Let’s Talk Uoma Beauty Salute to the Sun Mascara

This is the second item I have tried from Uoma Beauty, the first being some fabulous lip liners that I need to remember to reach for more often. This is the UOMA Beauty Salute to the sun Mascara.

I have to say this mascara is both delightful and frustrating all at the same time. First the delightful bit. Are you ready? First with eyes open.

Then with eyes shut.

Can you see the delightful?

Yeah, this mascara will make the lashes long and thick. It has a fluffy wand. Also it is a nourishing mascara and not only feels really weightless on the lashes but my lashes don’t dry out at all when I wear this mascara. It hasn’t flaked on me and it hasn’t caused me any problems. I do use a waterproof makeup remover on it even though it isn’t water proof because that just makes it come off easier.

The real issue is that it has started clumping on me. There is a little you can see at the end of my closed lash, but I just used a lash comb after the pic and it took them off. So that isn’t the problem.

In the photo you can start to see the wand getting a little clumpy. If you look a little closer at the tube you can see it is getting very gunky as well.

I like this mascara but it took very few uses for it to start getting this way. For me this is a waste of product and it means that I will not be able to use this mascara for as long a I would use other mascaras.

In general I throw away mascaras at the end of three months. I only keep a few open so at the end of three months i have used all of the product (or most of it) in the tube. I can already tell you that this won’t last the three months. I can push some of the product back into the tube with the wand, but some of it will have to be wiped off and will be lost just so that the tube doesn’t become crusty.

Here is the deal though. It is a fabulous mascara. I just won’t be getting as many uses out of it as i would any of my other mascaras. somewhere deep in my thrifty soul that bothers me. However if asked if I would repurchase the UOMA Beauty Salute to the sun Mascara, I would have to say yes. it is a fantastic product. However i would more than likely purchase it when i know I am going to an event where I need to wear mascara for a long time and where even though I don’t wear false lashes, I know other people will be wearing them. This won’t give me flash lashes but it will make them thick and full. I just simply wouldn’t open the tube until I was getting ready for the event. And then after the event i would wear the mascara every day until it was gone and I could no longer wear it any more. Because this is not a mascara you want to let sit. Open, use and be aware that you won’t get to keep it long but while it is here, your lashes will be fabulous.

Mighty Mascaras

Ah mascara, one of the few items i never forget to put on. For me it is all about the length and the fullness. For me, curling isn’t really something I look for. So with that in mind these are the mascaras I really enjoyed this year.

1- Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real Extreme Lengthening Magnet

While I am not terribly enthused by the regular They’re Real Mascara, this one I adore. It’s brush is still a bit spiky which helps with a bit of volume, but there is some difference in this that just makes the the lashes a mile long. Two thumbs way up.

2- Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara

While I did make a little fun at the name, it does what it says. It lengthens and volumizes. The wand is fuffy and hourglass shaped. I loved my lashes while wearing this one.

3- Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Brag

Luxe feeling packaging. Fluffy wand. Long lashes. Thick lashes. No clumping. Big win.

4- Eyeko’s Black Magic Mascara

Curved wand that actually lets you get to the lower lashes as well if you want (I always forget). Lenghtens beautifully and the curved wand lifts the lashes and makes them look even longer. No flaking and great all day wear.

5- Milk Rise Lifting and lengthening Mascara

This gave me great lengthening and no flaking but didn’t really add any volume. It was fantastic when lengthening though I I would 100% use it again in any size that came across my path and I will be purchasing a full size.

I know that was kind of a quick and dirty mascara list. I like lengthening and volume and for the most part these are the mascaras that gave me what I wanted. I would be happy using any of them again.

Using the Milk Makeup Rise Mascara

I can be rather forgetful when it comes to reviewing mascaras. The truth is that I haven’t really been excited by a mascara in a while. The past few I’ve tried have been generally categorized as ‘okay for everyday use’. Which is a fine designation for a mascara. I do after all wear mascara everyday. I don’t use false lashes so my lashes rely on mascara to help them look their best.

