Maybelline I See Blue Great Lash Mascara

Whether you love it or hate it, Great Lash is a classic mascara. I remember using the original Great Lash when I first started wearing mascara! Today, it isn't my favorite, or first choice when it comes to the many options at the drugstore. That aside, I am so happy that my mom bought me this limited edition mascara. The color is so bright, and unexpected! 

The shade is called 'I See Blue', and it's a gorgeous bright royal blue.

I really love the way that the blue color brightens up the makeup look. It's so unexpected, and it really makes the lashes pop! 

Claims: "Conditions as it thickens. Achieve a full lash look without clumps."

Formula: The formula feels a little dry, but not overly dry, it's smooth and creamy. The color is so bright and it doesn't need more than two coats to look good.

Wand Type: The wand is made of spiraled traditional bristles. It is the same shape as the original Great Lash mascara.

Price/Availability: This was a gift, but I've seen this collection at Walgreens and WalMart

There are a few other shades in this collection, but this is the only one that I have tried. 

Likes:

• Bright color
• Only a few coats needed to get full color
• Formula is easy to apply/ non-clumping
• Makes lashes appear fuller/thicker
• Lives up to claims

Dislikes:

• Limited edition
• The wand shape is okay/nothing too special

Overall:
If you're looking for a mascara to liven up your look, this is the one to get. I enjoy the pigmentation and ease of use with this mascara. 'I See Blue' is probably the easiest colorful mascara I have ever worked with, because it doesn't need to be layered. The formula is on the dry side, but it isn't anywhere near flaky. It made my lashes appear fuller and thicker, but it didn't lengthen much. The wand is very ordinary, but it gets the job done. 

Overall, I really adore this blue on the lashes! I just think it's different and fun to wear. I've always liked the idea of colorful lashes, but never actually found a decently pigmented mascara until now. Good job Maybelline, I'm impressed! 

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L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess Mascara

I remember back when the original L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara was released, it seems so long ago now! I haven't bought it since, because I remember it not doing much for my lashes. With that said, I had a feeling that this mascara wasn't going to impress me either. It's actually the worst mascara from L'Oreal that I've ever tried..

The packaging on the Excess version is very similar to the original. The only difference is that part of the tube is metallic red. 

The wand is quite large. It's very long and consists of tiny rubber bristles. The bristles aren't too hard, but they aren't soft either. In the photo you can't really tell how much mascara is on the wand, but it's way too much. It's all caked in between the bristles! 

Here are the results! As you can see my lashes are all spiked together in scraggly mess. Even when I tried wiping off the wand, I still had the same results. I absolutely hate the way that this mascara made my lashes look and feel. Just dreadful.
Claims: I can't find any claims on this mascara other than the ones stated on the packaging. 'Intense maximized volume. No clumps clean sweep wiping system."
Formula: The formula was very wet and heavy on my lashes.  Once it dried it felt crunchy and flaked tons throughout the day. 
Wand Type: The wand is made of tiny rubber bristles that are evenly spread apart. The wiping system looks like it does a good job, but the wand actually still packed with too much mascara, I demonstrate this in my video review.  
Price/Availability: I paid $8 at Harmons in Bed Bath and Beyond

Likes:

• Formula is very black

Dislikes:

• Clumps and spikes my lashes together
• Wiping system doesn't work 
• Lashes feel and look crispy 
• Weighs lashes down
• Formula is too wet
• The wand is too long/difficult to work with
• Wand is loaded with too much mascara
• Doesn't live up to claims

Overall:
I didn't have very high hopes for this mascara, but at the same time I wasn't expecting to hate it. This is the worst L'Oreal mascara I've ever tried. It didn't live up to any of the claims that were stated on the packaging. (I still can't find any other official claims, but when I do I will update this review). 

The 'clean sweep' wiping system didn't do anything at all, the amount of mascara on the brush was still too much to work with. The  heavy and wet formula weighed my lashes down. Once it dried, my lashes looked and felt extremely crunchy. It flaked off like crazy throughout the day, and also smudged on my lower lash line. 

