BATTLE OF THE DRUGSTORE MASCARAS!

By Kristin M. Ashton

Well, this is a question or a poll many times on the board, people asking for mascara recs. Now I will begin this review by flat-out telling you that I love Make Up For Ever mascara. I use both the regular and waterproof form, without fail one of the best I've ever used, if not the best. However, I know that its not a brand that is readily available, and even if it was, we all have different tastes and budgets (my own budget varies from month to month !)…whether you’re a drugstore makeup aficionado, on a budget, or looking for an inexpensive desk or purse ‘double’ for on the go touchups, there are some quality products out there to choose from.

That being said, I decided to review and rate (1-5 stars) several drugstore mascaras for several things such as scent, texture, ease of application, effect on the eye, staying power and in most cases, the shower test. What is the shower test? That's when Kristin the Panelist is lazy and jumps in the shower before removing her eye makeup, and finds out how well the mascaras (waterproof and non-waterproof) stand up in the humid, wet shower environment. Needless to say, some are just not my cup of tea at all, and some others really impressed me. So here's the lowdown on what I reviewed and how they stacked up! I wish I could have reviewed more, like from Max Factor and perhaps Jane or Prestige, but hey, you have to start somewhere and for now, I am already mascara-ed quite enough, thank you.

MASCARAS REVIEWED (12 TOTAL):

Almay Amazing Lasting (black)

ALMAY AMAZING LASTING, 4.5 STARS
This drier formula felt the most like the Make Up For Ever mascara in that it goes on slightly dry in feeling. The scent was not obvious or unpleasant. It did not clump at all on application, lasted well thru the day and separated the lashes well. It did not noticeably lengthen my lashes; mainly, it gave them additional thickness with separation. A good formula overall, in my opinion, and a top choice out of the lot IF you don’t need a lot of length or waterproof formulas. Shower test ? Smudged somewhat, not as clean rinsing as the MUFE but on the other hand, did not have to take it off with a lawnmower, either. I liked it.

ALMAY ONE COAT WATERPROOF, 1.5 STARS
I just never can get used to the smell of waterproof formulas, though I depend on them onstage and in the summers ! Slightly greasy in texture, which is to be expected, this took too long to dry and was sloppy in application. Neither volumizing or lengthening enough for me, I have found better waterproof formulas. You have to apply and apply and then run the risk of clumping or smearing. It lasted well once it dried, but I have little patience in the mornings as it is. No go on this one. There are better waterproof mascaras on the market.

REVLON COLORSTAY, 3.5 STARS
I just can’t get into most Revlon stuff for some reason, but this product is not too bad. Very mild scent, and a nicely dry texture, it feels similar to the Amazing Lasting BUT the brush has got to go. The bristles are too long, so long that when I first withdrew the want from the tube, they were actually flattened against the wand, totally gooped up with mascara. Yuck. It dried relatively quickly, and lasted fine. In the shower, it had some resilience, smudging and finally breaking down if touched but actually pretty persistent. Change the brush and its not too bad at all.

L’OREAL COLOUR ENDURE, 2 STARS
Um, no way. I know that’s harsh, but its harsh because I expect more from L’Oreal than this. As one of the best drugstore lines, in my opinion, this is just sub-par. Now this is only my opinion and I know that…but this formula’s brush puts way too much on my lashes way too fast, resulting in slow drying time, smudges, and having to comb it out. It is very stinky, even though its not waterproof ….and it has the funky wetness and slick feel of waterproof mascaras. It felt weighty on the lashes and I don’t like that. My main beef is the combing out, though….now maybe I am lazy but I expect mascara wants to do that job for me, and I have found mascaras that do so why should I settle for less ? To its credit, once it (FINALLY) dried, it lasted very well thru the day. However, the shower test proved this to be very vulnerable to humidity, so I wonder how enduring this puppy would be in, say, Miami. If you want lasting a long-last formula, stick with the Amazing Lasting or the Colorstay here.

L’OREAL LASH OUT, BOTH FORMULAS, 4 STARS
Now this is a mascara that I’ve always liked because it does exactly what it claims to do. It was my drugstore mascara of choice for a long time, preferred over Lauder, Chanel and many high end lines that I’d tried. It was not until Make Up For Ever, in fact, that I found one I would stick with more, and other than this one, only the Amazing Lasting by Almay came close to winning me over. If you don’t need longer lashes, stay away because it will make them look longer, and that’s about it. Easy to apply, quick to dry, I would even put up with the stinky waterproof formula to get its superior lengthening qualities. The waterproof formula was not as sticky and greasy as Almay’s One Coat, and the dry-time is not bad. The regular formula dries fast, might clump slightly at the most, and does a great job of lengthening. It seems they have improved the formula as it does not flake as it used to do years ago. I wear contact lenses and neither formula bothered me at all. Shower test revealed the regular formula to be fairly suceptible to humidity; it rinsed away very easily. I’m not wild about the color Soft Black, it just looks a bit dusty on me…I’d prefer black. The waterproof formula held up like a champ. My only suggestion ? Make it a touch drier, as it does sometimes want to clump up a little on application.