I actually like the look of false lashes, but I’ve had some allergic reaction with a few of the adhesives before, plus I ended up ripping out several of my natural lashes with them which I didn’t like. The biggest reason I don’t wear them though is that it doesn’t matter how outlandish or natural looking the false lashes are, they always make my lid feel weighted and like i am half asleep. which isn’t a feeling I liked. So I like the look, I just don’t like wearing them.

Hence my love of mascaras.

But like I said as nice as the every day mascaras are, they aren’t terribly exciting. This Milk Makeup Rise mascara is exciting. It is described as …

An award-winning everyday mascara that weightlessly lifts, lengthens, curls, and adds subtle volume for the most natural-looking lashes possible. This product is 93% natural, vegan, clean, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and fragrance-free.

Normally I don’t smell mascaras because most of them just smell the same and it isn’t a terribly pleasant scent. Seeing the fragrance free in the description I had to then smell the mascara. It smells surprisingly like toasted nuts. Like a mix of almond and walnut actually. which is a bit peculiar as thee are no nuts in the ingredients from what I saw. Its actually kind of a pleasant scent.

In general I like Milk Makeup Products. I find them to work well for me so I was expecting to like this mascara. I wasn’t expecting to love it, but I do. Let me show you why.

First with the eyes closed.

And then with the eyes open.

I am a fan. This mascara lengthened the lashes beautifully and lifted them up as well. This is two applications in the photos. I tend to apply mascara to one eye, apply it to the second and then do a second rotation. It actually doesn’t matter what mascara it is, I can never resist the second rotation.

While my lashes are healthy and relatively long, they are a lot lighter at the tips so my lashes tend to fade out and look shorter without mascara. This was beautifully dark, but I have to say that in addition to the lengthening, the mascara lifted and curled the lashes wonderfully well. I did not use an eyelash curler and while that is a tool I like, i am not opposed to not having to use it every day. With this mascara I didn’t need the lash curler. The mascara lasted all day on my lashes without flaking and I am already regretting that this tube is empty. It is a sample size so I knew it wasn’t going to last long. And so I say farewell to this tiny tube. I will however be purchasing a full size in the very near future. This may be one of the best products I’ve tried from Milk Makeup in a while and the Rise Mascara itself may be one of the better mascaras I’ve tried in a while. If you are looking for lengthening and curling, this is definitely a mascara to check out.

Trying the mascara from Give them Lala Beauty

I am always up for a good mascara and I am always looking to try out new brands so for me this was a great product to get in a subscription box. (I believe it was Glossy Box). And in case you are wondering the cap to this mascara is not dirty, it is just marbled while the rest of the tube is plain white. It is an odd choice and makes it look like the top belongs to a different product, but it is the design they chose.

According to the product page …

Lala’s Everyday Mascara is now available! Featuring a silicone wand that coats the lashes with ease to lengthen, enhance, and volumize.

No clumping, smudging, or flaking from this weightless formula. Apply a few coats for a full glam look, or one coat for an everyday, natural look. Your new favorite mascara is finally here.

Lala’s application tip: Start at the base of your lash and gently wiggle the wand back and forth to the top of your lashes, then repeat until desired look is achieved.
Lala Beauty

I know we all know what mascara is supposed to do, but some are lengthening some are curling and some volumizing so i thought it best to see what should be expected from the formula. Mostly because I had some issues with the formula.

First off the wand. It is short and spiky and for some reason smells a bit like burnt plastic. When using this mascara it did lengthen but it didn’t really do much of anything else. And to do that i had to apply several coats.

Here is the thing. I like lengthening mascaras and I have no problem applying several coats to achieve the desired look. In fact I pretty much apply about two coats of every mascara. None of that mothers me. What bothered me was that it didn’t matter if it was one coat or three, I never managed to apply this without having it transfer to the under eye.

In the after picture, it looks a bit like i have applied mascara to my lower lashes. I didn’t. I blinked and there was transfer. Now I will accept that it takes mascara a while to dry and lord knows I have messed up mascara before by sneezing and other mascara calamities. But never as much as with this mascara. Every time i applied it, I had to do clean up work.

