Ask any woman which makeup product she wouldn’t leave home without first applying, and our bets are on mascara. Mascara has come a long way since its lumpy, clumpy beginnings. And with today’s advanced formulations, achieving long, fluttery lashes that demand attention is as easy as a few flicks of the wrist (and a few spins of the brush as you’ll find out!). Here’s the latest in lash stash.
Body Builder: Lamas Beauty Lash Masque is not actually a mascara at all. This natural eyelash builder and fortifying treatment coats lashes in rich emollients, strengtheners and conditioners, making even the finest lashes stronger and healthier while helping to prevent breakage. Lash Masque tints lashes with non-irritating, all-natural color that doesn’t smudge, clump or flake. Great for use as a brow definer too. Get it for $20 at www.lamasbeauty.com or most Whole Foods stores.
Super Plumper: Having wowed beauty insiders with their award-winning Lip Venom plumper, DuWop takes on lashes with an Italian-made formula that delivers volume, length and definition. DuWop Lash Venom boasts a combo of spheroidal powders and flexible fibers that wrap each lash completely for superb magnification and length. Great for layering when upping the volume for a daytime to evening look. Get it for $24 at Sephora stores and Sephora.com.
Back Lash: Who said lash applicators have to play it straight? Givenchy has introduced a radically new spherical-shaped brush that gives you the precision of an artist. Shaped like a ball with carefully distributed bristles, the Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes magic wand allows for amazingly precise application and superior separation of the lashes. Plus, we think it’s just fun to use. Get it for $27 at Sephora stores and Sephora.com.
Lush and Lovely: Diorshow Mascara from Dior has long ruled the charts of mascara greatest hits. Now the new Diorshow Iconic Mascara takes it up a lash with an innovative plastic comb applicator with long, skinny teeth that coat each lash one-by-one for a separated fan of lashes. The extra-hold formula provides smudge-proof, 24-hour-curl. For extra dazzle, top it with a layer of Diorshow Black Out Mascara. Get Diorshow mascaras ($24-$27) at Sephora, Sephora.com and fine department stores.
Hollywood Lengths: Dubbed “lash socks,” Too Faced Lash Injection mascara builds tiny tubes around each lash. Unique elastic polymers fatten and stretch beyond the natural lash to add volume, curl and length that mimics the look of pricey lash extensions. The giant wand makes application quick and easy and the formula is weather-proof yet washes off with soap and water. Also now available in Lash Injection Pin Point — the same tube formulation with a long thin wand that allows for more precise application. Get them each for $19.95 at www.toofaced.com or Sephora stores and Sephora.com.
Glam for the Masses: Good news for fans of tube technology! L’Oreal Paris has introduced Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara at an affordable price point and backed by the company’s innovative technology. The two-step mascara has a base coat applicator on one end that coats lashes in a nourishing primer. The other end has a patent-pending, gel-polymer base that completely envelops each individual lash, creating tubes of color that extend lashes up to 80 percent. The formulation dries quickly and is long-wearing, water-resistant and resists smudging, flaking, running and smearing. L’Oreal Double Extend launches will be available at chain drugstores, supermarkets and mass market retailers in November 2008 for $10.95. More at lorealparisusa.com.
Splash and Spin: A battery-operated mascara? Huh? As gimmicky as it sounds, SPINLASH mascara creates beautifully separated, curled lashes in no time flat. With a quick click of the up arrow, this truly revolutionary applicator wand rotates for precise separation on the upper lashes. Click the down arrow for a quick flash of mascara on the lower lashes. Get it for $19.99 at www.spinlash.com.
Lash Tips
How old is that tube? If it’s going on 3 months or more, pitch it! The older mascara gets, the more gloppy the formulation will be when applied. Another rule of thumb: the bigger the brush, the more quickly the formula will dry up because more air is being pumped into the tube.
Sharing is not caring. The sensitive membranes around the eyes are harbors for bacteria. Sharing your mascara with your best friend is a no-no. Ewww!
Still not sure which mascara to choose? Try Sephora’s Lash Stash, a sampler set of 10 best-selling mascaras. The kit includes travel sizes of Smashbox Bionic Mascara; Sephora Atomic Volume Mascara; Vincent Longo The Curl Mascara; Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara; Too Faced Lash Injection Pin Point Mascara; Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara; Urban decay Big Fatty Mascara; DuWop Lash Venom Mascara; Korres Deep Colour Mascara; and Cargo Texas Lash Mascara. Get it for $35 (an $85 value) at Sephora stores and Sephora.com.
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