person expects in terms of result may be the worst nightmare for the next. My lashes aren't in their best condition currently: they're fine, they're not very dark, they're not as long and full as they used to be, so I feel like I need help across all departments. Mascara also has a tendency to transfer onto my browbone easily, so that's another thing I like to watch out for. When it comes to my preferred mascara look, I like long, full but soft and well defined lashes - anything that fails to separate is usually a no-go, regardless of how voluminous it may look.

The Original Voluminous (I have the shade Blackest Black) comes in a very simple dark grey tube with a gold cap. The brush also looks like the most old school, standard, run of the mill wire bristles at the first glance; but when I first pulled the wand out of the tube, I was surprised how fluffy it looked. I tried hard to show that in the photo by angling the wand - hopefully you can see that this brush has lots and lots of rather short bristles. I've had mascaras with this general type of wand before, but the bristles were usually spaced farther apart and/or longer. The tip on the Voluminous tapers down a bit and usually gets rather clumped up with product when you pull the wand out, so I always clean it off on the neck of the tube and only use it to add drama to the outer corners of my eyes.

My expectation for the Voluminous was that this would be an 'extreme drama' type of mascara - meaning that it would absolutely load the lashes with mascara at the barest swipe of the wand, and that it probably wouldn't separate them. Well, I was wrong - it's nothing like that. The stopper very effectively cleans the brush off the excess mascara (with the exception of the very tip) and that combined with dense rows of shorter bristles allows you to control the end result very well.

I hope that you can see this from my slightly creepy eye close-ups, but one coat of L'Oreal Voluminous gives very natural, soft, pretty lashes. It gives plenty of fullness at the roots while at the same time, leaves pretty much no clumps at the ends, meaning that it doesn't really look like you're wearing mascara at all. Every single lash is defined, volumized and lengthened, and the wand fans them out nicely (I haven't used a lash curler for these photos).

At two coats, my lashes start to look a bit more dramatic, but still not overloaded with product or over the top for daytime - two coats is actually my perfect balance. The lashes are even thicker but still not clumpy, and there's a little bit more length there as well. Now when it comes to wear time of this mascara, so far I haven't noticed any issues - I do see however that it can take a few minutes for the Voluminous to dry completely on my lashes, so looking up right after application or trying to mess with your eye make-up is not the greatest idea. But once it dries, it stays on well the entire day without smudging, transfering or crumbling under the eyes. My lashes also remain quite flexible and soft to the touch - not dry and crunchy like with some other formulas - and the mascara is quite easy to remove at the end of the day, it just melts off nicely with an oil-based make-up remover.

I don't think there's anything else I can say about L'Oreal Voluminous Original - I really love it. I haven't liked a mascara as much as this one in a really long time, and now I want to go around yelling 'Why did nobody tell me sooner?!', except they all did, didn't they ;) I can see myself repurchasing this formula over and over again in the future when I just want something that works really, really well for my lashes. Have you ever tried the Original Voluminous? What is your Holy Grail mascara at the drugstore?

Disclaimer: Product marked with an asterix (*) is a sample I received for free from BzzAgent for testing purposes. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

Summer Proof Mascara: Shiseido Full Lash Volume Review

Summer heat and humidity is already upon us here in New York, which creates the perfect conditions to test the wear of a make-up product. Having recently finished off my sample tubes of mascara, I dug this one out of my stash: the Shiseido Full Lash Volume Mascara in Black ($25 for 8ml/ 0.29 oz). I haven't had great luck with Asian mascara in the past (click here for my review of Heroine Make Volume & Curl) but they do often wear much longer than the ones from Western brands, so I thought now would be the perfect time to give the Shiseido a try.

The mascara is packaged in an interesting 'twisted' tube, which reminds me of the Frank Gehry building in Lower Manhattan. It's quite sleek and not too bulky, something I really appreciate in make-up packaging in general. The brush itself has a curved shape with lots of short natural bristles all the way around; nothing innovative but very functional nonetheless.

Shiseido's Full Lash Volume promises 'flexible' volume (whatever that means) with a natural-looking curl and soft, touchable finish. It also claims to separate lashes for a 'stunning fan effect' with no clumps. All of those things sound great to me, but does the product actually deliver?

