Wand Wars

I swear by mascara. It’s the one beauty product that catches the attention of even my husband. More than once, he’s commented on the dramatic difference a swipe of mascara can do. Yet choosing a mascara has become a daunting task. Each beauty brand seems to have more mascara choices that Ben and Jerry’s has flavors. Lengthening? Strengthening? Natural? Dramatic? Non-clumping? The choices are virtually endless. So today, we are going to discuss several mascaras to help you make the best choice the next time you find yourself at the makeup counter.
Different people want different things when it comes to makeup. Some gals are just looking for a simple, natural, everyday mascara. Let’s face it, that’s all of us some days. It’s a rare breed who wants to have their Saturday morning coffee in dramatic makeup. I have several recommendations for lazy days or girls who just don’t want (or need) dramatic lashes.
The first is Bobbi Brown’s No Smudge Mascara. Those of you familiar with the Bobbi Brown line know simple is her motto. This clean, clumpless mascara is sure to please anyone looking for a simple, natural look. Of course, Bobbi Brown’s $20 price tag may not be what everyone is looking for. If not, I have two other recommendations.
Environmentally friendly divas may want to instead look into The Body Shop’s Super Volume Mascara. The Body Shop is committed to not testing their beauty products on animals, and this animal friendly mascara also provides clean coverage for $12.
Last, Neutrogena’s Weightless Volume mascara provides a smooth, clump-free look by not using wax found in other mascaras. It can be purchased at any drugstore for $8.
However, a natural mascara may not be what some fashionistas are looking for. A daytime mascara will hardly cut it with a smoky eye. For occasions when a more dramatic lash is needed, there are lots of great choices. Following are my top picks.
The reigning queen of drama in the makeup world today is, of course, MAC. MAC’s ProLash offers a heavy, dramatic look ideal for an evening out. Yet, their Fibre Rich Lash, although not quite as heavy, offers long, dark lashes as well. Both are available for $11.
I have also been satisfied with Christian Dior’s Diorshow Waterproof mascara ($23) as an alternative to the heavy MAC brands. A less expensive choice would be MaxFactor’s 2000 Calorie mascara ($6).
Want to keep it simple? Above all, I adore Clinique’s High Impact mascara. Day or night, I feel you cannot go wrong with this clean yet dramatic look. In fact, I only purchased this mascara after asking a Clinique counter worker with exceptional lashes what she used. I haven’t looked back. And at $13.50 for a tube, you can’t go wrong. If you are only going to have one mascara in your makeup bag, this would be the one I recommend.