Every time.

The best I managed was after applying it I put my finger below my lashes, blinked a few times to get the excess on my finger instead of my face. Even then I still ended up with a slight transfer. Something about this product just takes it a little longer to dry.

Once on the mascara is fine. It stays on the lashes well and doesn’t flake off. It looks like a nice everyday mascara. It doesn’t look spectacular, bit it doesn’t look bad. It looks fine. And if I didn’t have to do some sort of clean up every time i used it, I would be fine with using it as an everyday mascara. But the clean up gets tiresome. It just takes too long to dry and in the drying time it transfers.

This is a mascara I will use since it is here and it is open, but because of the transfer issue, The Give them Lala Beauty Everyday Mascara is not one I will repurchase.

Let’s Talk Blinc

I do not really do false lashes. I like the way they look on other people. We’ll sometimes I like the way they look on other people. Some people they look great on. Me, not so much. On occasion I have had someone else apply them and they looked okay (mostly when the individual lashes were applied rather than the full set). I have also had someone who knew what they were doing apply them and I still hated the way they looked on me.

For me they look too heavy. They also feel too heavy (even if they are light weight) and I have the tendency to either let my eyes droop to half closed or to open them wide to compensate so that I look liked I’ve just been tapped by a cattle prod. There are also several lash glues that I am allergic to which was not a fun experience.

But I do love long thick full lashes so I am always down to try out new mascaras. This particular mascara is the Blinc Ultra Volume Tubing mascara. Tubing mascaras are interesting. I find something about them absolutely fascinating. They basically wrap product around your lashes and build off the ends, creating a tube of product at the end of your lashes to lengthen them.

Admittedly they explain it better in the description so…

Blinc’s UltraVolume Tubing Mascara gives you an ultra-longwearing, buildable, false lash effect with a semi-matte finish. This tubing mascara formula is both clean & vegan.
UltraVolume’s brush has dynamic spacing and supersoft fibers. The bristles are made of thermoplastic elastomer—meaning they’re gentler than plastic, yet still hold their combing power. It’s the ultimate control brush that lengthens lashes and achieves dramatic volume.
Our original pioneering tubing technology forms tiny water-resistant “tubes” around each individual lash. Unlike conventional mascaras, you won’t need to apply and wear the formula like a greasy paint. The tubing formula sets once it’s applied, creating tubes that bind to your lashes. Once it dries, it’s smudge proof. It can’t run, clump, or flake—even if you sweat, cry, rub your eyes, or have oily skin.
Clinically tested to be non-irritating, UltraVolume is ideal for sensitive eyes, contact lens wearers, and active people. It’s the answer to anyone searching for a mascara whose look, hold, and ease of removal is without compromise.
The UltraVolume tubing formula has a better hold than waterproof mascaras, yet is easier to remove. You can set down the makeup remover—it won’t do the job. Simply combining lots of warm water and gentle pressure will slide the tiny tubes effortlessly off your lashes.
It’s healthier for your eyes and lashes: there’s no tint or residue left behind. No need to scrub the delicate skin around the eyes. No irritating makeup remover products needed.
Blinc

Now I have the pictures here, both with my eyes closed and open. It is pretty easy to see that it does lengthen and it does create volume. And I can say that both last all day. It is really easy to wear this mascara. And once it is in place it is smudge proof. I have actually tried it on my walks and when walking in 90 degree heat seating my skin off, I still didn’t end up with raccoon eyes. The mascara stayed in place.

Removal is interesting. Regular makeup remover will still leave the Blink Ultra Volume Tubing Mascara in place. So they are right, it is pointless to reach for it. Waterproof mascara will take it off easily. I use the ultra gentle Klorane Cornflower waterproof mascara remover and it works well. You can remove it with warm water. But splashing water on your face won’t get the mascara to come off. It has to be arm water and I found it is best to soak a wash cloth in warm water and then press it gently onto your closed eyelids. Much of the product will end up on your cheeks, some will end up on your washcloth. But once warmed with water it will sort of slide off of your lashes. What I have found best is the warm water approach and then use a clean damp spoolie or eyelash comb to comb through to get the last of the mascara off of your lids.

