Tag: Lash

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Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara Review


I have a very distinct memory of glueing my eye shut in an attempt to apply false eyelashes. I was probably 12 or 13, and it was Halloween. While I can’t remember exactly what I was dressing up as, I do remember the burn from the lash glue and the seconds of terror that I would never be able to pry my eye open again and would be blinded forever.

Since then, I’ve sworn off fake eyelashes, and only have them applied by makeup artists for special occasions. But I’ve always loved the drama huge fluffy lashes bring. While I’ve tried everything from lash extensions to eyelash lifts, I’ve made mascara my bread and butter in bringing some life to my tiny lashes. I love all mascaras at every price point, but I’m particularly interested in those that promise a false lash effect.

Recently, I was captivated by a somewhat viral Facebook video of a woman applying coats of mascara to her blonde lashes, only to have them instantly double in size. Every time she blinks into the brush, her lashes get longer and darker, without getting clumpy. I have never clicked on a product link so fast. When I saw it was called Liquid Lash Extensions, I was already sold, but then my eyes flickered over to the numbers: 7,569 reviews with 6,005 (and counting) of them being five stars. Talk about marketing at its finest.

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions is a fiber mascara, so it uses liquid fibers to build up your lashes. The formula contains orchid stem cell complex to encourage lash growth, and Japanese pepper extract to condition. It has a tapered spiky brush with tons of little bristles to grab each lash. Although I found the formula rather wet, it didn’t glop or clump up, and has a nice glossy shine.

My results were not as dramatic as the video (sigh), but I was still totally impressed. It really separates my lashes, making it appear that I’m blessed with more than I actually have. I wouldn’t say it doubled my lashes in length, but it definitely got close. It’s super inky black, and doesn’t flake or smudge all day, but when you want to take it off it comes off in seconds with warm water. My only gripe is it doesn’t give as much volume as I prefer, but hey, I’ll take what I can get.



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I Got a Lash Lift, and It Was Lifechanging – Lash Lift Review


I have pretty short lashes and love a more dramatic lash, so a lift didn’t give me the same instant satisfaction that extensions did, but I definitely noticed a difference. I feel more comfortable going to the beach or running out for breakfast without mascara because of the tint, but for my day-to-day I’m still wearing mascara to get the really lashy look I love. Despite not actually adding any length, the curl makes my lashes look longer, and it really opens up my small eyes. Essentially, it’s the perfect base to get the dramatic look I never could with my natural lashes.

Wearing mascara wth my lift.

Bella Cacciatore

Done right, it can be good for your lashes

If you’re looking to nurse damaged lashes back to health, the good news is a lift can actually help you. “Lash curlers and the act of scrubbing off mascara every night are damaging to natural lashes,” says Buhler. With a lift, you can avoid all that and let your lashes grow long and strong.

It’s more low maintenance than you think

Extensions, as glamorous and fluffy as they are, are a huge pain to keep up with. They need to be filled every two to three weeks, and you have to be incredibly gentle with them when washing your face, sleeping, and doing your makeup to avoid shedding. Not only does actually getting the lift take half as long as extensions (a lift took about an hour, where extensions can be anywhere from two to three hours), it lasts between six and eight weeks (but the tint will fade around three).

The only time you have to be as careful with a lift as extensions is in the 24 hours following your appointment. In order for the lashes to totally set, avoid wearing eye makeup, getting them wet, or taking a super steamy shower. Buhler also recommends a lash conditioner like coconut or castor oil, or a lash serum, especially if you’re trying to grow them longer. (I’ve been using Grande Cosmetics’ GrandeLash.) “With lash lifts you don’t need to worry about making it last—once it’s done, it’s done for the entire lifespan of your natural lashes,” she says.

While a lash lift is subtle, it makes a big difference

I’ve found my lift is a great way to trick people into thinking I’m blessed with Bambi lashes. I have never, ever been complemented on my eyelashes, but since getting a lift I’ve had friends and colleagues commenting left and right. Even a makeup artist couldn’t believe they were my natural(ish) lashes. Because they’re so short to begin with, a traditional lash curler has actually made my lashes look shorter, so it’s fun to live like the other half. Consider me hooked.



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Lash Extensions Make Me a Better Mom


I am not a morning person. Against my will, I peel my eyes open to the sound of a very energetic baby then drag myself to the bathroom to hastily wipe my face. I throw on a black top and leggings and call it a day.

