Massive Beauty Purge Project: Mascara
I know I was pretty absent for the past two months with all of the family stuff going on, but I didn’t want to abandon the beauty purge series, since you guys enjoyed the previous posts so much. I finally managed to round up all of my mascaras, and a lot of them were due for a toss. I didn’t think I had all that many, but once I started pulling them out of the drawers and makeup bags, all of a sudden there were 20 tubes sitting in front of me. How did that happen, haha?! 🙂
STARTING POINT:
Chanel BautĂ© Des Cils Nourishing Mascara Base* ($32) – I thought I would use this mascara primer more than I did, but in the end it just sat in the drawer collecting dust.
Chanel Le Volume De Chanel Mascara* ($32) – This is one of my favorite mascaras, and it does it all: builds thickness and volume at the base, lengthens, defines, and conditions my sparse, thin lashes. I just wish it wasn’t so pricey.
Perricone MD No Mascara Mascara* ($30) – I am obsessed with the whole No Makeup line, and I love how this mascara with a unique wand makes my lashes look long, fluffy, and groomed. It’s a great shade of brown, too – not too light, not too dark.
Kevyn Aucoin The Expert Mascara* ($29) – I feel like this mascara got better the more I used it. It’s one of those formulas that starts out wet and needs to thicken a little bit after a few uses. This one is fantastic for curl, length, and definition.
Mirabella Lasting Lash Waterproof Mascara* ($25) – Hands down, one of the best waterproof mascaras! It stays put, doesn’t flake off, and it’s not a huge PITA to remove, unlike some others.
Urban Decay Troublemaker Mascara* ($24) – I wanted to love this new mascara, I really did, but we were not meant to be. Something about the wand makes my lashes look spidery and flat.
L’Oreal Voluminous Primer* ($7.99) – If you use eyelash primers, this one is worth every penny. It works well with all of my mascaras, and gives the most dramatic false lash effect.
L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise* ($9.99) – Seems like this was supposed to be a drugstore dupe for Too faced BTS mascara, but I think they are different. Although wands are similar, I think L’Oreal version gives more length and definition, while BTS gives more volume.
PIXI Lower Lash Mascara* ($11) – If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you probably already know how much I love this mini mascara. I am a total klutz when it comes to doing my lower lashes, so using a teensy wand is super helpful.
L’Oreal Voluminous Feline* ($8.99) – I used this mascara on and off, but I can’t say it won me over. The wand works great for separating the lashes and combing through any clumps, but it just didn’t wow me overall.
Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara* ($27.50) – A cult classic! My mom used to buy this mascara exclusively, and she got me hooked on the formula. The wand is huge, and it covers the entire line of lashes in one swipe.
Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes ($23) – I used to love this mascara a few years ago, but I have since discovered many others that work better for my lashes. My main gripe with this formula was the flaking – it just doesn’t seem to last long on my oily lids.
Wander Beauty Unlashed Volume & Curl Mascara* ($24) – This was my go-to mascara for the past few months. It looks so natural on the lashes, but at the same time makes them look
Manna Kadar Lash Extending Primer* ($20) – I have maybe 3 or 4 of these trial-sized lash primers, and I always bring one along on trips. This tube is due for a toss though.
Bobbi Brown Intensifying Long-Wear Mascara ($30) – One of my personal faves, both for the wand and the formula. It makes my lashes look bold, big, fluffy, and very glamorous.
Blinc Mascara Amplified* ($26) – I never really got into tubing mascaras until I tried this one. It’s smudge-proof, water resistant, oil-proof, and doesn’t melt off even in extreme heat. I am considering buying a replacement after this tube runs out.
Jouer Everyday Effortless Mascara (discontinued) – Aah, what a good mascara this was! Such a bummer it’s been discontinued, because it has one of my favorite wands, and comes in the most flattering shade of brown. Usually brown mascaras look too light on my lashes, but this one was perfect.
Lavera Volume Mascara* ($19) – One of the few natural mascaras I own. It’s good but not exceptional, but I suppose all-natural plant-based formulas have their limitations.
Nu Evolution Mascara* ($29) – One of the better non-toxic formulas out there, and the medium-sized wand makes it easy to apply mascara precisely where I need it. I think it’s time for a toss though, because I’ve been using it for a few months now.
Hush + Dotti Mascara* ($24) – Another wonderful non-toxic mascara. Actually, all of the makeup from this brand has been exceptional, especially the lipsticks. The effect from this mascara reminds me of MAC False Lashes, which I used to buy a lot back in the day.
WHAT’S LEFT:
First of all, wow, I can’t believe I kept this many tubes around for so long! Most of the mascaras in my stash were way overdue for a toss, so I had to say good bye to some of my favorites. I ended up keeping Wander Beauty Unlashed Volume & Curl Mascara* and Blinc Mascara Amplified*, both of which I have been using daily for the past couple of months. I will give them another week or two and probably toss them as well. I also kept Bobbi Brown Intensifying Long-Wear Mascara , Chanel Le Volume De Chanel Mascara*, Perricone MD No Mascara Mascara*, and L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise* because these tubes are still almost brand new. Lavera Volume Mascara* is not new but it still has a month or so to go before I consider tossing it, so I will be using it next after I’m done with Wander Beauty and Blinc. And of course I kept L’Oreal Voluminous Primer* that I use whenever I feel like doing a more dramatic eye look. Seriously, this primer is wonderful!
In other news, I just wanted to let you know that I plan to officially resume the beauty purge series shortly. I still have a lot of products to go through, but it takes time to figure out what stays and what goes, so it might take me another week or so before I share the next one. I must say though, it sure feels good to get rid of expired products!
What’s your go-to mascara? Have you tried any of the products mentioned above? Let me know in the comments below!
*Indicates PR samples.
