Valeria Out Loud

Hello everyone!

One of my most treasured items within my arsenal of makeup is MASCARA!! Boy, do I love mascara.  Now, deciding on what type of mascara to use depends on your makeup style and lash type.  You will have to look for formulas that suit your needs.

Some of the most popular formulas out there are …

Defining: adds separation, light volume and lengthening with special pigments and polymers in the formula.  This mascara is best for those who like a more natural lash darkening.  You can build volume, but it takes more product than the others.

Thickening: adds volume to the lashes with waxes and/or silicone polymers in the formula.  This mascara is the best for thin lashes or for those who like a dramatic lash. The product will be richer than others out there.

Lengethening: adds length to the lashes with synthetic fibers in the formula.   This mascara is best for short and/or thin eyelashes.  Most of the time, thickening mascaras supply length too, so if a mascara claims only lengthening it is more likely a thinner product giving a natura lash.

Repairing/conditioning: enriched to strenthen the lashes; some ingredients can be biotin, collagen, proteins, lipids or peptides. This is a great formula for those who need an eyelash rehab or brittle lashes.

Personally, I love creating drama on my face, I prefer a deep black, lush, lifted lash and look for a thickening formula, which most companies are calling volumizing formula nowadays.

The best thing to do is to test out as many mascaras as you can!

☞ Before I get to the Top Ten Thursday list of what products I like, let’s talk about how to apply mascara*.  Any eye makeup should be applied beforehand. Also, curling your eye lashes should be done before, on clean lashes. 

Remove the mascara wand from the tube. Remove the excess mascara from the tip of the mascara wand along the opening of the tube. (Too much mascara on the wand can cause it to be over applied- my word for that is gloppy. You don’t want to look gloppy.)

With wand in hand, look in the mirror, lift your head a touch up to lift your lashes in the visual of the mirror. Place the wand along the base of the top lashes and wiggle the wand as you swipe up to the tips of your lashes. This will leave the most coverage along the base, causing the lashes to lift up.  Do this a few times to cover the whole base of lash; until you achieve an even coating of mascara. Just note the more mascara you use the more dramatic the lashes. Then look slightly down in the mirror, swipe the underside of your top lashes with a coating.  This will thicken your lashes completely.  Then lightly touch your bottom lashes, mostly on the outer corners.

*Mascara should be new to use it properly.  Meaning, a mascara over three months old is considered old.  Most likely, it will clump, flake or feel crispy when dry.   AND NEVER, and I mean NEVER, try to salvage an old mascara by adding drops, heating it up or manipulating it in any way.  Just toss it and grab a new one.  Your healthy eyes will thank you!

Ok, now that you are armed with what to look for and how to put it on..let’s go to my mascara Top Ten Thursday list!

Valeria’s Top Ten Thursday – Mascara

1. Lancome Monsieur Big– VOLUME FORMULA in black-  Volume formula means thickening and lengthening.  This is my all time favorite mascara. With its intense black color and creamy formula, this mascara really hits a home run in the thickening department. You can literally get away with one swipe in each direction of your lash and leave it at that.  LOVE IT. I have been using this mascara formula since it came out a couple of years ago. (Actually, bought the new Valentine’s Day edition today!)
2. Lancome Hypnose Drama– VOLUME FORMULA in black-Volume formula means thickening and lengthening. This is my all time second favorite mascara! 🙂  The S-shaped wand helps to hug your lashes with this rich black mascara, which helps to boost your lashes.  The lasting power is perfect for most activities.  I say most as I do not use waterproof everyday, but this mascara’s waterproof sister is fantastic, too.  No flaking. No clumping. And it smells good!  
3. Maybelline The Colossal Big Shot– VOLUME FORMULA in black-Volume formula means thickening and lengthening.  For a drugstore mascara this hits it out of the park in the formula department.  Lashes were lushly blackened without being clumpy or stiff.  My only issue with this brand/mascara is it doesn’t seem to last as long as my other favorite mascaras. After four weeks I have to toss them out.
4. Benefit Cosmetics they’re real!– VOLUME FORMULA in beyond blue. Volume formula means thickening and lengthening. Love this mascara!!  It is perfect for those who are looking for a lush lash with lift that doesn’t flake or smudge.  The brush technology looks generic till you use it.  I would highly recommend this formula for every type of lash.  *The beyond blue color is intense and fun to wear; I get asked who makes my mascara every time I wear it. 
5. Clinique Chubby Lash– THICKENING FORMULA in black.  The formula is thickening without clumping, though I did not find it to give high volume like say Hypnose Drama by Lancome, it is a very nice mascara . For that type of volume I had to apply several coats, which was fine.  I really enjoyed this mascara during the Summer in the blue tint, which I hope to see again on their shelves this Spring.  
6. tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart– REPAIR AND VOLUME FORMULA. Volume formula means thickening and lengthening.  First, let me say how much I love their Amazonian Clay line.  The blushes are super great!! Ok, mascara, I really like this mascara but for a less dramatic look.  I wasn’t impressed with the volumizing part of the formula.  It went on nicely and was clump free, it was just not what I wanted it to be.
7. Estee Lauder Double Zero-LENGTHENING FORMULA in black.  The separation of the formula with brush was nice, but as this mascara claims to be lengthening, I found it to be more defining. Which, definition mascara is great for those who want a natural looking separated lash.  Just not for me.  
8. Too Faced Better Than Sex– VOLUME FORMULA in black-Volume formula means thickening and lengthening. This mascara is more like a defining mascara than volumizing.  It did apply nicely and made my eye lashes look longer, it just didn’t give me the thickness of a lush lash that I like. 
9. Nars Climax-VOLUME FORMULA in black-Volume formula means thickening and lengthening. This mascara is more like a defining mascara than volumizing. It was a nice natural looking mascara for someone who wants color and definition, not drama. Which this girls wants …in her lashes only!
10. Covergirl Clump Crusher– LENGTHENING FORMULA in black. This mascara is a decent one for the price.  The brush is rubbery and curved, which hugs your lashes to apply a thick layer of mascara; though not thick enough for a dramatic look.  This mascara is the only one on this list that can literally be washed off with face wash. 

We are done already?  Wow, that was a fast list!

What are your favorite mascara brands or formulas?  Share below or on FB!