What They Say: "Create lush, perfectly defined lashes with these long-wearing mascaras that measurably lengthen and thicken lashes up to 200%. Ophthalmologist tested and recommended for contact lens wearers. Waterproof formula is oil-based and resists water and flaking."

Jen's Experience: I am always on the lookout to find a good mascara, and have found only a couple in the past that I am able to wear on a regular basis without looking like a football player within hours. I tried both the black and brown versions of the Artistry Mascara, and found both colors to be nicely glossy and pigment rich. The brown actually was noticeable, and I don't find that with too many brown mascaras. As for being waterproof and non-flaking...well, these mascaras are definitely better than many that I've tried, but I still experienced some flaking and some color slipping, especially when I'm at work in front of a monitor all day. Out shopping or running errands, it's behaved pretty well, but I am still not terribly inclined to wear it because it just doesn't provide any real drama for my lashes. No lengthening, no curl, no thickening. Just color. At one point I would have settled for that, but now that I know there are one or two mascaras out there that can do it all, this product isn't making it into my make-up routine.

Retail Price: $16.30 (Quixtar.com)

Rating:

What it is:
An extremely flexible lengthening and curling mascara.

What it is formulated to do:
Flash your lashes! Unlimited Mascara's ultra-stretch texture lengthens and curves as the extra-fix formula adds suppleness and staying power. The double-sided brush provides professional application for glamorous, backstage effects that are - unlimited.

Jen's Experience: As many of you know, I've been looking for the perfect mascara for a long time. So far, I've only found two that I wear on a regular basis: Blinc Kiss Me Mascara and Shu Uemura Fiber Extension Mascara. And now with this new Dior Mascara, I'm going to have to extend it to three.

While this mascara is not perfect, it's one of the most dramatic mascaras that I've ever tried that does a reasonable job of staying on my lashes. It does a good job of bulking up my lashes and lengthening them. I can put on layer after layer without any flaking, but the lashes do seem to clump a little, which is easily remedied by running a lash comb through them when I'm done. The curling action isn't as pronounced as it is with the Estee Lauder mascara I tried last month, but it is there; you can see it especially at the corners of my eyes. I do find that I get a small amount of color under my eyes when I wear this, but it's so minimal that I feel comfortable wearing it to work.

For those of you looking for a dramatic mascara like BeneFit Bad Gal or Urban Decay Skyscraper but that doesn't end up all under your eyes at the end of the night, this is definitely a good choice!

Tip: If you already use Kiss Me Mascara but would like something a little more dramatic for night, try putting this on underneath the Kiss Me Mascara. You'll get fantastically long lashes that stay looking great all night long.

Retail Price: $23.00 (Sephora or your local department store)

Rating:

What They Say: "Seductive curves.

Now, power shape your lashes with up to 160% more curl.

Advanced aerodynamic gel formula with innovative curling polymers gives lashes weightless, seductive curves, without stiffness or flaking.

New pigment technology creates intense black impact shades that absorb light and surround your eyes in the beauty of deep, rich color.

Fragrance free. Ophthalmologist-tested."

Jen's Experience: I am, admittedly, extremely picky when it comes to mascara. My eyes are always dry, so I rub them a lot, and then it's all smudged under my eyes or flaky or both. I was anxious to try this one because I've been so focused on finding a mascara that doesn't make me look like a football player that I've not yet gotten a chance to try a more fun mascara, such as this one that curls lashes in addition to the coat of color.

The mascara did indeed produce a curling effect on my lashes that I thought was very noticeable, especially around the outer edges of my eyes. I didn't find it very easy to coat all of my lashes. The brush is very basic and while it didn't clump despite all the layers I applied, I felt that I needed to keep inventory of which lashes I had already covered. When I first started using the mascara, I applied only one or two coats, and didn't find that it deposited enough color to give the effect I was hoping for. Unfortunately, when I started adding additional layers, I started seeing the dreaded football player effect.

I like this mascara for its pretty curling effect and because it never seems to flake, but I wish it produced more volume or length, or even just some dark, shiny black color. This is one I may try in combination with other mascaras to see if I can achieve a more dramatic lash along with the maximum curls provided by this mascara.

