I’ve been wearing mascara most days since I was 13. Back then I used a solid block with a little flat brush in a pink plastic case that I bought in Woolworth’s. I would spit on the mascara block, (I know, it sounds gross,) and stir it around to get maximum product onto the brush. I don’t remember it smearing and I’m sure through my teenage years I had a few teary, heart-broken moments, so I guess it was OK, but apart from colouring my ginger lashes black, I don’t think it did much.

 

Happily, innovation has moved on and now there are so many brands and so many different effects to choose from that it’s a minefield to decipher and choose what’s best for your lashes and the look you want to create.

 

So, to help you out, I’ve been thinking about the mascaras I’ve used over the last few years and I’ve come up with five favourites. There are others I’ve tried, but few I’ve gone back to buy again.

 

For some time Lancôme Définicils was my number one fav. The actual product lasted well, didn’t go cloggy or dry out and I loved the result which was to define my lashes and give a lengthening effect. The coverage is fantastic and it leaves your lashes looking separated, lengthened and beautiful. I used it almost exclusively for several years.

 

 

……That is, until a few years ago, whilst doing a friend’s makeup for her wedding, sheasked me to use her Benefit They’re Real! mascara. I’d always felt the marketing of Benefit a bit young looking and hadn’t really experimented with the brand, but the applicator brush completely sold the mascara to me. The longer bristles at the tip of the applicator make it really easy to apply the product to even the finest lashes of the inner eye. It’s a great choice.

Then my loyalty changed direction again. Hanging around the Duty Free at Gatwick waiting a delayed plane, to Newquay, I found myself looking at the Givenchy make-up stand. If you read my last blog, you’ll know I’m a bit of a sucker for aspirational, designer brands and Givenchy was right up there, (after all Meghan wore a Givenchy wedding dress didn’t she!) The packaging sold it to me even before I’d tried the mascara, but anyway, I can report it worked. I was soon getting lots of compliments, (from women that is, no man has ever said “Your lashes are amazing”,) and it remains much loved.

Recently, my daughter asked me, with no notice, to do the makeup for a shoot she was directing and without a proper makeup case in London I just rushed into Boots on my way to the studio and bought Rimmel Lash Accelerator. This mascara is quite a bit cheaper than the rest, but the effect isn’t so bad. In fact it’s pretty good. It’s not as thick as the rest of my top 5, but its lengthening properties are excellent and the result is a pretty good outward and upward sweep with zero clumps.

 

Lastly, I have a new, what I am sure will be a very long-lasting, love affair with Le Volume Revolution de Chanel, Extreme volume mascara in 10 Noir. I haven’t used it long enough to tell you whether it dries up or runs out quickly, but what I can say, is my lashes have never looked so long and even my thin bottom lashes look amazing and using it for the first time yesterday, it didn’t smudge at all, even though I rubbed my eyes when chopping onions. The photo tells it as it is. What do you think?

 

Buy my Top 5 Mascaras:

 

Lancôme Définicils Mascara 01 Noir Infini RRP £24.50 www.johnlewis.com

 

 

Benefit They’re Real! Mascara Black RRP £21.50 / £18.28   www.lookfantastic.com

 

 

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara Black RRP £7.99     www.boots.com

 

 

Givenchy Noir Couture 4 in 1 Mascara RRP £26.00 / £19.95 from www.allbeauty.com

 

 

Chanel Le Volume Revolution Extreme Volume Mascara 10 Noir £28.00     www.feelunique.com

 

 

 

 

Mascara / Makeup / Lancome / Benefit /Rimmel / Givenchy / Chanel / Lashes /Eyelashes / Eye Makeup