Overall this mascara didn't do anything for my lashes other than make them look terrible! I'm not saying that everybody should hate this mascara, but I'm just letting you know that I absolutely hate it. I tried to make it work so many different ways, but nothing helped. I am a fan of many L'Oreal mascaras, but this one is last on my list.

You can check out my review and demo of this mascara here on YouTube! 

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Covergirl Flamed Out Mascara

Covergirl mascaras aren't my favorite, but that doesn't mean that I wasn't excited when I saw this at the drugstore! I always enjoy trying new mascaras, and new products in general. In my What's New at the Drusgtore for Covergirl post, many of you also said that you were excited about this mascara, and I can understand why. It's actually better than I expected, and so far it's the only Covergirl mascara that I enjoy using! 

The packaging is a bit different from what Covergirl usually does, I'm liking  the colors! 

The wand is made entirely of traditional bristles that taper in the middle, creating an hourglass-like shape. The end is blunt, and has excess mascara, but I never had any problems with it. I found that this wand reached all of my lashes and didn't over coat them.

Here are the results! I love the way that this mascara gave amazing volume and curl to my lashes (even my straight ones).The overall look is natural, but still noticeable. My lashes didn't feel heavy or droop at all during the day. It also does a nice job on lower lashes! 


Claims: "Ignite every lash. Make a bold statement with winged lashes that curve up and out. The unique wire brush coats your lashes for an instant volume boost."
Formula: The formula is volumizing, and it gives great definition and length. It feels like I'm not even wearing mascara, and it gives a very natural finish. It doesn't feel wet or dry, it's perfectly in the middle. 
Wand Type: The wand is made of traditional bristles that are pinched in the middle, creating an hourglass-like shape. Since the wand is quite bulky, people with smaller lashes or eyes may find application difficult with this mascara.
Price/Availabilty: My mom bought this for me:) it was $6 at Walmart

Likes:

• Lashes feel weightless
• Gives definition, length, and dark color 
• Lashes have a fluttery, natural finish
• Traditional bristles 
• Lasts all day, no flaking/drooping
• Layers well (meaning you can do multiple coats without getting clumps)
• Works nicely on lower lashes too
• Formula isn't too wet or too dry

Dislikes:

• The wand may be bulky for some people
• The wand end has extra mascara goo

Overall:
This is the first Covergirl mascara that I actually like! I found that all of the claims that Flamed Out made to be true, which is rare with any mascara. It gave my lashes excellent curl and volume that lasted all day. It even made my straight lashes stay put! It also managed to feel weightless and make my lashes look perfectly defined and fluttery. The wand may be bulky for some people, but I had no problems with it. I enjoyed the traditional bristles and the unique shape of the wand, which I believe is what really fanned out the lashes.

 I absolutely love this formula, and the wand does a great job. I will be getting lots of use out of this mascara! 

Maybelline Falsies Big Eyes Mascara

When the Falsies Big Eyes hit the shelves, I was beyond excited, since I'm a huge fan of the original Falsies and Falsies Flared. I have never seen Maybelline release a double-ended mascara before. What makes this Falsies Big Eyes unique is that one of the wands is specifically designed for lower lashes. In general, I'm a huge Maybelline mascara fan, but Big Eyes is one of their worst yet.

The packaging reads "360 false lash effect. Lift upper lashes. Magnify lower lashes." The eye that you see in the bottom right corner is the 'result' that Maybelline is promising..which of course is nothing like the actual result! 

This is the Upper Lashes wand, the bristles are spaced far apart and are covered in extra mascara goo. I'm not very happy with this wand, it makes my lashes stick together into a scraggly mess. It's one of the worst wands I've used in a while.

The lower lashes wand is definitely the best part of this mascara. This wand is small enough to coat each tiny bottom lash, and it isn't overloaded with mascara. It's easy to use and defines the lashes, but the formula smudges easily.

Here are the results. This is about three coats. I had tons of clumps towards the tips of my lashes, no length, no definition, and very little volume. My lashes actually drooped down considerably (you can see some of the lashes are actually pointing straight down). I also had major smudging on the bottom lashes (I'm not wearing any eyeliner) and lots of flaking happened throughout my day. Absolutely dreadful.