Well, yes and no. The formula of this mascara is a bit on the wet side right when you open the packaging, but now that I've been using it for about three weeks, it has definitely dried out to a significant degree. The brush is designed very well to separate lashes from roots to tips, but as the time goes by, I have noticed more and more clumping. I would say the volume I get from this mascara is quite good, but nothing dramatic - I usually have to build it up in two coats, and really concentrate the tip of the brush, which has more mascara on it than the rest of the brush, on my outer lashes to get any product there.

I don't find that the curved shape of this brush gives my lashes any more curl - if anything, I think they look a bit less curled than they usually do, maybe because of the wetness of the formula? Another downside is that I don't think it actually fans out lashes very well; they seem to all go in one direction instead. However, where this mascara absolutely excels for me is the wear. As you may remember, my perpetual struggle with mascara is getting transfer onto my browbone, and I have had absolutely no smearing there. I also haven't noticed any flakes or fading throughout the day. I would have thought this mascara was waterproof if it weren't for the fact that it's also very easy to remove at the end of the day with just about any make-up remover/ facial cleanser.

Top: bare uncurled lashes, bottom: after 2 coats of Shiseido Full Lash Volume

All in all, I really enjoy not having to worry about flaking or smudging when I wear this mascara, although I have used other mascaras in the past that have given my lashes a fuller, longer and more dramatic look. While it's not my Holy Grail, I may revisit it next summer if I don't find anything better with similar longevity. Have you tried any mascaras from Shiseido? What is your favorite mascara to wear in the summertime?

The Original Torture Ball: Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes Mascara Review

Do you guys remember the golden days when the 'torture ball' mascara wands were all the rage? I even recall some drugstore brands jumping on the bandwagon, and then companies moved on to incorporating that little spiky ball into a classic mascara brush design, like the Benefit They're Real or IT Cosmetics Hello Lashes. Anyway, back to the present - I have a review of the cult classic torture ball for you today, the Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes Mascara in Deep Black ($32 for the full size, I have a deluxe sample).

Judging from my experience with Benefit They're Real, I was a little apprehensive of the Givenchy's Phenomen'Eyes. The 'iconic spherical brush' (lol) is slightly larger than I expected, and comes out of the tube coated in a generous amount of mascara; however, like with nearly every other mascara on the market, most of the product is concentrated on the very tip of the brush, and there's not that much on the sides.

I think Phenomen'Eyes is definitely one of those mascara wands that you need to get a good feel for before you start enjoying it. At first, I found the ball design quite frustrating and difficult to use, but after two weeks of use, it's gotten easier. However, I still have some qualms about this shape - for one, it takes me more time to evenly coat my lashes in mascara than with a traditional brush, because I need to work in sections as opposed to the whole lash line all at once. Secondly, I have yet to avoid smearing some mascara onto my lid in the process - which again, takes additional time to remove.

Now for the good aspects of the ball shape: it does allow me to control the amount of mascara more easily, and it helps to direct and fan out lashes exactly how I want. It also works really well on the lower lashes, defining every single one without clumps (provided that you don't overload your brush). Overall, I find this formula quite volumizing and defining, but not very lenghtening - and I could use some length at the moment as my lashes are currently in their shorter, growing phase. The shade is indeed a deep, rich black, and the mascara doesn't flake throughout the day; although on my almond eye shape, it does transfer quite a bit under the brow bone in a relatively short amount of time (which is always a struggle for me).

Top: bare uncurled lashes, bottom: two layers of Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes

I can definitely understand why this mascara reached a cult status back in the day and I'm glad to have tried it, but to be honest, I wouldn't shell out for a full size tube. It's a perfectly decent mascara, but for me personally, traditional wands are much easier and quicker to use. I also don't find the Phenomen'Eyes to be any better at reaching those longer outer corner lashes; I still have trouble getting every single one without smearing mascara all over my eye, just like with any other mascara brush. Have you ever tried any of those torture ball mascaras? What were your thoughts?

Am I A Mascara Snob? Guerlain Maxi Lash Review

I won't deny I'm pretty snobbish in a number of different areas: I'm a declared coffee snob. I'm a dessert snob. I'm a perfume snob. Truly, the list could go on. But until recently, I hadn't really considered myself a mascara snob.

I've never been one to claim the superiority of high-end mascaras versus the drugstore ones. In fact, I don't think I have ever purchased a high-end mascara with my own money - but I've tried plenty of gift with purchase minis and received generous gifts from friends and such. However, when I attempt to shortlist my Holy Grail mascaras, the following come to mind easily: Buxom Buxom Lash, Laura Geller GlamLASH, and most recently, Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir... Am I really so easily swayed by luxe packaging, or is there in fact something better about the formula of high-end mascaras? I've been pondering this question for a couple weeks now while re-testing a mini of Guerlain Cils d'Enfer Maxi Lash Mascara in 01 Noir ($32 for 0.28 oz).

