The Lash Stash sampler from Sephora — $35
October 19, 2008 9:58 am Makeup
Normally I get annoyed by how many promo emails I get from Sephora, since they usually contain a bunch of not-so-natural items that make me go blech. But this time, I’m kind of intrigued. Their Last Stash ten-tube mascara sampler (which they claim is an $85 value) seems like an easy way to check out all the top brands for my lashes, without dropping more than the cost of one new tube.
Most people who know me and my cosmetics taste well will be surprised to read this post, since they know I’ve been a hardcore advocate of Dr. Hauschka’s Volume Mascara since shortly after it came out in 2007.
But recently, my love for Dr. H has waned, since I always seem to find myself with raccoon smudges under my eyes these days. Perhaps it’s because of my increased eye cream use, or perhaps it’s global warming or alien invasion — who knows? But my mascara ain’t what it used to be, and I’m in the market for a more resilient replacement.
I’ve always been big on natural brands for mascara, since it seems to actually enter my eye a lot more than I’d like. But most natural brands are anything BUT smudge-proof. In fact, the ONLY natural brand I know of that does a waterproof mascara is Beauty Without Cruelty, but I’ve never actually found their cosmetics in any store. I may cave and order a tube online just to give naturals one last try before I cross over to the dark side.
The dark, full, curly, lush, thick side. I do admit that every time I use a freebie sample mascara tube just out of curiosity, or because it was a gift with purchase or what have you, I am WOWED by how much more oomph the non-natural brands give to my already long lashes. Smudges or no, other brands tend to really pump up the vixen power, almost to the point of looking trashy or unprofessional – or maybe that’s just my impression since I’m so used to the sparser look that natural brands provide!
Either way, this deluxe sampler kit is on my wish list, and I just might let my peepers get some va-voom if I don’t find a good hippie alternative. But if anyone else has tried either the Sephora sampler or the BWC stuff, I’d love to hear your input!
Virginia :
Date: November 5, 2008 @ 8:17 pm
I totally caved and ordered this the other day, because my mascara’s dwindling oomph just got too sad. I’ll post results as soon as I’ve tried them all!
Virginia :
Date: November 14, 2008 @ 10:45 pm
Boo — I wound up reading the reviews of this pack AFTER I made the purchase. And many of these sadly accurate reviews complained that the mascara tubes are very dried out. I’m a bit bummed, Sephora — I don’t really feel like I’m getting an accurate feel for how all these tubes perform. Shame on you for not providing fresher products!