I never expected my routine to be like this. I grew up idolizing the 13 Going on 30 mantra “thirty, flirty, and thriving.” Like Jennifer Garner in the film, I thought adulthood would be glamorous. I’d wake up early to waltz into a steamy shower, carefully apply a full face of makeup, and craft a meticulously put-together outfit built on the foundation of chic lingerie.

By my late twenties, it became increasingly clear that this morning routine just wasn’t going to happen for me. A perpetual late riser, I would get ready at my own pace, slowly sipping on an espresso, checking my e-mail, and putting on makeup when and if I wanted. Being a freelance writer afforded me the luxury of time, and I always felt well-rested.

But everything changed when I became a mother at 29. Like every mom knows, your sleep is the first thing to go. Instead of getting up when my body felt ready, the baby’s incessant cry woke me up at 4:30 A.M. Rather than making an espresso for myself, I was trying not to fall asleep while feeding the baby. Motherhood forced me to become an early riser and my self-care habits crumbled. Suddenly it felt like my life was about taking care of everyone but myself.

As the days counted down to my 30th birthday, “flirty and thriving” felt maybe like a bit of an oversell, but prioritizing myself more felt within reach. I always believed in looking good to feel good, but with fatigue and an over-packed schedule, it’d been a while since I really put the time into how I looked.

I was starting to feel insecure. All these other women were managing to raise children and run families with blown-out hair and perfect brows, why couldn’t I? Seeing polished moms in heels strutting around the mall with their strollers made me feel like I was failing at motherhood, like I was letting myself down. The mom pressure to “do it all” was ridiculous: it wasn’t enough that I was keeping a tiny human alive and safe, I felt like I also needed to always look like the best-dressed version of myself.

On those rare days when I did have 30 minutes to myself, my confidence progressively grew during the course of my beauty routine. Nearly in zen mode, I massaged in my tinted moisturizer, puffed on a bit of powder, dotted on blush, and finished my routine off with the power duo of eyeliner and mascara. Typically critical of my appearance, I liked the way makeup gave my eyes dimension. I looked into my own eyes and felt powerful, poised. I decided that my 30th birthday gift to myself would be a semi-permanent version of this look and feeling. I held my breath as I booked an appointment to get eyelash extensions.

Me, with my son, Maximillian, before my lash extensions

On the morning of my birthday, I walked into a chilled studio, took off my shoes, and laid on the table covered by a fuzzy blanket. I was told to close my eyes. And then I didn’t open them again for two and a half hours. As a chronic multitasker, my hands itched to scroll through my phone to add to my to-do list, text my husband to remind him to re-stock on formula, and research how to get my baby to sleep through the night. I was hostage to the process.



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Meghan Markle's Favorite Lash Serum Is on Sale at Dermstore Right Now


Meghan Markle, having been a celebrity and now a royal, has access to all sorts of talented makeup artists, incredible treatments, and high-end beauty products. But she tends to keep it breezy and natural, letting her freckles shine and her glowing skin speak for itself—notably on her wedding day—and still sometimes does her own makeup, even as a royal. It begs the question: What products does a duchess use, exactly? While we haven’t had the chance to raid her glam closet (she must have one, right?), she has spoken out about some of her favorite products before—and one of her pricier favorites happens to be 25 percent off at Dermstore right now.

ICYMI, Dermstore is having an incredible anniversary sale now through August 19—just type in “BIRTHDAY” at checkout to get that magical discount. One of those on-sale items is Markle’s favorite lash growth serum, RevitaLash.

Markle told Allure back in December that using RevitaLash on her lashes has made them “as long as they could ever be.” It’s part of her beauty routine, along with Tatcha’s Rice Enzyme Powder and a glycolic serum from Jan Marini, and it’s a pretty easy step to add in: You just apply a thin line of it over your lashes on each eye once a day. And we gotta say: She does have pretty insanely long and full eyelashes.

RevitaLash, now $112.50, normally $150, dermstore.com

Curiosity piqued? Click on over to the sale, where a six-month supply of RevitaLash is on sale for $112.50 with that excellent promo code (normally it’s $150). And if a few other beauty deals happen to fall into your shopping basket, well, we don’t blame you at all. Check out all the other great Dermstore anniversary sale deals we’ve found here.