I've had another sample of this rather expensive mascara about three years ago, and I remember REALLY liking it then. But you know what, a couple things have changed since then. For one, I used to have much longer and fuller lashes back then thanks to religious use of a lash-growing serum, and I know some of you would groan 'All mascaras look good on your lashes!', making mascara reviews somewhat superfluous. However, I haven't touched a lash serum in three months, and while my lashes aren't bad by any means, they're not extraordinary either. So how does Maxi Lash perform on my perfectly normal lashes?

It performs well. As you can see in the close-up, it has that rubber brush with lots of not-too-long bristles that I tend to prefer, and a drier formula - again, my preference. As you can expect from these two factors, it defines the lashes beautifully, grabbing every single one and coating with an even layer of mascara from roots to tips; I only have some issues at the outer corners, where my longer lashes need some extra product (this wand doesn't have any bristles at the tip which are ideal for that task). I don't get many clumps, I don't get any flaking throughout the day, and only minimal transfer onto my brow bone, which as you may know is my personal ongoing struggle with mascara.

However, would I pay $32 for a gold tube of this lightly perfumed luxe mascara? Uhm, I don't think so. Sure, I like it, but perhaps not as much as the Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir, which is a couple dollars cheapers and gives more volume in a single coat. And the other thing is that while what I've been testing is only a deluxe sample, the Maxi Lash dries out fast - I mean, I've only been using it for two weeks and I don't think it'll last more than another two. So for now, while I may have a PREFERENCE for high-end mascaras, I don't think I'm a die hard convert. I really enjoy trying out minis of expensive formulas, but it's more than likely that when I run out, I'll just head back straight to the drugstore.

What are some of your all-time Holy Grail mascara formulas? Do you purchase high-end mascaras regularly, and if so, which ones are your favorite?

Volume & Definition: Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara

For whatever reason, I had previously never tried anything from Marc Jacobs Beauty. I think I'm quite biased against newer beauty brands; I tend to see them as trendy and fun but not very invested in making quality products. So I wasn't really expecting much when Influenster selected me for yet another of their VoxBoxes (you can sign up for a chance to review products, too! Here's my invite link), this time in collaboration with Marc Jacobs - apart from being excited to try out new high-end make-up for free, duh.

The Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara* ($26 for 0.32 oz, comes in just the black shade - Noir) is the third mascara to join the brand's line-up, forth if you're counting their Lamé Noir Ultra-Glittering Mascara (see what I mean by trendy and fun?). When I ripped open the box, I was immediately pleasantly surprised by the simple but weighty packaging; they used some really luxurious feeling plastic for the tube, lol. I actually like most of the brand's packaging - what can I say, I really appreciate black with silver accents.

Velvet Noir claims to 'create instant, smudge-proof length and volume in three strokes or less' with super-concentrated black pigment and a lash-maximizing curvy brush (from Sephora). The hourglass-shaped brush is quite large, which is usually not my preference, but I'm actually very impressed with the design. The rounded tip allows me to reach both inner and outer corner lashes and build up layers just where I need it, while the densely packed bristles grab every single lash and comb out any clumps. It's a combination of two things that I like the most in a mascara: volume and definition. I like.

Despite the size of the brush, I don't really have problems with smudging the mascara on my lids, although it is a bit difficult to maneuver on the lower lash line. The mascara layers easily, although I never really feel the need to dip back into the tube - one coat is perfectly enough for me. The pigment is a very nice matte black, and even without curling my lashes, they appear lifted and fanned out.

As for longevity, I'm pleased to say that this relatively dry formula doesn't crumble or flake throughout the day. On me, it does transfer ever so slightly onto the browbone - but that's a common problem if your lashes happen to touch the skin under your brows when looking up. It's not as bad as other non-waterproof mascaras though, and can be minimized with an eye primer and some powder.

All in all, I'm very impressed with this mascara; maybe it's because of all the mascara duds I've been trying lately, but I would actually consider repurchasing the Velvet Noir. You know you don't want to be without a product when you start thinking things like '$26 is not so bad for a high-end mascara, right?'. Uhm, right. What are your favorite products from Marc Jacobs? What was the last mascara you were really impressed by?

