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Holy grail mascara?

92 replies

PitPatKitKat · 04/02/2016 10:42

Searching for a great mascara, one can I just buy again and again.

My favourite ever mascara was Cil a Cil by Bourjois (sadly discontinued many moons ago).

It added length and volume, could be layered in many thin coats without flaking, sumdging or clumping, looked dramatic but lashes were still natural and glossy looking.

So I am looking for something similar. Most things I have tried recently are too much about volume so end up flaky/clumpy, e.g. Benefit They're Real or Chanel Le Volume.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance

OP posts:
Busyhazel · 06/02/2016 16:11

Have used Clinique high impact for years and thought I'd try something else. Bought they're real by benefit. Big mistake don't like applicator and it flakes a lot. Back to Clinique unless I try Dior show, opinions in this please!!

HLO · 06/02/2016 16:40

L'Oreal Million Lashes, No. 7 Intense Volume, Rimmell Waterproof Mascara. Depends on your lashes too but these are all non clumpy and define long lashes well!

BuzzardBird · 06/02/2016 16:50

I think I will check out what the latest Dior Show wand is like. Let me know how you get on Pit as I can't walk around the shops yet so need to order on-line. Sounds like your choice would also be mine.

Madz1982 · 06/02/2016 17:21

@PitPatKitKat no don't think so. Here is a link to the ingredient etc.. www.youniqueproducts.com/products/view/US-11101-02#.VrYqxUXfXCQ
This has been an interesting thread as I'm always interested in finding good value make up products! X

YesAnastasia · 06/02/2016 18:21

Another Maybelline vote here. At the moment I'm very into The Falsies. I curl my lashes first so it isn't too wet that it straightens them & makes them look amazing and erm, a bit false :)

clairabelle77 · 06/02/2016 19:20

The Tropic Lash Extension kit is amazing! Natural as well! xx

PitPatKitKat · 06/02/2016 19:45

Will do Buzzard. If you don't mind my asking, are you ok (as you can't walk around the shops)?

OP posts:
BuzzardBird · 06/02/2016 19:47

Thank you Pit I'm fine, have just had surgery on my knee, not quite up to trawling the shops yet. (A lot less painful than pre-surgery though) Smile

PitPatKitKat · 07/02/2016 07:48

Ooh, hope it heals quickly. Glad to hear the surgery has made a difference Smile.

OP posts:
ButtonTum · 07/02/2016 08:42

YSL false lash effect (effet faux cils). Tried other brands and always revert to this one.

Iusedtosleepbeforehavingkids · 07/02/2016 14:32

I went through all manner of mascaras that all seemed to bleed into my eye socket and make me look like a reverse panda. Last year I discovered tubing mascaras and will never go back to regular mascara again. I love Blinc amplified. Never comes off no matter what. ONLY comes off with warm water and pressure. Forms little tubes around your eye lashes I love it.

PitPatKitKat · 07/02/2016 16:58

Ok, so tomorrow I am going to

Boots
John Lewis
Harvey Nicks
Space NK

Any last minute additions to the list?

OP posts:
Twinklestein · 07/02/2016 18:10

I swap between Diorshow(s) and Hypnose. Tried all the others and those are the best. Hypnose just edges it for me.

Bluetang · 07/02/2016 18:33

I've found Chanel Le volume to be a very superior mascara, I don't have any issues with flaking and also it is particularly easy to remove which in my book is very positive too!

FundraisingPTABitch · 07/02/2016 18:42

diorshow

Bavmorda · 07/02/2016 19:00

Another vote for Urban Decay Perversion.

sirmione · 07/02/2016 21:43

Alexandra Steinherr (Glamour mag) always raves about Helena Rubinstein mascaras. Just got my first one and she's right, 'tis brilliant - hands down best ever mascara I've tried. You can't buy them over the counter in the UK, but think Amazon UK will deliver.

HoneyDragon · 07/02/2016 23:21

I picked up Maybelline Illegal definition in B&M today for two quid. I'm impressed. It really really lengthens and separates but looks very natural.

PitPatKitKat · 08/02/2016 10:28

Right, off to the shops then.