Remembering not to just use makeup remover is the hardest part, it is really easy to remove.

The only issue that I had with this mascara, you can actually see on the wand. Lots of product accumulates on the wand. Now this mascara is reaching the end of it’s life so it looks a little clumpier on the wand than it did when it was fresh. It still applies well but I have had it open about five months now. So it has served it’s time. It is a very good mascara and I will miss it when it is gone. I will also be picking up another tube of the Blinc Ultravolume tubing mascara soon.

The Big Bang with Athr Beauty

I do not use false lashes so mascara is a very important part of my makeup kit. Mostly becuase I love long full lashes but can not be trusted not to rip out my onw lashes with glue when i attempt false lashes.

So mascara. The Big Bang by Athr beauty is listed as…

This mascara truly does it all – it lengthens, strengthens, and fortifies for a fan of full, glossy, super strong lashes that won’t flake or smudge. Infused with black diamond for a lustrous shine and diamond-level strength + nourishing plant-based ingredients to prevent breakage. Just one swipe for sky-high lashes that last from dawn till dusk.

And forever and always, all ATHR Beauty products are clean, vegan, cruelty-free, and formulated without over 2700 ingredients that don’t meet our #goodvibesonly ingredient code.

I will say that it doesn’t flake and it doesn’t smudge. I will also say it lengthens, but I will say that conditionally. It lenghtens after several coats of mascara. I generally found three applications produced a nice lengthening effect. That is what I have here in these photos. Now I know what you are thinking, what’s the big deal about having to apply a couple of extra coats of mascara to achieve the results you want?

Nothing really.

The only thing to keep in mind is that it will use up the product faster. After just a few weeks of use, I can already tell that this mascara tube is lighter. It feels far more used up than i would expect after just a few weeks of use. While it does mean that i will be able to use it before the six month time limit (I throw out mascaras after six months to ensure no eye infection. Generally I have used up at least 90% of the product by then too.) It also means it won’t make it to the six month time limit. If I relied on this mascara as my primary one, I would be replacing it far more often. And while I like their take on packaging…

THE PACKAGING: The Big Bang Mascara tube is made with 100% recycled ocean plastic + a biodegradable wand and brush. The outer box is sustainably packaging with FSC-certified paper and soy inks for full recyclability.

I find I reduce waste by not purchasing as often. So it is a trade off there. Do I like the mascara? Yes I do. Would I purchase it again? Yes I would. It is a good mascara with a good ethos. I just know it is going to run out well before I expect it because it does take several coats to achieve the lengthening.

Its that old Black Magic…With Eyeko

Eyeko London is one of those brands that I tend to think of in terms of one product. I know that sounds silly, but for the longest time they were my go to for eyeliner. I love their Skinny eyeliner and their fat eyeliner and of course their regular eyeliner.

They make fantastic eyeliner. And so as soon as i hear the name Eyeko, my brain thinks eyeliner. However, they also make other things. One of those things is mascara. I’ve been using the Eyeko Black Magic Mascara recently and I have to say it has been very impressive. And not just because of the length.

According to the site…

Designed for after-hours volume, this mascara combines drama and curl with our darkest black finish to intensify your lashes. The curvaceous brush mimics the lash line shape for 90-degree curl, and the keratin and shea butter-enhanced formula keeps lashes feeling conditioned, supple and defined.
Eyeko London

On the lashes it gives the length and curl that i want. I also had no trouble with any sort of flaking away and the lashes feel soft instead of stiff and heavy. It is rare that i can look at a products list of claims and go down the list and just check them off as Yes, it does exactly that. But with the Black Magic Mascara I could. And to that list I can add that if you apply it and give it a second to dry, there is also no problem with smudging.

I really like the curve of the wand as it follows the natural bend of the lashes and coats every single lash for a fuller look.

The only place this mascara falls down is on the lower lashes. The curve that makes it so fantastic on the upper lashes makes it kind of awkward on the lower lashes. Finding the right way to turn the wand was difficult and in the end I just didn’t put mascara on the lower lashes while i used it.

