Finding a good mascara is a bit like searching for The Holy Grail. It can be a problem at any age, but it becomes even more difficult as we get older.
Why? It’s one of the ‘joys’ of ageing. Think of the changes happening to our skin as we age; well, apply the same logic to our eyelashes. They become thinner and drier just as our skin does. Hormonal changes and even medical conditions and prescription drugs can all affect their condition. Few of us think about looking after our eyelashes and it’s only when we suddenly realise that there are fewer of them that we begin to panic and start searching for serums to restore them to their former glory.
My eyelashes are disappearing. When I take off my mascara, I notice a few dangling on the cotton wool; one always finds its way into my eye on a daily basis. They seem even more brittle than usual. I am nearly at the stage where I think I will get GG to count them as there seems to be a danger of a mass exodus soon.
Now I have been using castor oil on my eyebrows and I have seen a huge improvement, the gaps have filled in and there has been a lot of new growth. The secret is to massage it in for a few minutes to stimulate the follicles and it works!! It doesn’t happen overnight and I often forget to do it, but you will see a difference in about six to eight weeks.
So I have begun to use it on my lashes also, but very delicately with a cotton bud and I massage delicately too. I will report back on my progress.
So back to mascaras. I feel naked without mascara and I only look half awake, so finding the right one is important. Evidently, the Egyptians felt the same because both men and women used kohl (mixed, believe it or not, with other ingredients like crocodile poo) to darken their lashes. It wasn’t until Victorian times that it really came back into favour again and the ladies made their own home-made concoctions to make them more alluring. Then Eugene Rimmel made a mascara comprising coal dust and petroleum jelly and soon after in America, Mabel Williams (Maybelline) came up with a similar formula and the mass-produced product was born.
I’m a sucker for the latest mascara. I suppose I think that it can’t be that difficult to find one that does everything and someone somewhere will find the right formula. So I seldom buy the same mascara twice.
This is what I want:
1 Moisturising
2 Not clumpy
3 Lengthening
4 Thickening
5 Easy to take off
I don’t think that is too much to ask for, but unfortunately, despite spending a small fortune on mascaras over the years, I am still searching. When it comes to looking for mascara, there is a mind-boggling variety of mascara wands to take into account too and they all seem to do different things. Why isn’t there one that does everything? It’s as if the manufacturers are trying to confuse us! Do I go with plastic or bristle? And then do I want straight, curved, tapered or spherical?
I am reviewing three mascaras here, all bought in Boots:
Clinique Lash Power Range
The Clinique consultant was extremely helpful when I bought this. I was told to apply the mascara (holding the wand vertically) to the bottom lashes first, let them dry and then do the top lashes. This helps stop smudging. Easy to apply and not clumpy, I was very happy until I tried to remove it that evening. Even though I was told to use warm water, I had to resort to my tried-and-trusted coconut oil added to water to get it off. I would not buy this again and it is a pricey €23.50.
Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious
This is one of my favourites and perfect for night-time wear, when you want something a little more dramatic. It gives you both fuller and longer lashes, but it is a little clumpy. The straight rubber bristle brush is tapered for easier application to the smaller lashes, but I still manage to stick it in my eye every so often. I find it moisturising due to the addition of some lovely oils and easy enough to remove with coconut oil. At €11.50, this is good value.
Rimmel Volume Colourist
This supposedly gradually darkens your lashes in two weeks. It is not clumpy, looks natural and is easy to remove. The wand is too big to get all the lower lashes and often the mascara ends up in your eye from the effort. But overall, I am happy with it. I am still using it and can certainly see a slight darkening of the lashes. At €9.95, this is very affordable.
There is still much to explore in the world of mascaras. I am still searching for the perfect mascara, but it is proving to be just as elusive as the perfect man! Just teasing, GG.
Have you a favourite mascara? Share girls share……