Related Stories:
–Meghan Markle’s Wedding Makeup Let Her Natural Beauty (and Her Freckles) Show Through
–Meghan Markle Has Been Doing Her Own Makeup This Week
–The Internet Finally Figured Out Meghan Markle’s Favorite Lipstick



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Glossier Lash Slick Mascara Review With Photos


Expect to hear a lot more “your lashes look good” and less “what mascara are you wearing?” reads one of the taglines for Glossier’s Lash Slick Mascara, which launches today. Glossier’s marketing is about as slick and irresistible as its Millennial pink packaging, and anyone’s who’s ever tried a mascara that claims to be flake-free and non-clumping (so, all of us) knows how few of them actually stack up to their claims. This, however, they’re really not kidding about. As I was swiping on two coats of the brand’s new vegan mascara—its first ever—a colleague looked at my lashes and shouted, “What the f*ck!” They were practically to my brows. So that should tell you something.

According to brand reps, it took them 18 months and 248 tries to get the formula just right—a mix of “Japanese Fiber Technology” (i.e. one- and two-millimeter-long fibers that hook onto your lashes like extensions), biotin to condition and strengthen your lashes, and polymers that help add shine. The brush, meanwhile, is flexible and rubbery with tiny, tiered bristles meant to grab every single lash. The price rings in at a modest $16, which actually lands in the more affordable range for Glossier and cheaper than a lot of prestige mascaras.

Still, though, I’ve got rather long, cooperative lashes. So I called in a couple other Glamour staffers—all with different eye shapes and lash types—to weigh in on their thoughts. The photos below compare the mascara on one eye (at left) to our regular lashes. Here’s what each of them had to say.

Lindsay Schallon, senior beauty editor

First Impression: Honestly, I thought no way in hell this wand would give me the thick, fat lashes I want. The brush has tiny rubber bristles and doesn’t hold a lot of product like my usual favorites: Too Faced’s Better Than Sex, Dior’s Diorshow, and Maybelline’s Total Temptation.

Loves: Um, hi, I was wrong. For how little product the brush holds, the tiny fibers in this formula go to work. As I mentioned above, the length this mascara gave me was nuts. What’s best though is that it actually held up to its no-clump, no-smudge claim. I had a very fancy dinner with a celebrity hairstylist the day after the Met Gala—I was tired and sure that by the end of the night, the bags under my eyes would be intensified with black raccoon smears under them. Lo and behold, not only was there not a single flake or smudge, I woke up in the morning having forgotten to take off my makeup and my mascara was still in tact.

Gripes: I wish it were the tiniest bit more volumizing. I like thiccc lashes and this delivers more on length than volume.

Would I Buy It?: One thousand percent. And not just because it’s on the more affordable end for Glossier, I genuinely love this mascara. It’s joining my rotation.

Maureen Choi, beauty contributor

First Impression: Pretty little thing. I’m an insufferable lover of good beauty packaging, and this hits all the right notes: sleek, yet unassuming, feminine without being frilly. It sparks some joy, so I’m down to give it a try even though mascara and I don’t really mix.

Loves: The wiper did a solid job at removing excess gunk before I even thought about swiping it on, so my lashes ended up evenly coated and clump-free. And the tubular formula prevented the dreaded drop down/smudging situation normal mascaras subject my eyes to, so that was a win!

Gripes: It’s hard to find mascara that won’t weigh down my stick-straight lash nubs, and unfortunately, this wasn’t the Holy Grail exception. Just one coat made them sad and droopy, even after heating a lash curler and proceeding to squeeze from root to tip a million times. Wah-wah.

Would You Buy It?: This would be rad for someone who doesn’t have low muscle-tone lashes that go limp at the first sight of mascara. I wouldn’t buy it for myself, but would def recommend it to a friend.

Ana Colón, digital fashion editor

First Impressions: I honestly had no preconceptions because I’m not picky with mascara. However, I did feel I could wear this on its own, without eyeliner, if I’m super pressed for time but want some makeup on. And $16 doesn’t feel like too much of a splurge, considering it’s Glossier. I think the most I’d pay for mascara would be like…$18.

Loves: I like that the brush doesn’t pick up too much product, so there’s not a lot of clumping! It kind of lets you control how ~ dramatic ~ you want.

Gripes: On the flip side, it’s so subtle that I had to apply two to three swipes.

Would You Buy It? Maybe. I don’t feel super strongly about it, but when I run out of my current mascara, I’d consider this as a swap.

