Comparison of 5 mascaras and a plea for your input...

I recently reviewed and compared 5 mascaras, all of which I bought with my own money. Since I have barely there lashes (READ: almost non-existent) I wanted to see if the any of these 5 mascaras REALLY made a difference. The mascaras I chose to review were picked for a few reasons:

1. Different shaped wands
2. Different formulations
3. 3 of the 5 were from different companies
4. They are ones I already owned, and didn't have to go purchase any :)

In order of review:

1. Avon Irresistibly Sexy in Black obsessed
2. Wet n Wild MegaLash Clinical in black C643
3. Maybelline Great Lash Lots O Lashes in Very Black
4. Avon Super Shock in Black K01
5. Pop Beauty Smokey Lash Kapow in Smokey Black

Bit O Info: I first curled my lashes, then applied 2 coats of each mascara, letting each coat dry in between applications. Each mascara was applied to freshly cleaned, dried and curled lashes....MINE!!   Now, mind you, I have one hooded eye, and one that is less so. Also, my orbital sockets are completely different in shape. This was caused by method of delivery when I was born. Another thing, all of the formulas seem to be the same, not thin or liquidity and not too dry, which are the formulas I prefer. If you prefer a different kind of formula (more wet, more dry) then just use this review as a reference. :)

Here are the products and the wands

 As you can (hopefully) see; This product has a spiral shaped wand that is very full.

And here is the result:

With my eyes open, there is barely any lashes visible. Eyes closed, there isn't much length either. The wand and brush are a little difficult to use at first, but once you get the hang of it, it isn't that hard. But, in all honesty, who wants a mascara that you have to learn to use? You want to be able to pull it out of the tube and start applying, right? Yeah, that's what I thought. 

Basically how you use this wand and brush is you start at the base of your lashes, wiggle the brush to get in between the lashes really well, and then as pull the brush up and through the lashes, you rotate the brush. Like I said, a bit difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's not so bad.  WARNING: If you can not walk and chew gum at the same time, or turn a wand while pulling up and out; step away from this product!!

Moving on...

This mascara comes in a pack with an eyelash growth serum. I did use the serum and THINK I saw some growth, but it could just be wishful thinking. I will review the growth serum IF I can remember to apply it everyday..no promises. 

This wand and brush is a little different, it is thin on one side, and wider on the other. I am assuming that is to add length (thin side) and volume (wider side). I actually found the best way to apply this was to turn the brush so you are actually using the corner. That way you are using both sides of the brush at once.

Result

With this mascara I found with my eyes open, you could see more lashes, and with my eyes closed there was much more length. 

Next..

I can honestly say that when I first purchased this mascara, I was instantly in love. The brush was one that I had not seen or used before. I found that this type of brush was great because of its tapered shape, almost giving a flared effect. More coverage to the outer lashes while giving more precise coverage to the inner lashes. The fine tip of the bush made applying product to the bottom lashes easy and glob free.

Result

Again, with this mascara, I definitely see length and volume with my eyes both open as closed. The color of this mascara is a rich black that is very noticeable. 

Moving on...

Now this wand and brush were very new to me. I had never used a mascara where the brush was no wider than the wand itself, nor had I used a rubber wand. From my viewing experiences on youtube on reviews about mascaras with rubber or plastic brushes, there seems to be a division in the beauty community. It is definitely a love it or hate it issue. So far, I haven't seen any opinions that are eh, meh, take it or leave it, or no opinion either way. As an AVON rep, there has been a lot of hype about this mascara and such YouTube gurus as Pixiwoo have used this mascara in their tutorials.

I was really impressed by this the first time I used it. I thought it gave great coverage  and the fact that the brush is rubber, it deposits more product on the lashes than a traditional fiber wand. 

Result

I am quite happy with the results of this mascara. Dark, voluminous lashes with my eyes closed, and with them open, length, volume and separation. You are even able to see the lashes on my more hooded eye!

Last but not least...

Now, I said that I paid for all of these mascaras with my own money, and this mascara is no exception but for the fact that I received it in one of my IPSY Glam bags (which I had to pay the subscription price on, so there ya go)

Obviously this wand has a traditional fiber brush that tapers from bottom to tip. I don't have a whole lot to say about the wand or brush because it is your typical mascara apparatus. We have all seen it and are used to it...

Result

Like the AVON Super Shock, with my eyes open you can see the lashes on my more hooded eye but there is not as much volume, separation or length. Also, with the eyes closed, the color is not as rich.

Over all, with the exception of the first mascara, I would recommend any of these; with the AVON Super Shock getting the highest recommendation. 

In my opinion, I DO believe the type of brush makes a huge difference. If you are happy with a traditional brush, by all means stick with it. But id you are willing to try something new, I would say give any mascara with a plastic or rubber brush a try. My feeling is that it is not really the shape of the brush that matters most, but the material it is made from is. Again, I feel that the plastic/rubber brushes deposit more product to the lashes than your traditional fiber brush. Also, the spines on the rubber/plastic brushes appear to be shorter and stiffer and seem to aid in separation of the lashes while depositing more product for volume and length. It sounds backwards, I know, but TO ME, that seems to be the case. As always, your opinion may (probably) be different.

I just wanted to add a quick note here: As an AVON rep, I have noticed that AVON, like MAC, tend to launch products and then discontinue them only to relaunch them with a new name. I only know this about AVON from my experience, I have never owned any MAC ($$$) and that statement is based on what others have said about the company and their tendency to do the same. So if you find that your favorite mascara (or any other makeup item from AVON) has been discontinued, ask your local rep for a comparable product. More than likely, what is recommended to you will be the same product with new packaging and a new name. 

I hope that this review has helped everyone in some way, from deciding on what the shape of brush is best for them to what material the brush is made of that makes the difference to them. Please remember, these are the mascaras I already owned.If you have different mascaras that you have opinions on, please leave a comment. If you have one you would like me to review, let me know and if it is in my budget, will happily do so.

If you have read to here..YAY!! Now I need your input. Coming soon will be 14 days of YouTube beauty gurus!! I will be reviewing 14 YouTube makeup gurus, one each day for two weeks. What I need from you is this: Please let me know who your top 5 gurus are that you love to watch. You can comment below or reach me at any of my links listed below. Tweeting is probably the best..but I will get notification no matter how you respond. Please, if possible, include a link to your favorite gurus' channel. I look forward to seeing who you love to watch and hopefully discovering some new faces.

My links:

https://www.youtube.com/user/GlitzandGlamorBeauty

https://twitter.com/ElizabethGlam77

http://instagram.com/elizabethglam77/

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethGlam77

www.youravon.com/clear6676

http://www.beautylish.com/GlamourByElizabeth

As always, this has been my experience with this product(s). You experience may vary. If you have used this product and have an opinion to share, I invite you to leave a comment about it.

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