Retail Price: $21.00 (EsteeLauder.com)

Rating:

What They Say: "Blinc's Kiss Me is the world’s first mascara innovation to form tiny water-resistant tubes around your lashes that stay on better than waterproof mascaras yet come off easily without the need for a makeup remover. Kiss Me mascara is not an oil-based paint like traditional mascaras, which means it cannot smudge, run, clump or flake into your eyes - making it ideal for people with sensitive eyes and those that wear contacts. The area around your eye is most susceptible to wrinkling. Kiss Me is safer since it does not require harsh makeup removers or any rubbing around that sensitive part of your face. These unique patented features make Kiss Me a revelation for your makeup bag that will help keep you looking radiant and younger for longer."

Jen's Experience: You may recall that I've actually reviewed Blinc's Kiss Me Mascara previously. I've been using it off and on for the past year, sometimes alone, sometimes over their fabulous lash primer, and -- when I'm really trying to glam out -- over a super lengthening mascara such as Urban Decay Skyscraper. The previous Blinc mascara formula was great for work, but was less dramatic than others I've tried for a night out on the town.

Blinc's new formula is even better than their previous formula. The black is blacker; the fattening of the lashes is more noticable. And it's still the most wearable mascara that I have. I tend to rub my eyes a lot, especially when I sit in front of a computer all day. With Blinc's mascara, I can rub my eyes but the mascara doesn't budge. Yet, when I wash my face at night, the little tubes of mascara come right off onto my washcloth.

This is truly an innovation in mascara. Next time you hit Sephora, look for the new packaging in the metal magenta tube. I recommend this for anyone who has trouble wearing mascara, or anyone looking for a new every day mascara that looks great for work or the shopping mall.

Retail Price: $24.00

Rating:

What They Say: "Instant lash extensions. Shu Uemura's latest mascara was designed using a unique technology combining silky-smooth building fibers and long extending fibers - that instantly create uniform, volumized long lashes. The patented, triple stroke brush fits perfectly to lash line, delivering formula to each individual lash. With a single stroke, lashes are coated evenly, effortlessly, with a professional touch. Smudge proof, water-resistant, long-wearing."

Jen's Experience: I realized recently that you hadn't heard much from me in the way of my search for the perfect mascara. I've been awfully happy with my Blinc Kiss Me Mascara, and when I need more oomph, I've been layering Blinc's Lash Primer, a couple coats of Urban Decay Skyscraper, and then topping it all off with the Kiss Me Mascara for the deep color and to keep it in place.

I've been hearing good things about Shu Uemura, especially their false lashes, which I've been too chicken to try. But I am absoluely thrilled that I decided to try this product. It does a great job of coating my lashes. It doesn't clump, even when I put on tons of layers. The extension part is real -- I am very conscious of my eyelashes hitting my sunglasses when I am leaving the house. But most importantly for me, it actually lasts all day long without leaving me looking like a football player. Amazingly, when I try to take it off at night, it comes off pretty easily with water and a washcloth.

I'm not saying the search is over, but this mascara is definitely a candidate for the perfect mascara.

Retail Price: $23.00 (Sephora)

Rating:

What They Say: "Neutrogena® Clean Lash Tint is the ultra-clean and gentle way to darken lashes daily without mascara.
The smooth liquid color tint blackens every lash without clumps, smudges or flakes for a natural look. It rinses clean with just warm water, no makeup remover required. So safe for contact lens wearers and sensitive eyes that it's ACUVUE recommended."

Jen's Experience: Ever since I've been working on finding the perfect mascara, I've started wearing mascara pretty much every day. Good mascaras are few and far between, and the Blinc Kiss Me Mascara was the first mascara that I found that I was able to wear for work or play and not look like a football player when it was all over and done.

Now there are two.

The Neutrogena Clean Lash tint isn't dramatic or anything, it just temporarily paints my lashes black. They're not longer or thicker or anything like that. It just gives them color and makes my eyes stand out. It never budges, not even a little, during the day. I've even worn it while I was out gardening in 95 degree heat. My contacts don't mind it at all. In fact, this is one mascara that I never even notice I am wearing. Another use I have found for it is wearing it on my lower lashes with something like Urban Decay Skyscraper mascara on my upper lashes when I am going for a really dramatic look. This is really good stuff.

Retail Price: $7.49 (Walgreens)

Rating:

As many of you know, I have been on the search for the perfect mascara for months now.  Generally what happens is that the mascara irritates my eyes, my eyes start watering or getting itchy, and then I respond by rubbing them until I look like a scared raccoon.  Blinc's Kiss Me Mascara was recommended by two of our readers, and so I just had to try it!