Claims: "Revolutionary dual-ended Mascara for 360° all around Lash Glam. Two brushes specifically designed for top and bottom lashes. Special quick-dry formula holds lashes in place"
Formula: The formula is super wet. I tried to dry this mascara up by using it as much as possible, and it never happened! The heavy formula weighed my lashes down, causing them to feel heavy and look droopy.
Wand Type: Both wands have traditional bristles. The upper lashes wand is too gunky to work with, but the lower lashes wand is much easier to use.
Price/Availability: I paid $7 at Wal-Mart

Likes:

• Bottom lash wand is nice
• Innovative idea (especially for the drugstore) 
• Tint comes in Blackest Black, my favorite! 

Dislikes:

• Doesn't live up to claims 
• Flakes and smudges rather quickly
• Feels heavy/thick on my lashes
• Bunches the lashes together/no definition
• Upper Lashes wand is extremely messy
• Both formulas are too wet

Overall:
Big Eyes did nothing for my lashes, other than make them black. I was expecting the double ended wand to really give my upper and lower lashes a defined, voluminious look, but that didn't happen. Instead, it gave me messy, clumpy, flaky, and droopy lashes. I was impressed with the lower lashes wand, it was tiny enough to coat every lash. However, the formula smudged very quickly. I wasn't impressed with how heavy that both formulas (which I believe are the same) made my lashes feel. I believe the wetness of the formulas is what caused my lashes to look droopy. 

It's too bad that this one didn't work for me, I really wanted to like it! I even tried wiping off each wand with a tissue before applying, but believe it or not, I still got the same results. The double ended wand isn't a new concept, but a lower lashes wand is something that I've never seen at the drugstore. If the formula wasn't so heavy and wet, I think Maybelline could have had an innovation on their hands.

You can watch my video review here!

Have you tried this mascara? Let me know your thoughts! 

Milani Grandissimo Lashes Mascara

Milani is probably the only drugstore brand that I haven't tried a mascara from! I suppose that I was always drawn to their other products first, and never thought about the mascaras they offered. The huge orange wand stood out to me at the store, and it was on sale. Plus, it's always fun to explore brands that you enjoy! Who doesn't like getting a new mascara? 

I love it when mascara wands are displayed like this in the packaging! That way there's no guessing at what's inside! 

Grandissimo claims to provide incredible volume with its 'mega volume brush'.

On the left without mascara, and on the right with Grandissimo Lashes mascara.

I wasn't too thrilled with my results after using Grandissimo. I didn't get much volume, which is what I expected to see with this mascara. It made my lashes stick together into little clusters, causing them to look spiky. I had a ton of little clumps towards the tips of the lashes. The overall look Grandissimmo gave me was undefined and messy. Yikes!

Claims: "The mega volume brush creates a false lash effect. Dramatically enhances and thickens even the littlest lashes. Long-lasting, smear-proof, and non-clumping formula."

Formula: This formula is definitely on the dry side. It was also a bit thick, gooey, and hard to coat the lashes with. The dryness makes coating the lashes evenly difficult.

Wand Type: Being precise is nearly impossible with this wand, because it's HUGE.  The bristles are packed closely together in a spiral pattern. 

Price/Availability: I paid $5.50 plus tax at CVS

Likes:

• Inexpensive
• Grandissimo is just a cool name!

Dislikes:

• Didn't provide volume (which was the main claim)
• Formula is way to dry/thick
• Gave me clumps
• Caused lashes to stick together
• Wand is too big/difficult to coat lashes with
• Gives an overall messy look

Overall:

No false lash effect here! I tried working with this mascara in different ways (using only one coat, multiple coats, waiting for coats to dry in between, etc). No matter what I tried, my results were still undefined, clumpy lashes. This formula is so dry, that it started to flake off right after application! The gigantic wand made coating all of my lashes evenly a daunting task. I have big eyes, and it was difficult for me to coat my lashes evenly. I couldn't imagine the struggle somebody who has small eyes would have with this mascara. 

Although Grandissimo lashes sounds like it's something grand, it really isn't. This is one of the most disappointing mascaras I've tried in a while from the drugstore. In the meantime, I'll be shying away from Milani mascaras and jumbo wands! 

