Being a fully self-confessed mascara snob, I became borderline traumatised when I calculated that my pricey high-end mascara habit was costing a small fortune each year - so I set myself on a mission. Strolling in to Boots with £30 in my purse, I set about purchasing five of the most recommended mascaras on my twitter stream. Could they rival the likes of my YSL Shocking mascara or even overtake my beloved DiorShow in the long lashes stakes? Over a good month I have trial and tested these five high-street mascaras, putting them through my critical analysis and dramatic claims.
Doll'd Up - 17 at Boots (£6.29)
First up we have Doll'd Up by Boots own brand 17, a new mascara to the market I was intrigued. Said to be replacing the Wild Eyes mascara (that I have previously proclaimed my love for) I was interested to see how well it lived up to Wild Eye's impressive nature. The wand itself earns some serious brownie points, it's impressive nature owed alone to its slightly curved brush, it combs through each lash distributing the right amount of product - never clumping, even after many many coats. It has serious lengthening skills right from the word go, see this Instagram snap I took a few weeks back, my jaw hit the ground. Doll'd Up is the perfect mascara for daytime - it can be layered to create long fluttery lashes that pack a serious punch.
First up we have Doll'd Up by Boots own brand 17, a new mascara to the market I was intrigued. Said to be replacing the Wild Eyes mascara (that I have previously proclaimed my love for) I was interested to see how well it lived up to Wild Eye's impressive nature. The wand itself earns some serious brownie points, it's impressive nature owed alone to its slightly curved brush, it combs through each lash distributing the right amount of product - never clumping, even after many many coats. It has serious lengthening skills right from the word go, see this Instagram snap I took a few weeks back, my jaw hit the ground. Doll'd Up is the perfect mascara for daytime - it can be layered to create long fluttery lashes that pack a serious punch.
Next up was Maybelline the Falsies, constantly raved about I made a beeline to try this baby. The brush on this badboy is as hyped up as its claims, massive. Nothing too technical, it coats lashes with fibre upon fibre leaving you with dramatic, volumised lashes - your ultimate night-out mascara. An absolute nightmare on the messy front, the formula is particularly wet and I tend to spend a while carefully removing excess around my eyes (as seen above!). It creates a pumping volume throughout your lashes, not just boosting at this base, with a good sense of length. If spidery lashes are your go-to, this is right up your street. However, if clumpy is a serious no-go - stay firmly away. Have strictly resigned the Falsies for evenings where I have enough time to perfect my look and want to create a dramatic smokey eye with lashings upon lashings of mascara.
Lash Accelerator - Rimmel (£7.99)
Another new contender to the market, Rimmel's Lash Accelerator has had rather hyped reviews from the beginning. Quite simply - lets put it bluntly - a big fat no from me. All it accelerates in, is being a waste of time and money. The rancid lime green packaging should be taken as warning, for the mascara is nothing more than a wet mess waiting to explode... to nothing. After trying to work through this mascara various times and letting the formula dry out a little, it still leaves me feeling disappointment. Why? It leaves my lashes nothing more than wispy, sticking them together rather unkindly and looking untidy. It attempts to build volume at the base of the lashes, but fails miserably leaving my lashes looking naked at the tips. The brush does nothing to evenly cover the lashes, resembling the effects of the super cheap mascaras I bought with my pocket money back in the day. Don't waste your pennies.
False Lash Effect - Max Factor (£10.99)
A trusty firm favourite of many, Max Factor's hero product False Lash Effect was a top choice in my twitter poll. Coming in as my favourite of the bunch, FLE is a serious winner. Its thick chunky brush garners top marks, it has little tiny brushes that evenly coat each lash preventing any clumping. After lashings and lashings, they look perfectly full and fluttery with a rather impressive length. It works well for day time, being the most eyeshadow friendly out of the bunch as it doesn't leave any mess or residue around the eyes. Max Factor is a brand I rarely find myself pondering over, but the False Lash Effect is an almighty high-street gem. It's formula ticks all the boxes you would need: volume, length, clump free, full evenly coated lashes without any pesky mess or awkward applicators. Go buy - I'm hooked!
Rocket Waterproof - Maybelline (£7.99)
Maybelline are clearly charting the leader board with their infamous array of mascaras, the Rocket Volume Express was pointed on my radar with strong enthusiasm. Being only able to purchase the waterproof version, it was interesting to see how this fared against other mascaras in the range. Of course, being an absolute pain for removal - even after Bioderma AND facewash this baby powered through - definitely keeping this one aside for my summer holiday! Similar style to the Max Factor brush, this chunky thick brush has slightly longer spikes (which you will poke your eye with - thank god its waterproof so it won't smudge when your eyes water). Again it coated the lashes well, with a good sense of length. Not as voluminous as the Falsies, but good boost for day wear. It did give the appearance of fuller lashes, but more volume at the base of the lashes. Care has to be taken to ensure lashes don't stick together and become too clumpy - but overall a good choice if your in the market for a waterproof mascara.
So there you have it my experiences with some of the highest rated mascaras on the high-street at the moment. If your in need of a new tube, then definitely head over the Max Factor stand for False Lash Effect for trusty results or sample the new Doll'd Eyes mascara by 17 if you're in Boots - however trust me when I say, stay firmly away from Rimmel's Accelerator. Stick the Rocket on your holiday shop list and keep the Falsies strictly for nights out when your in need of serious seductive lashes.
What are your favourite mascaras? What ones should I try next?
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