Mascara Mashup #1: Tarte, Dior, CHANEL

Since I’m participating in WEGO’s November Health Post Challenge (I answer one of their questions every day this month), I haven’t been doing much blogging about makeup.  So today I am reposting my first Mascara Mashup.  These are reviews of three great mascaras, intended to help you find the best one for you.  You’ll see pictures of each product and how it looks on me.

Tarte’s Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara

Best Feature: Like other products in Tarte’s Amazonian Clay line, it lasts 12 hours.  And keeps me looking fresh and therefore employable (!) when I’m dead tired at the end of my workday.

Who benefits most?

• women who have sparse or few lashes–I use Tarte’s mulitplEYE Clinically-Proven Lash Enhancing Primer, which promises to increase volume by 739%.  When I use Tarte’s lash primer and mascara, I see lashes I never even knew I had before! Yes, it’s that good.

  

  Tarte’s Smart Mascara

• women who have a hard time applying makeup–the wands on both the primer and the mascara are huge, which is good for women with neuromuscular coordination issues (caused by MG, Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, and other diseases)
• women who are dead tired–obviously having cancer or an autoimmune disease or any illness can be tiring.  Add this to the stuff of life that makes us all tired like stress at work, taking care of the kids, and who doesn’t need a mascara that lasts 12 hours?

Price: $19.00 at Sephora

My Rank:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5 stars)

Dior’s Diorshow Black Out Mascara

Best Feature: The mascara’s ultra-black kohl formula is highly pigmented.  Some women say it shines like “diamonds.”

Who benefits most? 

• women with really light lashes–women with blonde or light brown lashes will love seeing their eyes “pop” in Dior
• women with short lashes–Dior lengthens lashes

 Price: $25.00 at Sephora

My Rank: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4/5 stars)

I wanted to give this favorite of beauty junkies a perfect ranking but while it gave me length, it did not give me lasting volume even though I used Dior primer.  After a few hours, my lashes looked thin and brittle.

 CHANEL’s Le Volume

Best Feature: Volume!  This mascara has huge WOW factor. I thought CHANEL’s classic Inimitable couldn’t get any better.  But now we have, Le Volume, which actually is an upgrade to the already awesome CHANEL formula.  The best part?  Le Volume is the same price as its predecessor.

Who benefits most?

• women with thin lashes–this mascara delivers on its promise: volume with a panoramic effect
• women with short lashes–CHANEL lengthens too
• women whose lashes clump together–CHANEL gives lashes definition–it separates while giving each lash a life of its own

  

  CHANEL’s Le Volume

Price: $30.00 at CHANEL’s website (though I bought it in-store at Nordstrom’s)

My Rank:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5 stars)

TIPS FOR BETTER APPLICATION 

1.  Apply one coat of primer before using mascara (if you have time).  The primers for the above three brands are: Tarte’s multiplEYE Primer, Diorshow Maximizer Lush Plumping Serum, and CHANEL’s BEAUTÉ DES CILS (translation: Nourishing Base Primer).  I also wear CHANEL’s primer at night to condition my lashes while I sleep.

2. Use a lash comb to separate lashes like this Sonia Kashuk one at Target.

For reviews of other mascaras, see Mascara Mashup #2 where I rate Benefit (They’re Real!), Clinique (High Impact), and Lancôme (Hypnôse Doll Lashes) here.

 –Your Stylist, Jessica Gimeno