Ordered some stuff off Amazon Prime yesterday that I won't be ale to find in the shops too, so will test that when I get home (chocolate shop downstairs will take in parcel if I am out).

OP posts:
PitPatKitKat · 08/02/2016 14:19

So the amazon man caught me just as I was leaving, so I tried the blinc mascara I ordered. Was sufficiently taken with it to order the Blinc Primer for delivery tonight. I liked the sleek glossiness of it, plus really like the brush. Lengthened and defines well. Not quite enough oomph for me, even with a few coats hence ordering the primer.

Pretty unimpressed by most of the things I tried at the counters to be honest.

Diorshow, pretty good but I think that thing about them all begin the same formula put me off. Chanel- have tried both inimitable and le volume before but really they aren’t for me. Le Volume is too flaky and I don’t like rubber brushes (Inimitable), always end up with cloggy lashes. So tried the Sublime one and didn’t like that brush either. Benefit, just pushed “They’re Real” even when I said I had tried it before and didn’t like it, so I just left it ( I had a sample of the Roller one before too and thought it was too plasticky).

Realised I was being very hard to please and wondered why, then remembered that a lot of the counter brands test on animals again to get into China and got very discouraged.

Had a light bulb moment about why I haven’t found a decent mascara in years- I’d been buying from organic brands online and not finding one, whilst avoiding the counters. Never found an organic one that didn’t smudge. Then started going to counters again sometimes when the no testing on animals in Europe thing came in. But I realise I’m still not comfortable buying from a brand that tests to get into China/doesn’t take ethics seriously. And that pretty much rules out everyone with a counter.

I kind of got out of the habit of thinking about it with all the years buying from the cruelty free/organic websites where evrything is cruelty free or it’s not on them. I’ve had lots of free samples off magazines in the last year or so to keep me going (Clinque, Benefit) when i gave up on the organic one and bought one before Xmas (Chanel Le Volume) and just never really liked it. And I’m now a bit ashamed of myself that I let my standards slide.

In a nutshell I can’t find an organic/natural one that performs well enough to be regular buy and I’m not happy buying one that isn’t properly cruelty free.

So I bought a new frying pan in John Lewis so I can make pancakes tomorrow as our current one is sticking, had a hot chocolate and came home.

Did some internet research and found out that Chantecaille don’t test on animals and don’t sell in China. So will head up to Space NK tomorrow, think they have a Chantecaille counter, didn’t get that far today. Although one of their mascaras is £60. Encouraged by google telling me that blinc don’t test on animals, so maybe that one with the primer is the way to go.

OP posts:
Granard · 08/02/2016 15:07

Blinc is amazing. I found out about it from a recommendation on this forum and haven't looked back. If you use the primer, you can build up your length and thickness before applying the mascara. Best of all, it comes off with water and pressure only so you don't need make up remover and it won't come off if you swim, unless you rub your eyes.
I think Strawberry.net is cheapest place to buy it.

PitPatKitKat · 08/02/2016 15:55

Granard I'm starting to get excited about the idea of buying a dark brown blinc as a sleep mascara.

So far I have rubbed my eyes whilst cooking, and no black smudges or flakes. I do rub my eyes a lot forgetfully, hence my disillusionment with the organic mascara market.

Looking forward to getting the primer tonight to add volume.

OP posts:
bigbuttons · 08/02/2016 16:06

I have a no.7 tubing mascara. I really like it, no more panda eyes. I'll check out the blinc one when this one finishes. I could never go back to 'normal' mascara's again.

DarkBlueEyes · 08/02/2016 16:09

I have real mascara issues. Nearly everything smudges or flakes on me, high end, and low end. I HAD found my holy grail, it was Maybelline Define-a-lash waterproof. Then the feckers discontinued it. I still buy it off eBay. however I've just discovered the new Bobbi Brown one, think it's called Intensifyer Long Lasting mascara. Tiny brush to catch all the hairs and it doesn't smudge or flake (miracle). So far so good. Still stocking up on my Maybelline one though...

Granard · 08/02/2016 16:20

Blinc primer and mascara.

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