Disclaimer: Item marked with an asterix (*) is a press sample I received from Influenster for testing purposes. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

Cult Classics: L'Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara

The L'Oreal Telescopic was one of the first mascaras I absolutely fell in love with back in the day, long before I started this blog. I remember purchasing it at Sephora in Warsaw (yes, Sephora!) and loving the sleek silver tube. Obviously the Telescopic Carbon Black ($9.99 for 0.27 fl oz) is a different version than what I used to use, but I know that to this day it's a Holy Grail mascara for a lot of people, and I wanted to see if I still loved it too after having tried so many different low and high-end mascaras over the past five years.

I really like the black packaging of the Carbon Black; I actually didn't remember that the tube is shaped like a telescope, but I think it's a very cool design. According to Ulta's website, Telescopic 'features a patented no clump brush that applies the mascara precisely for long, perfectly defined lashes. Removes easily with soap and water.'. It's also fragrance-free and suitable for those with sensitive eyes and contact wearer.

I did remember that my Telescopic used to have a skinny rubber brush with short bristles, but I was still surprised at how tiny the wand on the Carbon Black is. It's so, so narrow! Some rows of bristles are shorter, some a bit longer - I'm guessing the idea is that you could rotate the angle of the brush to either get more volume or definition. My fresh tube has a somewhat wet formula, which is not my preference, but I think it will get drier (and better) with time.

Unfortunately, after the first week of use, I'm not very impressed with Telescopic Carbon Black. As you can hopefully see in the photo of my bare lashes, I have somewhat fine but long and full lashes (meaning, there's quite a lot of them). I usually like 'defining' mascaras, because I need something to comb through and separate my lashes so that they retain their full and fluttery look. However, the brush on the Telescopic Carbon Black clumps them together instead, and the wet formula is also prone to leaving clumps at the ends of my lashes. I think some of that is due to this 'flexible' wand business, which causes the brush to spring back when I'm really trying to wiggle it between the roots of the lashes - that's also where mascaras blobs on my lids come from. I think the combination of a flimsy brush that picks up a lot of the wet formula is not a good recipe for a clump-free mascara.

The mascara dries down a bit stiff and crunchy (again, not my favorite) and while it doesn't flake off throughout the day (as long as you're not trying to comb it through with a lash comb after it dries), it does transfer on my brow bone where my lashes touch the skin there. Contrarily to the marketing blurb, I do not find it particularly easy to remove, even with a cleansing oil. So all in all, while it's certainly not the worst mascara I've ever tried (you know, Benefit They're Real springs to mind here, which is another one that lots of people seem to like), it's sadly no longer a favorite. I'll experiment with layering it together with another mascara and will wait a bit to see if it gets better with age, but I won't repurchase the L'Oreal Telescopic for the third time. Do you also experience that some products you used to love a long time ago aren't all that great anymore? I'd love to know!

Oldie But A Goodie: Mally Beauty Volumizing Mascara in Black

I've realized recently that there are quite a few brands which never make it onto my radar: It Cosmetics (never tried anything), Almay (also nada), Cargo (used to own one blush), and Mally Beauty (I've only tried the Evercolor Shadow Stick in Dusk, reviewed here). I don't know exactly why that is - I'm sure these brands have amazing products in their ranges, but I'm just never really drawn to them when I get a lemming for a new product. Are there any brands in particular that you guys are not that interested in?

Anyway; for years, I'd been hearing great things about the Mally Beauty Volumizing Mascara in Black ($20 for 0.39 oz), so I was super happy when it was included in a little eye make-up Holiday set from Ulta last year (hence the beautiful Limited Edition starry packaging - couldn't it come packaged like this all the time, instead of the boring white?). Clearly, it took me a while to actually crack my tube open, but I've been using it for the past couple of weeks and wanted to share my thoughts.

(Just one more look at the gorgeous glittery goodness. I'm so happy I'm alliterating). When I first opened the tube, I was a tiny bit disappointed to see the very standard wiry bristle brush inside. I think that over the years, I got so used to the race for the most innovative mascara wands in the universe, that a classic brush seems very... unexciting. But sometimes great things come in unexciting packages - errr, or something like that.

In the close-up, you'll hopefully be able to see that the brush has a spiral design with lots of fine bristles, which make it look a bit fluffy. That, coupled with not too wet of a formula (that also dries out even more in the couple weeks after you open the tube), allows for nicely volumized, but separated and still defined lashes - that's without a doubt my preference for how mascara should look on my own lashes.