And I am okay with that.

In the end, fabulous mascara for the top lashes but skip it for the lower lashes. I enjoyed using this mascara and I am sure I will be picking it up again. I will also remember that Eyeko isn’t just for eyeliner any more.

It’s Huge, it’s extreme it’s the Huge Extreme Lash Mascara from Stila

While I will admit that I find the name a bit of overkill I have very much enjoyed using this Huge Extreme Lash Mascara from Stila. The name may be over the top, but it does create long and full lashes.

Stila is one of those brands that I tend to forget about for a long time, but every time I try one of their products I end up really liking it. Their Souffle Primer is fantastic. I also love their lip tint and now I really like this mascara. For dramatic lashes It may actually be one of my favorites. while I am not a big fan of false lashes, I do occasionally like my lashes to look a bit dramatic.

With false lashes I always end up pulling out lashes and since I now have my lashes in a place where they look good, I don’t want to go pulling them out. Besides, while I can see lashes for special events, I really don’t like the way they look on me in my everyday life.

This mascara has an hourglass shaped want that is quite fluffy. It is not so good for the lower lashes but it is fantastic for the upper. But seeing is believing. In order to show the effect of the mascara I took photos both before and after application. I tried to take them with both my eyes open and closed in order to get the best view.

Full width eyes. No mascara on the left, Stila mascara on the right

To me the difference is pretty clear, but I have marked them to show which side the mascara is on, so that there aren’t any questions.

The mascara applied easily and well. This was one application. I didn’t have any problems with the mascara flaking off during the day and it was easy to remove with my Makeup Eraser at the end of the day.

While the name Huge Extreme Lash Mascara is a bit of overkill, it is also a fairly accurate description. And I for one am going to be reaching for this mascara from Stila quite often.

Reviewing the Lights Camera Lashes Mascara

I am one of those people that whenever a product gets a lot of public hype, I tend to get suspicious. Especially when it is a new product. I’ll see a product come on the market and I will read rave reviews and see all sorts of posts and videos pop up saying how fabulously fantastic a product is and I’ll think, Let’s wait a bit.

I know that sounds a bit odd, but that is truly what my inner voice says. And I think it is because I’ve been burned by hype before. Now I am cautious. I wait until the initial release furor calms down and then I see how people feel. I know, this doesn’t make me first in line for products, but it does let me form my own opinion about things.

This Tarte Lights Camera Lashes mascara is not a new to the market product. It has been out a while. I believe it has gotten a bunch of accolades. I’ll admit, I liked the look of it. Instead of a slick plastic tube, it comes encased in a leatherette look casing (it is plastic). While I like the look of the case, I also like that it isn’t smooth. My mascara is the second to last thing I put on my face. Lips are the very last, if you are wondering.

Often by the time I get to my mascara, there are traces of primer on my finger tips, or my hands might be damp. I like that this mascara has a textured covering with kind of squared off edges. It means that no matter what is on my hands, it is easy to open. I expect if you had mobility issues, this might be an easier mascara for you to open as well, since it is easy to grip without slipping.

I know, packaging isn’t the point, but it does play a roll. And actually it has been on my mind a bit more lately. My mother had surgery on her dominant hand and while she is healing well and will regain full mobility she has mentioned a host of things that she is having issues doing that she never thought twice about before. So because of that I have been thinking about some mobility types of things lately. If it affects you, this packaging might help. If it doesn’t effect you, the packaging is pretty.

The want is thinner than I am used to. I generally go for thicker wands with my mascara, but I have been surprised by wands that didn’t impress me by sight. One Notable one is the Beauty for Real mascara. It has a tiny almost laughable wand, but performs amazingly well.

So I tried it out. Interestingly enough, when I used it during the week, I thought this mascara was a nice every day mascara. It felt lightweight on the lashes and I didn’t really get any flaking or clumping. It actually felt weightless on the lashes which I think is a great mascara for the office. I personally don’t need anything that assists my eyes in drooping while I work.

