18 S MAGAZINE ★ 4 AUGUST 2019
Laura Mulley
T
alking about mascaras isn’t
anything new, but I’m broaching
it again this week as, firstly, it’s
most women’s number one
can’t-leave-the-house-without-it
make-up product. Secondly, there always
seems to be new mascaras launching,
suggesting that, for many of us, the hunt
for the dream one is still ongoing. Here
are the latest batch to hit the shelves.
Top of the class for me is Clarins
Wonder Perfect Mascara 4D (£22;
clarins.com), which is just all-round
excellent. It finds every lash, coating them
from root to tip and giving the ideal amount
of definition, length and volume without
any clumps or drooping. It’s a bold claim
but I think it might just be, as its name
suggests, the perfect mascara.
Too Faced’s Better Than Sex is the US’s
bestselling prestige mascara, shifting one
every 7.5 seconds. Challenging for the top
spot is its newest, Damn Girl! 24-Hour
Mascara (£22; Debenhams), which is still
one for those who favour a full-on look,
but its mousse-like formula creates a
more block-like, strip-lash-effect volume,
rather than a spidery, twiggy effect. It’s
impressively dramatic, although fans
of the original probably won’t be swayed.
“Fluffy” is the main word we’d use todescribe the results of Laura Mercier
Caviar Volume Panoramic Mascara (£22;
Space NK). The medium-sized brush has
twisted bristles that give a wide-eyed,
fanned-out effect, while a formula packed
with conditioning ingredients keeps lashes
looking soft and feathery, with no dryness
or flaking throughout the day.
Back in 2017, Dior’s Pump ‘N’ Volume
mascara was the first to be housed
in squeezable packaging, allowing the
product to be loosened and warmed up on
the brush before use. Dior has now made
a few tweaks with the new Diorshow Pump
‘N’ Volume HD Mascara (£28; dior.com),
which has a lighter combination of waxes,
an improved wiper on the inside to dispense
just the right amount of product and an
even squeezier tube, all making it easier
to achieve buildable volume.
For Avon’s latest launch, experts have
trawled the internet to find the top five
things women want from a mascara –
volume, length, definition, lift and pigment- and then created one that ticks all the
boxes: True 5 in One Lash Genius Mascara
(£9; avon.uk.com from Friday). It’s a good
lower-priced alternative to the Clarins one.
Waterproof mascara may be a must
during hot weather, exercising or other
smudge-inducing circumstances, but it can
be a nightmare to remove. Which is why
SportFX Game Changing Mascara (£9.99;
sportfx.com) contains an oil-based
remover at the other end, which can be
brushed on then wiped off, quickly and
easily getting rid of the product. The small,
thin brush is a little fiddly to get to grips
with, but for saving space and quick
cleansing, it’s very handy.
If your natural lashes are in need of a
little TLC, try Max Factor Lash Revival
Mascara (£12.99; Boots and Superdrug).
Infused with bamboo extract, it claims to
leave the hairs looking longer, stronger and
thicker in four weeks. We like the fat, fluffy
brush, with a curved shape that hugs the
lashline nicely, although our tester found
the results a little underwhelming and the
formula prone to smudging.
If, however, you’re after a real, noticeable
improvement in the quality – and quantity- of your eyelashes, an honourable
mention must go to RapidLash Eyelash
Enhancing Serum (£39.99; Boots).
Yes, it’s expensive and sounds like a
gimmick that couldn’t possibly work, but
believe me when I say that, when used
regularly and over time, it really does. Mine
are now at eyebrow-skimming length, and
I’ve had several people ask if I’m wearing
eyelash extensions.
Get gorgeous lashes with our pick of the latest mascaras
GETTY IMAGES ●S