Have you tried Grandissmo Lashes, or another Milani mascara?

Maybelline the Rocket Mascara

Maybelline makes some of my favorite drugstore mascaras. Whenever they come out with something new, I always want to give it a try! When I first saw that the Rocket Volum' Express mascara had plastic bristles, I was less than thrilled. I usually don't have good experiences with plastic bristle mascara wands, but the Rocket mascara pleasantly surprised me.

I always enjoy vibrantly colored mascara tubes, it's something fun and different.  I love the contrast of the hot pink against the navy blue. At first glance, the wand looks like Covergirl Lashblast. But if you take a closer look, they are different (I might do a compare/contrast post on that topic). Very Black was the darkest  shade available.

This wand is what I like most about the Rocket mascara. The alteration of semi-short to long bristles gives it a comb-like effect. The end does gather excess mascara, and I would have liked more bristles at the tip. It's not my ideal wand, but it's functional and interesting. 

On the left without mascara, and on the right with The Rocket mascara

As you can see, my results were pretty amazing. This mascara curled my lashes, added volume, and a bit of length. I did get a few tiny clumps though. So this mascara isn't clump-free, but it still did a great job at making my lashes light and feathery. It also adds a deep dark black color to the lashes, which I love because my natural lashes are light.

Claims: "Our fast-glide formula keeps lashes smooth, even. Technologically advanced micro- bristles evenly apply from root to tip. Rigid core loads big, sleek volume instantly. Explosive, Clump-free volume with 8x bigger lashes." 
Formula: The formula is wet, but it isn't heavy. The formula is a bit thick, so you have to be careful with how many coats you apply (I only needed two). It dries normally, so you don't feel the need to rush. I also liked how it didn't make my lashes feel crunchy. I didn't get any clumps when I only applied two coats, but any more than that and you will see clumps. 
Wand Type: The wand has medium-length plastic bristles. The bristles are very flixible, and they grab every lash. This wand doesn't deposit too much product like many other plastic bristle wands. I think this is due to the fact that these bristles have a bit of length to them.
Price/Avalability: I paid $5.94 + tax at Target 

Likes:

• The wand is comb-like/interesting
• The formula is wet, but not heavy
• It curled and added volume with a bit of length
• Made my lashes appear bigger
• Deep black color
• Easy to work with
• Inexpensive
• Cute packaging (I really like the pink and navy) 

Dislikes:

• It's not clump-free 
• The wand gets extra mascara at the tip/wastes product
• Formula is thick, use light coats

Overall:
I was surprised that I was even going to like this mascara! I find myself reaching for it almost everyday. It's great for people who want curled lashes with volume.The way that it made my lashes feel light and feathery was wonderful. (I despise mascara that makes my lashes feel crunchy and crispy). The Rocket lived up to all of it's claims, except the part about being clump-free. Even when I only did two coats I had tiny clumps, and one coat just isn't enough to really get all of the lashes. This is one of the better Maybelline mascaras, but it's not a favorite.

I like to use this mascara with a lengthening mascara. It's a great "base" mascara to get your lashes to curl first. People who have stubborn lashes like me know the layering method all too well! On a side note, I found this really cute interactive animation  about The Rocket on Maybelline's website. I've never seen a company do something like that before. I thought it was really different and cool. 

Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara

In general, I am not a Covergirl mascara fan. I have tried every mascara in the Lash Blast line and none of them really worked for me. When Clump Crusher hit the shelves,  the curved brush stood out to me. I gave in after seeing the flashy bright green tube, oh why must new mascara be so tempting? 

