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Sunday, January 25, 2015

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?

18 comments:

  1. Oh my God I am BEYOND JEALOUS of your lashes, Monika! They are ridiculously long and fluttery! I have tried Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes, but it really didn't work for me at all. Since Tarte isn't all that available here anyways, I have for the most part forgotten about the brand. For the moment, my favorite mascaras include Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl and Givenchy Noir Couture Volume. Although to be honest, if I could choose ONE lash product to splurge on, it'd be Dior Diorshow Lash Maximizer. With that baby, pretty much any mascara would look more than decent!

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  2. WOWZAHHH! Those are some serious lashes!!! I've been using INGLOT False Lash Effect Mascara since summer and absolutely adore it. I think I will try UD Perversion next just because I'm curious. Unfortunately, Tarte's mascara has something that irritates my eyes. Which is too bad because the formulas are awesome!

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  3. I just want that lipstick! Period. The lashes look seriously lush.. I think I've tried this mascara a while back but cannot remember how it was (it most definitely was a sample) but the way it looks on you I am definitely trying it out! :-)

    TheConscienceFund

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  4. I am not that up-to-date with the whole youtube guru thing but there is someone popping up when it comes to overly enthusiastic tarte raving...anyway, I am currently trying to use up maybelline the rocket with a majolica majorca primer(both pain in the rear to remove but work well enough for me), once I feel like I use it enough(I am a bit too lazy to put on makeup during weekdays so I try to dress up in the weekend)I will switch to kiss me...I guess the most I am willing to go for is Japanese drugstore ones, at least the pretty tubes makes it so much more enjoyable to wear.

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  5. Your lashes look so amazing! It thickens and lengthens so so well, I might have to get this in the waterproof formula (to hold the curl) :)
    https://cherieedle.blogspot.com/

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  6. Your lashes look amazing! I'm definitely intrigued, but when a mascara looks great on someone else it always seems to fall short for me when I try it >.<

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  7. I like the result and I like the packaging. You're so damn right about the hyping xD

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  8. Whoooa love the results! My all time favorite mascara is Heroine Kiss Me long and curl but I've been using Maybelline's one by one waterproof and it's not bad :)

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  9. You have gorgeous lashes to start with, Monika. However, this mascara does make it look like you're wearing some really natural looking falsies. Amazing!

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  10. OMG!!! I want this! I want this! I so love the packaging and the brush looks unique but seems useful. I will check on this....

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  11. TOTAL LASH ENVY. So beautiful! I used to like the original, long ago, but I haven't tried any of the updates. Nowadays I stick to Clinique, mostly, because tubing/fiber mascaras are usually the only things that don't smudge like crazy for me. But I am so envious of the effect of others like this!

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  12. I'm jelly. SO JELLY. Might have to save up for a tube of lash serum because my envy is just too much to handle. :P

    I like the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes a lot for every day use, and I think I have a sample of this one lying around. I didn't like it much, but maybe it's better now that it dried up a bit (or a lot, I can't remember how old it is, lol). I might have to look for it!

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  13. Those lashes though *heart eyes emoji* I never splash out on a higher end mascara but $23 here in Australia is pretty cheap so now I'm kind of regretting not picking up this one while overseas. I stick to my Covergirl-esque mascaras most of the time and adore the Clump Crusher one, and here I was thinking that packaging was a bit 'in your face' - that tube sure is, interesting?

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  14. Yep, yep, your lashes totally look like falsies. ENVY! But such an interesting concept on the combs on this mascara.

    My current mascaras are mostly med-low end price-wise. I'm trying out a DUP brand - it's an Asian brand I found from Uwajimaya and it is a tubing mascara.

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  15. Is this a waterproof version of the Lights, Camera, Lashes? I can only use waterproof mascaras or otherwise everything smudges on me in seconds. Your lashes look fantastic here. I just bought the new Rimmel Wonder'Lash with Argan Oil mascara and it was extremely disappointing.

    I usually stick to drugstore mascaras but I love Buxom Lashes too!

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    1. I think the waterproof version is called Lights, Camera, Splashes, this is the statement version, which isn't waterproof per se but it's more difficult to remove than a regular mascara. Thank you Agata! Oh, bummer about the Rimmel one... I love Buxom Lash too! <3

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    2. Oh, you're right. Splashes.

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  16. Are you sick of hearing how long and luscious your lashes look? No?..ok they are RIDICULOUSLY long and luscious..omg. You are so lucky!! I havent had bad luck with any of my mascaras except for a Guerlain one ( the double ended one) so generally not picky about mascaras but your lashes in these pics...makes me want to run out and buy this ...and then wait 2 weeks til it dries out a bit and start using it after lol

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