However it wasn’t spectacular looking. It was good, but didn’t look like the pictures. It was in no way dramatic. I’ve got to admit, I was a little disappointed. But it was still a fine mascara to wear. Then I went to take the pictures for this post of before and after lashes. I decided to use the mascara when my face was otherwise bare so that the focus would be the mascara. I applied one eye’s worth of product and then the doorbell rang. I put the mascara down and answered it. I was at the door maybe two minutes. Then I returned. I added a second coat to the one eye that had mascara on it and BAM dramatically lengthened lashes.

This didn’t happen on normal makeup days.

So I went to the other eye. I applied the mascara as I usually did. Good, but not dramatic. I waited exactly one minute (yes I timed it) then added a second coat and BOOM, dramatic lashes. I think what needs to happen is that the first coat needs a moment to settle in and dry down slightly before the second coat is applied. That way the second coat has something to grab on to, bond with and build upon. If given that moment, the mascara looks more or less like the photographs on the website.

I actually really like this Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara. There are some days where I want dramatic lashes and other days where I am not looking dramatic. The fact that I can get both with this mascara is nice. I was actually quite impressed. I think if you are looking for a lengthening mascara, this might be one you want to give a try. It may not be the newest product on the market at this point, but it is a really good product. Just remember to pause a bit between coats, and you’ll be fine.

They’re Real: Comparing the new Magnet version to the original

Recently Benefit Cosmetics released a new version of the They’re Real mascara. This version is called the They’re Real Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara. According to the website…

They’re Real! Magnet is a 36-hour lengthening* mascara with a magnetic force that draws out lashes to EXTREME LENGTHS, making them look 40% longer**. The innovative Extender Brush with magnetically charged core pulls the Magnetic Mineral Enriched Formula up & OUT BEYOND the tips of lashes for extreme length & powerful lift. Custom-designed ZigZag bristles are strategically positioned to fan out, separate & define lashes.

But does it work? I’ve been trying it out since I received this sample in my Birchbox subscription.

Above are the images of me with no mascara and then with the new They’re Real Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara. I have to say, it does a really good job lengthening the lashes. And it lasts pretty long. In this test I have no other makeup on so you can better see the lashes. I was very happy with the way it performed. The wand felt a little prickly on my lashes when I applied it. It is almost like the wand hs little nubs hidden inbetween the other brushy bits.

As a comparison you can see her the wands of both the They’re Real Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara and the original They’re Real Lengthening Mascara. The darker cap is the original and the lighter cap is the Magnetic version. As you can see there are some slight differences.

When wearing the They’re Real Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara I didn’t feel like it was that much different from the regular lengthening mascara by Benefit cosmetics. The regular They’re Real Lengthening Mascara lasts a long time, doesn’t flake or smudge on me and gives me pretty good length on my lashes. I’ve used it repeatedly for quite a while with no issuses.

So is the new version and it’s slightly different looking wand any better?

To answer that we first have to look at the orginal before and afters. And so to the comparison photos we go. This is the no mascara and the regular They’re Real Lengthening Mascara. I am sure you will be able to tell which eye is which.

As you can see, the mascara lengthens. I apologize that this one seems to have come out a little blurry for some reason. Apparently the camera rebels after too many close ups of my eye. So if both work how do they compare to each other?

In these images you can see the product side by side. The They’re Real Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara is on the left and the They’re Real Lengthening Mascara is on the left. Even though the regular one is a little blurry, you can see that the new They’re Real Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara does actually perform better than the original in the lengthening department.

In the long lasting department I have to say that this is the product applied with one coat. On the website it states that you can add further coats to keep lengthening your lashes. And this is true. Adding more coats after waiting for the product to dry a second will give you really long lashes. However when I tried this, the length of time that the mascara lasted was shortened a bit. when I tried extra coats I did notice a little bit of flaking after about four hours. With regular mascara application, which I applied in these photos, I got amazing length and no flaking.

In the end I have to say while the original was good, the second version of They’re Real Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara was even better. Sometimes, you just need a side by side to tell.