Claims: "A revolutionary new mascara, provides 200% more volume, and clump-free separated lashes even after 30 coats!"
Formula: I absolutely hated how dry, thick, and messy this formula felt on my lashes! It was so thick that it made my lashes spike together at the tips, giving me a weird spidery look. The formula is so dry, that when I applied multiple coats it flaked, everywhere. It made my lashes feel heavy and crunchy,  it was just dreadful. There was a bit of clumping, but only at the end of my lashes. 
Wand Type: The wand is just like the original lash blast but slightly curved. I really liked how the curve was a gradual curve, and not an extreme C shape curve. The small rubber bristles deposit too much product, and are too short to comb through the lashes. This is why I dislike the Lash Blast line, all of the bristles are so short that they don't separate the lashes properly.
Price/Availability: I paid $8.00 at CVS 

Results:
This mascara didn't do much for me. The lashes look very spiky and unnatural. I prefer separation and length, which Clump Crusher just doesn't have (my lashes are naturally that long). If you look closely at the tips of my lashes, you can see that there are clumps. Normally the outer corner of my lashes don't droop down as they are in the picture. This happened due to the thickness and heaviness of the formula. Clump Crusher doesn't live up to any of its claims! 

Likes:

• The packaging is different, I haven't seen a green mascara tube at the drugstore
• The gradual curve on the brush fits many eye shapes 

Dislikes:

• The formula is way too dry and thick
• It made my lashes spike together at the tips 
• Doesn't separate the lashes
• The small rubber bristles deposit too much product and can't comb through lashes
• There was clumping at the tips of my lashes

Overall:
This mascara isn't for me. As I said before, I'm not a fan of Covergirl mascaras and I was just hoping that the curved brush would offer something different. The small rubber bristles aren't good enough for separating through the lashes. Also, the short rubber bristles cause the mascara to settle in the wand a lot faster, and I find myself constantly wiping off excess product. Mascara shouldn't make your lashes look crunchy or heavy, and that's why I really hated Covergirl's Clump Crusher. 

On a side note, I want to congratulate the two winners of my giveaways: Deb Anderson (won the Living Clay Company prize) and Rabia Akhter (won the Emani Minerals prize).  I hope everyone is having a nice holiday! I am so ready for all of the new 2013 beauty products that are coming out. I just bought the Maybelline Color Whisper lipsticks and I will be doing a review shortly! 

Revlon Photoready 3D Volume Mascara

When I'm shopping for a new mascara at the drugstore, Revlon isn't the brand that usually comes to mind. I've never liked any of their mascaras in the past, but I decided to try this one anyway! 

I always like it when mascaras are packaged like this, so I can see the actual brush. Sometimes the illustrations on the packages aren't accurate. 

As you can see, the end of this wand is rounded, which is great for the inner lashes. I even like to use it for the bottom lashes. 

Claims:
" The exclusive reflective formula magnifies and multiples the look of your lashes, easily creating the appearance of bigger, bolder volume. The brush has a special lash-accentuating tip that reaches every last lash to provide dimension to the extreme."

Ingredients:

Price:
I bought mine for $8 at Target.

Formula: 
Not too dry, not too wet. It does get a little thick the longer you keep it. There is no separator in the tube, so sometimes the end gets excess mascara. There is no strong scent 

Wand Type: 
This is a long wand with extra long plastic bristles. I usually don't like plastic wands, but this one is amazing at coating each lash.

Here's a view from far away. You can see that the bristles are extra long, especially for a plastic-bristle wand. The ends do tend to get gooey, but I just wipe it away with a clean tissue. 

Here's a close-up of the wand. These bristles grab every lash, especially with the little ball at the end of the wand. That's what allows you to really get into the smaller hard-to get lashes. 

Before the mascara...

and after..!

I'm quite pleased with the length that this mascara gives. It did a great job at really coating every last lash, even the ones in the inner corner! I suggest only doing one to two coats, any more than that and it starts getting clumpy (as you can see from the outer corner of my lashes). 

Likes:

• separates each lash
• lengthens 
• separates (as long as you only do a light coat)
• the wand is perfect to reach every lash
• makes lashes appear thicker 

Dislikes:

• dries quickly
• lashes feel super crunchy 

Overall:

This mascara is awesome for lengthening and separation! I've never seen a mascara at the drugstore with this type of wand before. The bristles on the wand allow you to reach and coat every lash, even the smaller, inner-corner lashes. It does make the lashes feel really crunchy once they dry, but It isn't a problem for me. It also makes the lashes thicker, which I like. I didn't get any volume or curl, but that's not what this mascara claims, so I wasn't expecting it.

Overall, this mascara is perfect for length, thickness, and separation. I would definitely repurchase this in the future! I've been using it every day since I bought it. I'm addicted! 