One coat gives very natural definition, two (my usual, and what you see in the face shots - no liner on the upper lashline or the waterline to give you a better idea) result in a bit more oomph but without any clumps or spider legs. If you like even more volume, Mally's Volumizing Mascara builds very easily over itself, so three coats should be no problem. This mascara doesn't dry down and set on your lashes, making them feel stiff, which not only allows for multiple coats and touch-ups, but is also more comfortable to wear throughout the day.

Speaking of wear, I get no flakes and no smudging under the eyes or on the browbone (huge feat!) throughout the day, even in high humidity. One thing I can't comment on are the curling properties of this mascara; my lashes have a natural curl to them so I don't have to use a separate eyelash curler, and the Volumizing Mascara definitely doesn't affect my curl in any way - but it isn't waterproof, so if you have stubborn pin-straight lashes, it may not hold the curl for you.

All in all, I'm very happy with this mascara discovery - it also gets bonus brownie points for not smudging on my brow bone; for a while, I had a bad mascara run where 90% of everything I tried transferred after just a couple hours. But while I wouldn't turn my nose at this Mally mascara as a freebie or part of a set, I probably won't repurchase it at full price - I think I should be able to find something with similar results at the drugstore (crossing my fingers here). So far, the two products I've tried from Mally have both been amazing, so I guess I should really look into more things from the brand - you know, for research ;) Do you have any favorites from the Mally Beauty line? Have you ever tried this mascara?

You Win Some, You Lose Some: Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara and Mascara Remover

I'm feeling very blah towards this review; but this is the mascara I've been using, so may as well share my thoughts on it with you, right? Last year, Jenni brought this mascara over for me from Hong Kong, saying this was one of her favorites and a must-try from Asian brands. We're talking about the Kiss Me Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara in Black (about $8-11 on eBay and Amazon, or $15 for the set) from Isehan, a Japanese company which is very popular in Asia. I had other mascaras I wanted to use up back then, but I was super excited to try it and filed it away for next summer since I had heard that Japanese mascaras were super longwearing as well as water and sweat-proof.

She actually picked up this duo pack for me, which also came with a mascara remover; I saw my dear friend Claire talking about mascara removers on her blog, so I was also curious to see how that would work for me. The packaging is a little excessive for two small tubes and maybe a bit too kawaii for my tastes, but hey - I won't judge a book by its cover. It's the mascara inside that counts.

Let's start with the Volume & Curl Mascara, shall we? As you can hopefully see, it's a typical wire-type brush in a somewhat conical shape that tapers at the end. It's a flattened cone though; the bristles are only longer on two sides when viewed in profile, not all around. The brush is just the right size for my eye, which is to say, it's a bit smaller than the length of my actual eyes, which makes it quite easy to manipulate.

The brush has a tendency to pick up a huge glob of mascara at the very tip, which usually results in my getting said glob on some part of my eyelid, while not holding a whole lot of product on the rest of the wand - quite annoying. It wouldn't be a deal breaker though IF I liked the formula of this mascara, but unfortunately, I don't. Despite the name, I don't find it particularly curling or volumizing, unless you mistake large clumps and spidery lashes for volume; can you tell I really wasn't impressed?

I'm not sure if maybe this would fare better on different lashes than mine; but on my relatively long, full, curly lashes, Heroine Make Volume & Curl actually gives the appearance of fewer lashes by clumping the existing ones together into uneven spider legs. Just to show you exactly what I mean, I've compared two coats of Heroine Make in the top photo to two coats of Laura Geller GlamLASH Dramatic Volumizing Mascara on the bottom - see the difference in fullness and definition? Mind you, Glam Lash is one of the better mascaras that I've tried in a while, but once you find a really, really nice mascara, it's a bit hard to accept something subpar. As for the longwearing part, I actually still find that the Heroine Make sometimes transfers onto my browbone and/or flakes slightly throughout the day (just like the Glam Lash); however, it also gives me stiff, crunchy lashes and is impossibly difficult to remove, unless you're using...

... their fabulous Mascara Remover. This unassuming plastic applicator with little grooves works incredibly well to coat the lashes with a clear make-up remover, which I then let sit on my lashes for a minute or two while I massage the rest of my face with a cleansing oil. I will then apply the small amount of cleansing oil I still have on my palms to my lashes, work it in for a while, and then all of my eye make-up comes off easily when I emulsify and rinse the cleanser with warm water. If you think that maybe it's my cleansing oil that's doing all the work here, you're wrong. I've tried using my Shu Uemura Anti/Oxi oil alone to remove the Heroine Make mascara, and it barely budged. Add the Mascara Remover to the equation - everything can be removed quickly and easily without losing precious lashes in the process.