L’OREAL VOLUMINOUS, curved brush/straight brush, 4 STARS
This product needs to be renamed, but I still liked it. Something like ‘Loreal Le Naturale’ would suit it better. Basically, both brushes were relatively easy to use, the curved one slightly more effective, the formula was not quite as fast drying but it did not smudge, smear, flake or clump upon application. Its not all that volumizing, in my opinion, but it did give a good, daytime natural lash look, without major lengthening, which in many cases is desirable when you want something really low-key but still definitely enhancing the eye. It felt ‘light’ on the eye and I’d say it’s a great all purpose mascara for already healthy happy lashes. If you want to evenly enhance your lashes more than specifically changing their appearance, this is the way to go. A great no-eyeshadow mascara, when mascara alone would normally stand out too much but you want some ‘punch’.

L’OREAL ACCENTUOUS, 3.5 STARS
This product leaves me a little perplexed. I am not sure why L’Oreal needs it, because the Voluminous mascara is doing the job this one needs to do. The Accentuous formula seems fine; it’s the brush I’m not keen on. Teeny, tapered, it holds way too much product to remain as defining and non-clumping as its supposed to be. This compounds the already slightly slow drying speed of this particular mascara. I don’t blame the formula, because once I messed with it and messed with it, I got a defined slick black lash that was truly slightly more defined than the eye with the Voluminous on it. HOWEVER, I don’t have a week to get it right. It was one of the few mascaras which smudged before drying. Change the brush, make it dry faster, and I dig it just fine. Otherwise, a good product is hiding under a bad applicator.

L’OREAL LE GRAND CURL, 3 STARS
Boy, was I curious about this one ! All the buzz out there…..my lashes curl upward somewhat anyway, so I rarely curl them. I wondered, though, what effect this product would have on my eyes. Well, in truth, it did curl them slightly. But on the downside, its stinky, which may or may not matter to you. Beyond that, my only real complaint is it goes on very delicately and lengthens…which is fine if your lashes are fairly thick, but if they aren’t, be prepared to apply…and apply….and apply, and then you may look like you have very long, very sparse curled lashes. Hmm. Mixed feelings on this one. Rinses away VERY easily, so great for quick removal, but stay out of the rain !

MAYBELLINE ULTRA-BIG ULTRA-LASH WATERPROOF, 2 STARS
Argh, change the name already. Saying it makes me feel like I am ordering some silly Rooti Tooti breakfast at IHOP. Maybelline Ultra-Long Ultra-80’s name. Let it go, put the descriptions where they belong…in the description. Also, lose the old time packaging. Cream and Gold ? That’s a china pattern, not a mascara. Now the mascara itself has promise…..the scent is much fainter than the other waterproof formulas. It also was one of the easiest waterproof formulas to remove and was not excessively wet. However, it did want to clump up a bit, and though the formula did lenghten and thicken slightly, it really needs to be improved upon. Perhaps the brush is not the best for this formula….small and tapered like the Accentuous brush, it holds more product than it really should. Some work to do here, though its better than its Almay equivalent.

MAYBELLINE GREAT LASH WASHABLE, 4 STARS
Okay, given its history as one of the best selling mascaras of all time, you KNOW I had to review it in here. I wore Great Lash original formula for awhile and like an old Honda, it will get you where you want to go, without complaint, unless you just have to have a Lexus. This formula seems better than the original pink tube….so I have to say it: I like this mascara. The fat brush holds the right amount of product. The black tube is attractive (though I still hate the little pink and green stripes). The product dry time is not bad, and it did not clump at all, lengthened and separated and in general behaved itself. Its slightly more resilient than a regular mascara - but not waterproof - which can work for and against someone….its going to last well, but when you take it off, it will require a little more effort than removing the more water soluble formulas…so take that as a plus and minus. For the minimal expense, this is a good product that does what it supposed to do without a lot of fanfare.

SUMMARY

To recap: I liked Almay Amazing Lasting, L’Oreal Lash Out and Voluminous, and Maybelline Great Lash Washable the best. Amazing Lasting and Voluminous provide natural, balanced eye effects, while Lash Out and Great Lash provide slightly more lengthening. Other formulas, like Colorstay and L’Oreal Accentuous might benefit from different brushes; otherwise they seem more cumbersome than they need to be. Almay One Coat Waterproof, L’Oreal Colour Endure and Maybelline Ultra-Big Ultra-Lash need some major changes to win my vote. There’s an awful lot of mascaras out there, so there’s not a lot of room for error. Let’s get it right, people !

Hope this helps in your drugstore mascara selection!