Beauty Product Reviews | Page 5

Great eyelash base and brow set

I use this mascara for two purposes. First, it’s a fantastic brow set. With a quick swipe of the wand, my eyebrows stay in place the entire day. It also helps spread out any eyebrow pencil or eye shadow making the color more realistic. Second, I use it as a base on my eyelashes. Paired with colored mascara, I find that it gives my lashes more length. It also helps a lesser quality mascara adhere to my lashes. Considering the incredibly low price and widespread availability, I will always have a tube in my makeup table.

No clumping volume right out of the tube

I can see why so many people love this mascara. The consistency is fantastic right from the start. I do see both length and volume with this formula. There is no clumping. Removal takes some time but the upside is that there is no flaking of the product during the day. It’s sold everywhere at a great price with two black shades and two brown shades. There is also a waterproof formula that adheres to lashes like glue. Though I do like the plastic brush, I do wish there were bristles on the tip. As it stands, it is difficult to reach fine bottom lashes and the top corner lashes.

A Fantastic Lower Lash Mascara

I fell in love with Maybelline Lash Discovery on my first try. The incredibly small bristle wand not only coated my fine lashes, but I was also able to get to the uneven areas and evened out my length. As for the top lashes, it truly does lengthen and define them. Occasionally, I do pair this with a top coat of a volumizing mascara for my upper lash line. Maybelline offers a waterproof version but only the one black color. This brand is sold nearly everywhere. I highly recommend trying it if you have very small lashes and comfortable with black.

Good but not the lash doubling effect

Though I did see a little length, I saw next to no volume. This mascara leans more to the wet side so I gave it a couple of weeks for the air in the tube to dry the product. That’s when I began to see some volume. The bristle brush tapers significantly so there is a way to maneuver to get product to the corners as well as the bottom lashes. There is no flaking of the product throughout the day. For my lashes, I do not see significant difference over drugstore mascara half the price. I also see little use in paying more for mascara only to wait a couple of weeks before I see anything remotely like the “lash doubling” effect.

Great for what it does

The bristle brush is so incredibly small that it deposits mascara on the tiniest lashes without clumping. It also works well in my innermost corner of my top lash. The product leans toward the “wet” side but gives good coverage from the first use. The product did not flake. A baby wipe easily removed the product at the end of the day. I also like that Clinique priced it lower than the other mascaras of the line at $10. I doubt I would have been keen on purchasing mascara solely for my lower lash line at $15 or beyond. It’s a small tube but there is enough product for 90 days supply. Though Clinique made a point of selling black and brown versions, I’m surprised there is no waterproof version of this mascara. Though I almost never personally use waterproof mascara, there is a definite need in the market for one. I hope Clinique expands the line to include a waterproof formula soon.

It takes a few days but truly worth it

The Voluminous line caries a nice range of “colors” as well as a waterproof formula. Though I’m a fan of the Carbon Black, it’s good to know there are soft black, black brown, and others available. I see instant length and volume within the first coat. The mascara layers well, doesn’t flake, and is easy to remove at night. Upon first opening, the wet consistency does little for me. As air dries out the tube, the product turns into sheer magic for my lashes. The good news is that one can purchase this at nearly every big box store, drug store, and grocery store in town. There is a sale going on somewhere so I see little use in paying full price. It’s great for one who uses a variety of mascaras but can be downright frustrating if relying on just the one tube. If you want to use this mascara for a special day, time it carefully.

The Professional size probably isn’t the best buy

I purchased the Professional UDPP the week of the first release of package changing to tube. The increased size of 25 ml of product for $30 over the 10 ml for $19 was also a big draw. The product is fantastic. All brands of eyeshadows last on my eyes all day long. The problem is that UDPP has a 6 month expiration date. Though it lasted beyond the 6 months, I wound up throwing away half of the product. Unless you are a MUA who works with several clients a day, it would be more cost effective to purchase the regular sized tube of 11 ml for $19. Bigger is not necessarily better.

Just ok on synthetic brushes for a spot clean

It’s a good size for $3. It can sanitize your brushes due to the high alcohol content. With daily use, this cleaner will render my natural hair brushes brittle. I am determined to use it up spot cleaning my synthetic brushes. I use a different product to deep clean my brushes every week.

An elevated price for an average brush

The MAC 316 resembles to a silver bullet due to the casing. Extended, the brush length is 17 cm. The bristles are firm and can deliver a fantastic crisp line. Unlike the MAC 318, the MAC 316 completely covers the bristles making it easier to toss into a purse or drawer. My problem is with the $19.50 price tag. Sigma offers a similar lip brush down to the silver casing for $9. When I compare the MAC 316 to my Black Sable Lip brush from Costal Scents that cost a whopping $3.49, I doubt the effect of the this particular MAC brush is worth the cost.

Hard to keep clean

The 9 cm casing is well made with firm bristles for applying a crisp line of lip color. When the brush is retracted, there remains a hole where the brush hairs are stored making it near impossible to keep it clean. So tossing it in a handbag or drawer isn’t the best idea. For the price of $22.50, I was hoping for a shutter to close the end.

It’s a pity because I do adore MAC brushes. If you have to have a MAC lip brush, I would suggest the 316. Better yet, consider a different brand entirely when choosing a lip brush.