Rachel Nussbaum, beauty writer

First Impressions: It reminds me of my first ever mascara, CoverGirl Lashblast. It very much looks like a basic mascara—no bells or whistles, just Glossier pink and a simple tube.

Loves: It took around seven coats to reach the long, brow-sweeping lashes that I like, but it got there without any clumps. The definition is cray, and it caught every lash. I really like that it darkened to the very ends of my lashes, without weighing them down. I didn’t curl my lashes, and I didn’t need to.

Gripes: It caught every lash, but I’d like more on the volumizing and thickening side of things. I’d say it’s great if you just want an everyday, above-average casual mascara. It didn’t blow my mind (I want flutter!), but it’s good.

Would You Buy It? Nah. My lashes look good up close, but from far away, I want my lashes to look more dramatic.

Blake Newby, beauty assistant

First Impressions: It goes on incredibly smooth and I really like the lift it gave my lashes. Most of time I have to use an eyelash curler before I apply my mascara because of my naturally downturned lashes, but this gave me the perfect lift.

Loves: Like all mascaras, it firmed up after time, but at no point did it clump or feel crunchy like many others.

Gripes: So far…none!

Would You Buy It? For only $16, absolutely. Glossier has a winner with this one.

Shop It: Glossier Lash Slick Mascara, $16, glossier.com

Related Stories:
–This Drugstore Mascara Is So Good, You Won’t Believe It’s Only $5
–Yeah, Glossier’s New Eyeshadow Is Worth the Hype
–‘Kush’ Mascara Is a Thing Now, and I Tried It



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Lash Star Beauty Full Control Mascara Review


I’ve only had lash extensions once and the experience went something like this: Endure 45 minutes of application, marvel at my newly huge Disney woodland creature eyes, then freak out for weeks while my extensions eventually began to shed (along with my regular lashes). So instead of dealing with the lash loss, upkeep, and cost that comes with extensions, I’ve invested my time (and money) on hunting for my dream mascara.

I’m willing to admit my criteria’s pretty exacting. I want that full-on falsies effect in a non-drying, non-clumping formula—my lashes are long and sparse, so they clump badly—and it needs to be easily removable with a gentle cleanser. Few have come close to fitting the bill, but I think I’ve finally found a product that gives me better-looking lashes than actual extensions, courtesy of the best beauty brand you’ve never heard of: Lash Star Beauty.

I discovered Lash Star’s Full Control Mascara the same way I’ve stumbled upon most of my favorite things: on the Internet, along with a healthy dose of skepticism. A claim for it said the formula can boost lash volume by 4,100 percent. I’m no mathematician, but that’s an absurdly specific percentage. Alluring, if possible—seriously, pick a thing on your desk, close your eyes and try to imagine it 4,100 times larger. You can’t, can you?—but questionable on the basis of specificity alone. There was also the brush to consider. I used to side-eye most double-wand mascaras on principle. (If a product is good, why does it need two brushes, you know?) None have really ever given me both volume and separation in the way they promise.

This really comes through though. Like most double-wand mascaras, Full Control has a big brush and a baby brush. But unlike literally every other mascara I’ve tried, you’re not meant to start out with the big brush and follow it up with the smaller. Nope, the trick of this mascara is that the little one comes first.

It’s called the tightline brush and you use it to prep every lash—the brand’s website calls this “coaxing” which I find adorable and also apt—before using the larger, curved silicone brush to add additional coats (according to the website, a third coat is what delivers the full 4,100-percent volume increase). Basically, you’ve got an itty bitty primer brush to lay a wide-eyed foundation and a big nubby brush to drive it home. As it turns out, this concept is kind of genius.

At first, I worried that my normal application technique—wiggling the brush slowly through my lashes from base to tip—would gunk on too much product, but that’s exactly how the brand recommends putting it on. The mascara itself goes on smooth and deposits the exact right amount of product due to…I don’t know, the dark arts and black magic? Whatever the secret, it layers perfectly and comes off like a dream with mild soap and water.

There’s no way for me to prove or disprove that outrageous volume claim. But all I can say is that I’ve had multiple people stop me and ask where I’ve been getting extensions these days because the results are that good.

Lash Star Beauty Full Control Mascara, $35, bluemercury.com

Related Stories:
–This Mascara Is So Good, You Won’t Believe It’s Only $5
–I Fell for a Mascara Named After Mr. Big and Now I’m a Cliché With Great Lashes
–I’m Literally Addicted to Urban Decay’s New ‘Sex-Proof’ Mascara



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