1930s Vintage Maybelline Cake Mascara!

I've been wanting a vintage cake mascara for soooo long! When I found this one on E-Bay, for only thirteen dollars, I had to buy it. It's in pretty good condition for being used. All of the other vintage cake mascaras that I've come across have been either way over-priced, or in horrible condition. Some were even over-priced and in horrible condition! I'm so happy that I finally found one in good condition, and for a great price. 

This is the outside packaging. It kind of reminds me of a box of matches, because of the way that it opens. The top easily slides off, revealing the cake inside. 

The Packaging Reads:
Maybelline Mascara 
Harmless, Tear Proof, Will not smart the eyes
Maybelline Co. Distr. Chicago, U.S.A. 

It's a bit hard to see in the photo, but the end of the brush reads Maybelline. You can also see remnants of the word Maybelline on the cake itself. It is more visible in person. I did some research and found that the formula was made of a mixture of sodium stearate soap and pigments, extruded into strips, stamped and dried. The cake was applied with the small brush,  which would have been wet before rubbed into the cake. 

In 1932, Maybelline started using the word "mascara" instead of "eyelash darkener".  I believe that this mascara is probably from 1932-1939.  I noticed that my box here is different than many of the other boxes depicted in many of the Maybelline ads. The ones in the ads were made of metal, and mine is cardboard. In September of 1932, a special 10-cent package of Maybelline cake mascara was sold in drugstores, and described as "purse-sized". I believe that's what I have here, because the 10-cent promotion popularized the cake mascara, and then larger, more elaborate boxes were sold. If only the price was listed on the box, I would know for sure. Nevertheless, it's still a cool piece of makeup history that I'm happy to own. 

Here is an ad that focuses on the cake mascara itself! See how there is a latch at the bottom of the box? That is the 75-cent version that came out after the 10-cent version. There are a few other ads that also feature the mascara in the metal case. 

Maybelline is one of my favorite drugstore brands, and I've always been interested in their history, well makeup history in general! I hope that I'll be adding more pieces like this to my collection. I wish there was some sort of makeup history museum.. anyway, I hope you found this post interesting! 

If you would like to read more about Maybelline history check out the links below:
-Maybelline Timeline
-Maybelline Wiki
-Video on Maybelline History
-How Maybelline Began

Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara!

 I was so excited to try this mascara! I first read about it on one of my favorite blogs, Beauty Junkies Unite. There weren't very many reviews on this mascara at the time, so I really just wanted to try it for myself. I bought mine at Target for $7 with tax.

Claims: "Massive yet supple lashes"

Instructions: "For best results, apply the Flexor brush against the lashes and sweep from root to tip until a full plush look is achieved"

Ingredients: see photo

Application: This would be a great mascara for a beginner because it's so user-friendly. What I mean is, the tapered bristle allows every lash to be coated effortlessly. There is no fussing with this mascara.

Wand: "Our patented Flexor brush coats every lash with supple volume" Everything about this wand is unique. The wand itself is very flexible. I'm not sure why they made it that way, because I don't really feel that having a flexible wand is necessary. The bristles are made of nylon and taper on both ends. This middle is thick, and grabs every lash. I feel that it makes application fairly smooth and easy.

Likes:

• coats every lash
• volumizes
• lashes do feel light and soft 
• doesn't clump
• gives a some length
• wand and bristles allow for easy application
• only $7
• I really like the teal tube! Such a pretty color(:

Dislikes:

• I don't see the point of having a flexible wand , it's like those Barbies with the flexible arms. It's weird!

Results: 

These are my lashes before and after. I applied 2 coats, and curled my lashes beforehand.

Overall:
I thoroughly enjoy using this mascara. I really like the tapered ends and the thick middle of the wand. I feel that it actually is a lighter formula than most mascaras. My lashes were surprisingly soft and volumized. I even saw a little length. This mascara definitely lives up to its claims. I didn't have any clumps during application, and I applied two coats. This mascara is great for a beginner, or anybody who wants all day volume for their lashes. I highly recommend this mascara, especially since it's only $7 and the teal tube is adorable!