Cheap But Not That Cheerful: Wet n Wild MegaImpact Mascara

I've decided to come down from my high-end make-up cloud for a little bit and review the mascara I'm currently using: the Wet n Wild MegaImpact Mascara in Very Black ($3.99 for 0.27 fl oz/ 8 ml). There's something slightly tongue-in-cheek in seeing this neon orange tube between the restrained black packaging of my Bobbi Brown corrector, MUFE powder or BECCA concealer compacts that I rummage through every morning. The ridiculous exclamatives on the packaging just add to the effect: '8 Times Impact! Lifts for Drama! Longest Thickest Lashes Ever! Dramatic Impact!'. I believe this is also the cheapest mascara I've ever used, free mascara samples notwithstanding.

The Wet n Wild MegaImpact has the classic wiry-bristled brush, tapering off at the end - this is where a huge glob of black tar tenaciously positions itself every time you pull out the wand, which then has to be wiped off somewhere. Despite this generous deposit, there's actually very little product on the rest of the brush when it comes to applying the product. For comparison purposes, the brush is roughly the same size as my defunct tube of Covergirl Lash Blast Volume - meaning, pretty big but still maneuverable on the lashes.

Top: Wet n Wild MegaImpact, bottom: Covergirl Lash Blast Volume.

I do think the marketing folks at Wet n Wild must have a pretty twisted sense of humor: the Mega Impact Mascara is actually one of the most natural-looking mascaras I've tried in a long time. One coat gives slight definition and a little bit of volume, two coats give just a bit more in the volume department. The formula is very, very dry - which is great for separating and defining, but not so much for giving extra oomph to the lashes. I find that for the best results, it's better to comb the mascara from root to tip without too much zig-zagging or wriggling at the lashline, as this method can produce some clumping, especially at the tips of the lashes. It's not very lenghtening at all - but my lashes are pretty long to begin with.

Wearing two coats of Wet n Wild MegaImpact Mascara. There are flakes under my left eye if you peer closely. There were flakes on the cheek in my previous post on Yaby eyeshadows too. L'Oreal HiP Eyeshadow Duo in Electrified on the eyes, NYX Tea Rose on the lips.

Where this mascara unfortunately fails me is the flaking department: it does flake. Not as unexcusably as the Kjaer Weis mascara I've tried last year, but there are flakes - sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes immediately after application, sometimes a couple hours into the wear. To add insult to injury, there's also some transferring onto my browbone in high humidity, which is what we're now starting to get here on the East Coast. There is however one nice thing I can say about this mascara: because of how dry the formula is, the lashes remain pretty soft, flexible and fluttery - but not shiny or nourished like it says on the packaging, let's not kid ourselves, Wet n Wild.

I can't really comment on how long a tube will last you, since for me, it's not exactly usable to begin with; but judging from how dry - how many times can I repeat the word 'dry' in this review? - the mascara is, probably not more than a couple (like one to two) months. As a side note, I'm not a mascara snob by any means; I've actually never purchased a high-end mascara and always choose to go with different drugstore brands, mostly Covergirl or L'Oreal. But, judging from this experience, maybe going for the cheapest mascara at the drugstore is not necessarily the best idea? What are your favorite mascaras at the drugstore I need to check out next?

RockEye: Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Mascara Review

The more accents circonflexes the better, right? This little sample tube of Lancôme Hypnôse Drama was included in the Parisian Sultry set with the Coral Crush palette I reviewed a while ago, and I decided to crack it open just in time for the Holiday travelling.

Here's what it promises to do:
'Get instant lash drama in a single coat with this ultra volume-boosting mascara that’ll take lashes from so-so to show-stopping. The full contact brush, with its S-shaped curve, grasps and loads lashes for a fanned out, full body fringe. Lancôme’s luxe Texturizing Complex features highly saturated waxes and intense black pigments for maximum lash volume. The triple coating system delivers a fluid and creamy application to quickly and easily build big, battable lashes that won’t clump or flake.' (from Lancôme's website)

The mascara retails for $25. As you can hopefully see in the photos, the brush indeed has an interesting shape - it's curved and the bristles are a bit longer on the sides, making for a more challenging application; in fact, almost every time I manage to smear some on my lids, which is easily remedied by a quick swipe of a q-tip. Here are the pros and cons:

What I like:
- the black shade is definitely black enough
- I can get long, full and defined lashes with one coat
- the brush design makes it possible to reach the outer corner lashes
- it holds the curl nicely
- it's quite easy to remove at the end of the day
- it has that mascara scent which I remember Bourjois mascaras used to have and yes, that's a plus for me :)

What I dislike:
- it does flake on me; you can even see it in the photos, which were taken 5 minutes after application
- it also does start to clump after more than 1 coat
- the stopper on the tube is quite loose so that the brush gets overloaded with mascara and the excess needs to be wiped off
- the formula is quite wet, which makes it easier to smear
- it tends to stick to the very tips of my lashes, which makes for a 'spidery' look
- the writing on the sample tube wears off very easily (not sure if the same issue applies to the full-sized tube)
- a word about the marketing blurb: why on Earth is this shade of black 'excessive' and the volume you get with it 'indecent'? It's a freakin' MASCARA, not striptease.

Will I repurchase? Unlikely. Overall, I think it's a decent enough mascara; I especially like that it makes my lashes nice and full and holds the curl very well. However, I'm not impressed with the flakies, and wielding that brush is a bit of a challenge. Well, onto the next one...

Have you ever tried Lancôme Hypnôse Drama? What is your favorite Lancôme mascara?

RockEye: YSL Faux Cils Volume Effet Mascara Review

I've been buying, testing and reviewing different mascaras here on the blog for a while now, but somehow didn't come up with the idea to compile my reviews into their own little series. So, there it is: 'RockEye' is going to be devoted purely to mascaras. Why? Because 1) I like mascara, 2) I'm still on the search for the Holy Grail, 3) I like cheesy word play, 4) At least now you know how to pronounce my blog's name. There!


This time, I got my hands on a sample tube of a cult classic: YSL Faux Cils Volume Effet in 'Noir Radical', which, as I gather, is their 'blackest black'. This is what Sephora has to say about it: 'Yves Saint Laurent MASCARA VOLUME EFFET FAUX CILS Luxurious Mascara achieves an intense, dramatic lash look in a single stroke, for lashes that stop traffic with the blink of an eye. Its secret is the Triple-Film Complex: a film-coating for intensity, a conditioning film for curve, and a fixing film for long-lasting effectiveness.'.

Top: 1 coat, bottom: 2 coats of YSL Faux Cils.

What I like about it:
- It is, indeed, a true black.
- It seems to grab every lash and defines them nicely.
- It adds both volume and a bit of length to my lashes.
- It doesn't clump much when multiple coats are applied.
- It seems to hold a curl quite well, but is not curling on its own.
- It doesn't make my lashes stiff or crunchy.


What I dislike about it:
- It is scented.
- Its formula is quite dry and heavy.
- It can be tricky to apply as the brush is quite large - I always smear it on my lid.
- It doesn't last! Sadly, this mascara doesn't last well on me. After about 6 hours, it starts flaking and transferring on the lower lid.

Will I purchase the full size? Umm, no. I guess that for $30 I'd really like to get more wear out of my mascara - but I do love what it does for my lashes and can definitely see why it has such a cult following. If you're thinking about trying YSL Faux Cils, Sephora's currently giving deluxe samples with a $25 online order; the coupon code is 'FAUXCILS'.

Have you ever tried YSL Faux Cils?