Mascara is my true makeup love! It’s a simple product but it makes such a big difference. My eyes are my favorite feature on myself and I like the way a great mascara makes them stand out. I’m pretty sure there’s a direct correlation between fab lashed and feeling good. For basically 10 years I used the same mascara and only that mascara. In fact, my sister asked me why I was testing new mascaras when I have one that I love already.
SO, why did I start testing new drugstore mascaras when I already had one that I loved? Mostly, I was curious. There are several drugstore mascaras that beauty lovers rave about. I wanted to see them for myself and compare them to my personal favorite. Obviously, there are tons of drugstore options. I chose ones that I’ve seen multiples times- either from my favorite bloggers or magazines.
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Drugstore Mascaras
I have naturally long lashes so I prefer a formula that gives volume rather than length. And of course, I like the darkest shade I can get. Swing by my Instagram feed and see these mascaras in action. 🙂
1. L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise: I wasn’t surprised that I loved this one because I’ve liked all the Voluminous mascaras from L’Oreal that I’ve tried. The internet loves this one too so if you haven’t tried it yet, you totally should!
2. Essence Lash Princess: This mascara seriously impresses me and it’s only $5! I bought falsies to wear for my work’s holiday party but didn’t end up wearing them because this mascara made my real lashes so long. I wore it for the holidays and my blog photos.
3. Maybelline Lash Sensational: It’s surprising that I like this one because the brush is complicated. I didn’t like this one at first but as I got used to the brush I was able to create pretty, full, fan-like lashes.
4. Rimmel ScandalEyes Retroglam: This mascara kinda started this whole blog post. My sister’s friend showed it to me and I was quite impressed by her lashes so I figured I would give it a shot so I could see that what I was using was better. BUT, I was wrong- Retroglam is amazing! The brush is thicker, but it gives some serious volume to my lashes.
5. Maybelline Total Temptation: I saw a few beauty bloggers talk about the Total Temptation line before it was released so I was really excited to try this mascara. It’s really good! The formula leaves lashes feeling soft and creates a nice full shape.
6. L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black: I saved the best for last. This is my HOLY GRAIL!! It’s the one I have been using exclusively for like 10 years and compare all these other mascaras to. I’ve heard that this brush doesn’t work for some people but for me, it creates a perfect everyday look. It’s easy for me to use and consistently looks good.
Extras
There are 2 other products I use to get my complete lash look.
I did say it was my favorite part of makeup, didn’t I?
Primer: It took me a long time to try this because I thought it was just an extra product to buy. I’m so glad I finally did though because it really works. No surprise – it is part of my beloved Voluminous line. I tried each of the mascaras alone and with this primer. If you want a little something extra, give your lashes a coat of this before your mascara.
Bottom lash mascara: My mascara trick is to use a lighter mascara on the bottom lashes. I started doing this several years ago when my bottom lashes were smudging under my eye area. My makeup counter co-worker suggested I use a brown-black instead and I’ve been doing it ever since. This also creates dimension around my eyes and doesn’t pull them down like the dark blacks I use on top. I like Great Lash because it comes in “brownish black” and has a small, thin brush that is so easy to apply under your eyes without much mess. Update: Wet N Wild Skinny Mascara is my current go-to bottom lash mascara. The thin wand makes it perfect to get all my bottom lashes. And the price is great, too!
While I know there are plenty of fabulous high-end mascaras, I can’t bring myself to buy them when I can find one that really amps up my lashes for under $10. Now that I’ve tested these, I want to try more! But honestly, I’ll probably go back to using one tube at a time because it’s easier and saves a few dollars.
Will you try any of these?
What’s your favorite drugstore mascara?
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