What They Say: "Blinc’s Kiss Me is the original mascara invented to form tiny, water-resistant “tubes” around your lashes giving them volume and length. Since Kiss Me is not an oil-based paint, it cannot clump, smudge, run or flake – even if you cry or rub your eyes. Only when you are ready, the tiny “tubes’ will effortlessly slide off your lashes into your hand with the combination of warm water and gentle fingertip pressure.

Kiss Me is ideal for those with sensitive eyes, contact lens wearers, performers and active people in search of mascara whose look, hold and ease of removal is without compromise. Whether your daily activities take you from the office, to your workout and then out to dinner, Kiss Me mascara will look as radiant in the evening as it did when you first applied it in the morning."

Jen's Experience:  I am truly amazed.  I finally have a mascara that I love.   Blinc's mascara is so vastly different from any other product on the market.  When I put it on, it completely coats my lashes with no trouble, but it doesn't clump up and give the spider leg effect.   The part that really stuns me is that it doesn't run or flake.  At all.  When I wear it to work, there's no football-player smudges underneath my eyes by lunch time.  In fact, when I take a bath late at night and I rinse my face off with a washcloth, all the little tubes that have been coating my eyelashes come right off and are on my washcloth.  This is the only mascara I've ever had that is anywhere near my lashes after 14 hours.  That's why Blinc Kiss Me Mascara is the first mascara that I am rating as Totally DeLush!

Retail Price: $24.00 (Sephora)

Rating:

Since I have been searching for the perfect mascara, I have received lots of great suggestions from DeLush readers.  If there's a mascara (or any product) that you love or you'd like to see us review, please email us!   I definitely add your suggestions to my shopping list.  This particular mascara was suggested to me by Ms. Pants, and is a stand-out among the mascaras I have tested so far.

From the Urban Decay website: "Finally, mascara that makes a statement!

Our lash-lengthening Skyscraper Mascara...able to leap tall buildings in a single bound...well, almost... Girls seeking voluminous lashes, eye-opening looks in pigment-rich, ever-lasting color... look no further! This mascara turns puny lashes to long, pillars of strength instantly.

What's Skyscraper Mascara's secret weapon? Shu Extract the ancient Chinese herb that promotes health, pigmentation and prevents hair loss--a cosmetic first, never before used for this purpose. Skyscraper Mascara rivals all the big names in terms of enhancing lashes and making them appear fuller and thicker thanks to the gurus at our world-class labs.

Even the custom brush is world-class; it's designed to pump up your volume in 3 ways: application/thickening (flat side), lengthening (fuzzy side), and definition (spiral tip). Housed in a sleek silver tube, the Skyscraper Mascara coats every lash for shameless, guiltless, eminently battable perfection. "

Jen's Experience:  Sounds fantastic, right?   Well, I can say with conviction that all their claims aren't just marketing mumbo-jumbo.  First off, the brush really is unique, and combines everything good about the applicator wands for other mascaras.  As a result, it coats every lash without a lot of work and clumping.  The look is very dramatic, rivaling even the results of the Bad Gal Mascara.  However, unlike the Bad Gal Mascara, it doesn't end up under my eyes in the first 5 minutes I am wearing it.  I wish I could say that it lasts all day, but unfortunately, that is this mascara's only shortcoming.  It remains one of my favorites, and an essential for a night on the town.

Retail Price: $16.50 (Sephora)

Rating:

I am still searching for a mascara that is perfect in every way, but in the meantime, I found this mascara primer from English Ideas and I thought I would give it a try.  I was hoping that this would allow me to wear a wider variety of mascaras without all the problems I usually have.

From the Sephora website: "Use this conditioning cream to lengthen and strengthen your eyelashes while repairing damaged and brittle lashes.."

Jen's Experience:   This primer reminds me a lot of the base coat of the Maybelline XXL mascara, although I believe it works a lot better.  I've been testing this out with every mascara that I've already reviewed and with the mascaras I am currently testing, and the results have been very good.  It really does feel like it conditions my eyelashes, because my mascara applies more evenly and is much less likely to flake off.  I wear contact lenses, too, so the fact that my mascara is staying on my lashes where it belongs means that I'm not rubbing my eyes all day (making the problem even worse).  It doesn't fix everything, but I do see an improvement in every mascara I've tested.  The Rimmel mascara that I reviewed as 4/5, is a perfect 5 when I am using the English Ideas primer underneath.   But the BeneFit Bad Gal Mascara only improves a little.

Even if you don't have a problem with your mascara staying put, I highly recommend this product as part of your makeup toolkit.  The day will come when you're a bridesmaid in an outdoor wedding in the middle of a heat wave, and you'll be happy to have this around.

