Let's Talk About Lashes

In my last post, I said that I don't normally buy drugstore makeup since you can't try it before you buy it. However, I want to make a correction on that statement. There is one drugstore cosmetic product that I almost always choose over its high-end counterpart and that's mascara. Even though they might not be packaged as nicely and carry the clout of a brand name, I've found that some drugstore mascaras do exactly what I and most other mascara-wearers are looking for...volumize, lengthen, curl and darken.



My hands-down favorite drugstore mascara is L'Oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black because it dramatizes my lashes just the way I like. It's nearly indistinguishable from one of my favorite high-end mascaras, Diorshow BlackOut. They both thicken, lengthen, and darken and they both have fat brushes, but at $7.29, it's more than $16 less than the Diorshow mascara ($24). I haven't tried mascaras from luxury brands like Lancome, Yves Saint Laurent or Shu Uemura, but because they are owned by L'Oreal, I wouldn't be surprised if the formulations were similar to the company's consumer products found at drugstores.

Another drugstore mascara that I use often is Almay One Coat Triple Effect in Blackest Black. This mascara is perfect for everyday as it creates alluringly long, voluminous and curled lashes without being overly dramatic. Super-volumizing mascaras like Diorshow, Benefit Badgal and L'Oreal Voluminous tend to clump, but it only adds to their effect...however, this mascara is more liquidy and less likely to clump so it looks more natural.

What drugstore mascaras do you like?