Friday, April 2, 2010

Are you wearing false lashes?

That(^) is the question I was asked four times the other day.

Now... Was I actually wearing falsies? Not a chance. I have zero talent for applying them and would much rather just apply coat after coat of regular mascara to make up for it.

I also have no shortage of different mascaras to try/layer/love/hate in my drawers, yet the moment I spot that little "NEW" in the corner of a package I feel an inexplicable pull and find myself instantly drawn to it like a moth to a light. Despite studying advertising and marketing extensively in college, and again now in grad school, and knowing exactly what they're doing to draw me in, I am a marketer's dream.

I will buy anything on the promise of longer lashes, fuller lips, brighter skin, or more voluminous hair.

At least I can admit it, right?

Anyway, I digress.

The point is... I found a new mascara!

I know, I know, you are so surprised!

But come on, ladies, you would be excited, too. I'm pretty sure I hit the lash-trifecta with this one - length, volume, AND long-lasting!



Now, I admit I was a little turned off when I first saw the packaging. I'm not typically a fan of the double-sided mascaras. I've left the house more than once with one eye fringed by white lashes because, in the midst of rushing to get out the door, I completely forgot to put on the second coat of actual mascara over the primer.

Ever shown up to school or work with one white eye? Not cool.

I also find most of the primers in these products to be clumpy and difficult to work with. Do you let them dry first or do you rush to get the mascara on while they're still wet? Which way makes them less clumpy? What makes them flake off?

All in all, I'm just not a fan. It's been years since I purchased one of those products, though, and I managed to convince myself that maybe the formulas had changed enough that my long-lived grudge was now null and void.

What I didn't realize until I tore open the package is that this product is nothing like the primer disasters I had previously encountered. In fact, there is no primer to be seen. First off, both sides are black - no more embarrassing snow-queen lashes!

At first I thought maybe the geniuses over at Maybelline had simply made the primer black to avoid all kinds of humiliating errors, but it then became clear that it was just two separate mascaras. A base coat that gives you astronomical length and can be layered to achieve lashes of drag queen proportions, followed by a top coat to fatten them up a little and make them last all day and night.

No, really, all day and night. I had to put some serious effort into getting it off before bed. The best part is that there is absolutely zero crunch - you know what I'm talking about. That awful clumpy/stiff/uncomfortable look a lot of mascaras get when you've put one too many layers on. It's not pretty. It's not fun. It's not necessary, especially XXL Pro 24HR Bold. It truly feels like there is nothing on my lashes when I wear this - it's soft and pretty and not even one flake comes off.

How much better can it get? I'll tell you - it can't!

This is officially my new favorite mascara... At least until I spot another package with that tiny little "NEW!" in the corner.

[photo credit: maybelline.com]

19 comments:

Mariana on April 4, 2010 at 2:38 PM said...

sounds amazing!!!!! i'll have to go out and GET IT :) x Mariana

leelee on April 4, 2010 at 4:10 PM said...

Do it! You won't regret it, I promise! :)

Dorothy Rimson on April 5, 2010 at 6:36 AM said...

This one looks super-cool....

NotablyNeurotic on April 5, 2010 at 9:08 AM said...

There are few things I like more than a good mascara! I was totally on board for the whole Drew Barrymore/Cover Girl phenomenon, but I actually wasn't that impressed overall. I've seemed to stick with the Maybelline in a green tube for a couple of years now. However, after reading this post, I am literally counting down the hours til' I can leave work and go to Wal-Mart and get some of the XXL Pro!

Thanks!

leelee on April 5, 2010 at 12:49 PM said...

Dorothy - Super-cool is definitely one way to describe it!

Courtney - GET IT GET IT GET IT! Haha I like the Cover Girl/Drew Barrymore mascara as a very natural look, but I'm way more of a HELLO-LASHES type of gal. Let me know how you like it! :)

Kay | UPrinting.com on April 8, 2010 at 2:50 AM said...

I really don't like double sided mascaras too!I tried to use one before and the primer is not that good. So I didn't buy any double sided mascara since then but I think I should give that a try! God Bless!

Unknown on April 8, 2010 at 11:02 PM said...

Love that mascara, too!! come visit my store and blog . . . you'll love it!!

Jewelry Making Tools on April 16, 2010 at 1:46 PM said...

Cool--thanks for the tip! My current one clumps like crazy, but it had nice packaging... I've never tried a mascara primer, but if it doesn't way my lashes down too much, I'll have to give it a shot :)

leelee on April 17, 2010 at 9:15 AM said...

Kay - definitely give it a shot! There is no primer here, just fabulous mascara on both sides :)

Jewelry Making Tools - No clumps in sight with this one! Seriously, I've been putting on layer after layer and they're still super feathery and practically feel like I'm not wearing any mascara at all.

Organic Skin Care Line on April 24, 2010 at 5:04 PM said...

Excellent, these looking fantastic

Happinessish on May 2, 2010 at 9:22 PM said...

Ahhhh, you make me really want this mascara. xD

NotablyNeurotic on May 3, 2010 at 10:48 AM said...

I had to fly out to L.A. for a business trip last weekend, and before I went I insisted that I HAD to get new mascara. My husband finally gave in and I made a mad dash to Walmart to buy this stuff, as per your recommendation.

I was a little put off by how long it takes me to apply it (Yes, because I'm THAT lazy), but holy Moses, my eyelashes look magnificent. They're so long, they are touching my EYEBROWS. Amazing.

My only beef with it is how incredibly hard it is to get it off at the end of the day. At first I thought I had mistakenly bought waterproof!

leelee on May 4, 2010 at 12:01 PM said...

OMG Courtney - I'm so glad you got it!! I do tend to get a little annoyed at night when I have to get it off, but I feel like it's a small(ish) price to pay for fabulous lashes all day long! And at least they're not clumpy and spidery and all crunchy when you have to take it off, so that's a plus. Yay!

Rachel on May 9, 2010 at 2:56 PM said...

I'm so scared of even screwing up applying them I've never even tried them! I just use a lot of Clinique High Impact Mascara instead... but I've seen make-up artists use them on photo shoots to incredible effect!

Eloisa on September 24, 2010 at 2:43 AM said...

That was cool and fun. I love all those makeup kit. Gotta buy it.

Cobra Bracelet on February 21, 2011 at 5:33 AM said...

Wow if that's true it is really great! I also want to try it, Thanks!

Rebecca on June 7, 2011 at 4:37 PM said...

I've never even heard of this mascara! Definitely going to try it out. xz

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