Retail Price: $16 (Sephora)

Rating: 

What They Say: "Extreme Definition Lash Separating Comb Mascara - To get lashes as individual as you are.  The unique fine-toothed comb applicator glides effortlessly through lashes capturing each and every one, for ultimate lash separation and definition, with no clumping or clogging at all."

Jen's Experience:  My friends all know what a hard time I have with mascara, so when this product was recommended to me by one of my best friends, I had to give it a try.  I'm so glad I did!  When I first took it out of the package and opened it up, I thought it was defective; I've never seen an applicator wand like this one.  I tried it out as soon as I got to the car and was impressed right out the gate.  It goes on lashes evenly and is so thin that it doesn't cause any clumping at all.   Although there is a comb on the end, I find that it works as well just to paint the lashes without trying to work my lashes into the tiny comb.  The big test was whether or not it would last all day without smudging.  I wouldn't say that it was smudge-free, but it produced the best results of any product I have used so far.  In fact, of all the mascaras I've tested to date, this is the best of the bunch.

Retail Price: $6.49 (Walgreens)

Rating:

What They Say: "Do you have a license to wear those lashes? BAD gal Lash is loaded with a big, bad wand and tons of black mascara... it's like an instant set of false eyelashes."

Jen's Experience:   I have to start off by saying that this product has the largest application wand I have ever seen on a mascara.  Every time I pull out the wand I am shocked again at it's size.  Given that, it's no surprise that it really does give you some wildly fantastic lashes.  It goes on fairly evenly and doesn't clump.  It's very dramatic because it is jet black and also causes your lashes to curl as they lengthen.  So that's all the good, now here's the problem:  I can't keep it on my lashes and out of my undereyes.  I really, really want it to work, because it makes my eyelashes look so good, but I just can't wear it to work or shopping or anywhere I will be in bright lights because it runs so badly.  But for a night out on the town with some smoky eye makeup?  It's at the top of my list.

Retail Price: $18.00 (BeneFitCosmetics.com)

Rating:

Because it takes a little more time to apply the cake mascara that I usually wear, I wanted to try another mascara that was easier to apply, but would give some dramatic results.

What They Say:

• Step 1 Lengthening Primer provides dramatic length
• Step 2 Volumizing Topcoat builds intense, visible lash volume
• Long lasting, no clumps, smudge-free
• Ophthalmologist tested, safe for contact lens users

My Experience: The idea behind this is great.  First, you put on this white microfiber material to lengthen and widen your lashes, and then you follow that up with the actual mascara.  It was super easy to apply and it goes on very nicely, even with a few coats of the microfiber base.  I was impressed that with all the layers, it still didn't clump easily.  The resulting lash volume is really awesome for a drug store mascara.  My only complaint is that it didn't seem to last that long on me because my eyes tear a lot.  It's less of a problem when I wear it out to a dark smoky bar, but it's not something I can really wear to work.

Tips:  Layer the microfiber base to get really good lash volume.  It's white, so you'll be able to see that you've covered all your lashes thoroughly.

Rating:

What They Say: "Cake mascara evokes the era of glamorous beauties from Hollywood's Golden Age. Achieve this look by creating silken, evocative lashes with Paula Dorf Cake Mascara. This flake-proof, water-resistant, never clumpy cake mascara creates glamorous lashes as fine as silk."

I have been searching for a good mascara ever since I started wearing makeup.  My eyes are dry and sometimes itchy.  Mascara generally adds to the itchy factor and makes my eyes water, giving me the football player effect before the appetizer arrives.  Lovely.

I was supposed to attend a formal wedding of one of my best friends, and wanted to look great.  I went to Sephora and was introduced to cake mascara, which is much less likely to flake and cause irritation.  As promised, it doesn't cause nearly the level of problems that I've had with other mascaras to date.  However, it is very difficult to apply properly (although it becomes easier with practice), so a great deal of care must be taken to assure your eyelashes are covered. 

This mascara only comes in "Raven", which I would describe as a soft black color.  Perhaps not as natural as a brown mascara, but great for a night on the town. 

Tips:  Place the applicator brush under a small stream of running water and then blot both sides lightly on a Kleenex.  Brush very lightly over the top of the mascara cake and "paint" your eyelashes.  The results are more dramatic if you curl your lashes prior to painting and by painting both sides of the upper and lower lashes. 

Rating:

Reviewed By: Jen