All in all, I guess you win some (Mascara Remover) and you lose some (Volume & Curl Mascara). My pal Citrine has recently reviewed the Long & Curl version and had slightly better results, so maybe that's something worth looking into. However, after this first foray, I don't place a lot of trust in the Heroine Make brand; I may try a different company next time to see if there's another Japanese mascara I may like.

Have you tried any Japanese mascaras? What are your three top favorite mascaras of all time - because I know choosing just one is nigh on impossible :)

Lashes for Daaays: Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes Mascara Review

Thank you to everyone who's been complimenting my lashes for the past couple of weeks - you guys make me blush :) More to the point, many of you have also asked which mascara I've been using recently, and here it is: the Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes Statement Mascara in Black ($23 for 0.31 oz). I'm not one to splurge on a high-end mascara, but this was included in a press sample Glossybox a LONG while back, so once I was done with using up my mascara minis, I dug this out.

Oh, a 360° brush design? So... it's exactly like all the other mascara wands? How unique.

(As a side note, do you know how long it took me to finish most of my deluxe mascara sample stash? Somewhere in the proximity of two years. I don't know if the mini mascaras had got in on the action and sprouted babies when I wasn't looking, but man. That's crazy). I'm personally not in love with the obnoxious gold snakeskin tube, which I guess would work if you were groping for your mascara in the dark, and I find that Tarte is perhaps taking their Lights, Camera puns a bit too far, but whatever. It's what on the inside that counts, right?

This 'statement' version of Lights, Camera, Ashes to Ashes was made popular last year by some YouTube beauty gurus. Ironically, that made me less excited about this mascara - I will admit that my thoughts meandered into the 'I wonder how much Tarte has paid for that particular endorsement?' territory. I find that Tarte tends to hype up their new releases on social media a bit too much for my personal taste; they haven't reached Benefit's levels of 'Oh My F*cking God, this liner changed my life!', but they're getting close. That turns me off, my friends.

Anyway, the mascara. The rubber brush has two lenghts of bristles (shorter for depositing the product, longer for combing out clumps), but contrarily to what Tarte claims on the packaging, they're not set at 180 degree angle from each other - from what I can see, the long and short rows are interwoven, so rotating the wand, unless by maybe 20 degrees, doesn't change the performance at all. The Tarte's rubber bristles are quite soft, so if you're looking at the spikes on the tip and thinking it as pokey as Benefit's They're Real, rest assured, applying this mascara doesn't actually hurt the eyeballz.

It took me a solid three weeks to form my opinion on this mascara. At first, I did not like - the formula was a bit wet, the brush difficult to figure out, the end result kinda clumpy. But, like many mascaras, Tarte's Lights, Camera, Flashes benefits from a couple weeks of drying out - and experimenting with the best way of applying it. For me, it's two thin coats applied in quick succession, combing mascara from roots to tips of the lashes without wriggling, as that seems to produce more clumps at the ends than what I prefer. The overall effect is long, volumized, decently separated lashes, including the forever difficult outer corners. Exactly how I like my lashes.

My only other criticisms would be that Lights, Camera, Flashes transfers ever so slightly on the inner part of my browbone. As you can see in the photo below, my lashes, especially on my right eye, touch the skin right in that area when I'm looking straight on, and frankly, most mascaras end up transferring there. Darn you, LiLash! ;) The other downside is that this mascara is very hard to remove; even with a recommended oil-based make-up remover (I'm using the Shu Uemura Anti-Oxi Cleansing Oil). But, it IS very black and almost tar-like in consistency (which is a good thing...?), and never flakes under the eyes. I do not know yet how long a tube will last, as I've only tested it for about a month now - I shall update once I reach the end.

Wearing 2 pumps of Face Atelier Ultra foundation (which prompted a revelation that sometimes MOAR foundation is a good thing) and Inglot Gel Lipstick no. 58.

Tarte's Lights, Camera, Flashes has proved to be worth the hype for me; mind you, my post growth-enhancing-serum lashes are quite long, full, and naturally curly (no eyelash curlers in these shots), so maybe it wouldn't fare that great on shorter and sparser lashes - I can't vouch for that. What is your current favorite mascara? Do you tend to stick to the drugstore or like to splurge on a high-end one?