Get Great Lashes Without False Lashes: New Mascaras from MAC, Maybelline and Max Factor Show Us How

Tue, 10 July 2012 12:59PM

I have countless friends and work colleagues who have tried – or still have – lash extensions. The majority swears by them and their ability to open your eyes up and make you look infinitely more glamorous and party-ready. Which I can totally relate to, since mascara is probably the one product I would take to a desert island (along with a brow kit. Oh, and my BB cream), for those very reasons listed.

But for those of us who have also heard the horror stories of fallouts and the resulting short, stumpy lashes, as well what can often be expensive maintenance, it might not be your choice of beauty product-slash-treatment.

This is where you have one of two options. False eyelashes fill my lacking-in-the-lash-department void, since I think there’s nothing like a few well-placed individual false lashes – I like Eylure Individual Lashes, $16.99, from Priceline – to take your night-out eye makeup to a whole new level. But for everyday wear, you can opt for one of the many new false-lash-inspired mascaras that have just hit counters. And speaking of, here are three new options that I’d like to introduce you to…

What: Maybelline Falsies Flared Mascara
Price: $19.25, from Priceline
Shade/s: Blackest Black and Very Black
The Wand: A thick, arched brush with shorter bristles along the base to get right to the roots of your lashes, while the long bristles are designed to coat the lashes from the lengths to tips and to curl onwards and upwards
What they say: Falsies Flared Mascara is enriched with pro-keratin fibres to both thicken and strengthen your eyelashes, while the Spoon Curler Brush infuses them with volume to create a bold, and arched lash look.
What we say: This has to be one of my favourite mascaras out. I found the curved wand a dream to wield. I could get right to the roots of my lashes with the shorter side, while the longer bristles gave them a turned-out flared finish, even without the help of my trusty eyelash curler. As far as the false lash effect, my lashes looked fuller and longer, with no singular lash left unturned. At $19.25, it’s one hard to leave behind.

What: Max Factor 24 from False Lash Effect Mascara
Price: $24.95, 1800 181 040
Shade/s: Black and Black/Brown
The Wand: A big, round brush is the same as the original False Lash Effect Mascara, which enables it to reach and coat each individual lash in just one brushstroke.
What they say: While the bold brush works from base-to-top to separate and elongate the lashes, the built-in primer is designed to connect the mascara to the lashes to create a standout, voluminous finish. Fun fact: celebrity and backstage makeup artist Pat McGrath, the Global Creative Design Director for Max Factor, used this mascara during the A/W ’12 Fashion Weeks.
What we say: I found that the combination of the thick brush and shorter bristles were ideal for wiggling the brush from root to tip, and when used in conjunction with an eyelash curler (with a blast of heat from the hairdryer before using it) worked a treat to get a fuller, fanned out effect. While I can’t say it lasted the full 24 hours, as I always wash my makeup off before bed, I applied two generous coats, and found that it looked like I’d just had my eyelashes tinted for a fraction of the price. A great everyday mascara to add to your beauty arsenal.

What: MAC Cosmetics False Lashes False Black Mascara
Price: $42, MAC Cosmetics
Shade/s: Black
The Wand: I have to first give a shout-out to the gorgeous, carved-out tube, which is guaranteed to look amazing on your bathroom cabinet. As far as the brush goes, it’s of the traditional wand variety, with large, soft bristles and a slightly tapered tip.
What they say: The False Lashes mascara is packed with pigment to last throughout the day and night, with the rich and luxurious formula designed to create dramatic and fuller lashes for a false lash effect. It’s also ophthalmologist-tested, so it gets the thumbs up for the contact lens wearers.
What we say: Like the majority of MAC Cosmetics products, what I first noticed about this mascara was how heavily pigmented it was. Once applied, my lashes instantly looked thicker and fuller, with the intensity of the black pigment causing my eyes to pop, creating the illusion of a set of falsies. I applied two thick coats in quick succession, and although you would think it would take longer to dry, I only had to wait around 20 seconds.
I was, however (being both a contact lenses wearer and prone to dark circles) a little wary of smudging, especially on my lower lash line. But when it came to the crunch, I found that I couldn’t skip it on the bottom lashes as it made them look infinitely fuller and separated without appearing spidery. And fortunately, there I needn’t have worried, as there was not a smudge in sight. Winner.

So Primpettes, what do you think of these three new formulas?

Are you a fan of false lashes? Or could you be converted to trying one of these?

Do you have a favourite mascara that gives you volume-infused lashes? Please do share.

Hayley x

Posted by: Hayley Bennett

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Tags: false eyelashes, false lash effect mascara, MAC Cosmetics, mascara, max factor, maybelline New York, newbies, product review