Empties // Mascara | April 14

While sorting through my belongings to switch rooms, I discovered my empties box with an embarrassingly large amount of used up mascara's - or at least enough to write an entire post about. Mascara is a product I buy often, with a whole drawer dedicated to them in my Muji tower. I'll usually stick to drugstore brands rather than splashing out onto high-end to avoid parting with too much money if one disappoints me - something that happens often when you have sensitive eyes as I do.

Benefit Bad Gal Lash - sample

There's always Benefit samples floating around whether it be with magazines or with purchase. I've had numerous full size and sample sizes of Bad Gal Lash over the years though with such a large brush it isn't for everyone. I actually find the sample size easier to use due to a shorter wand but still the large brush. It's pigmented, adds volume, doesn't smudge and remains a 'classic' in my collection.

Vivo Volume Plus Length Fibre Mascara*

I don't know about you but I rarely hear of the brand anymore? Vivo come under the FB Beauty brands, very similar if not the same products as MUA. At an affordable £3.49 the mascara is great value though it doesn't have me rushing to the nearest Tesco - miles away, to grab another tube. Carrying the Fibre technology that rocketed launches last year, it does lengthen the lashes but since trying many other Fibre Mascara's this one just doesn't pack enough volume to those lashes and mine need a lot.

Bourjois Fan-tastic Volume 

A wand with only one side? This half brush edition to hit Bourjois stands last year well and truly takes its place as my all time favourite mascara. With a fan shaped wand full of thin, cone shaped bristles, every lash can be reached, zero clumps and no smudging. A few coats of Fan-tastic provides my lashes with plenty of volume and length as well as being the blackest of all mascaras. Bourjois mascara's always smell so lovely, with Fan-Tastic remaining paraben free and suitable for contact wearers despite the fragrance.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless 

I can always count on Rimmel to impress me with their mascara offerings. Early last year they launched a new edition of their beloved Lash Accelerator, this time being 'endless'. I received one before it launched and couldn't stop admiring my lashes, along with repurchasing ever since. Yet another formula to contain micro fibres, this one really extends the lashes and doesn't clump at all with a thin brush reaching every single lash. The only negative to Endless is how difficult the removal process is for a non-waterproof mascara.

MUA Eye Primer

Creeping into the mascara post is yet another tube of MUA's eye shadow primer in it's old packaging. It disappeared for quite awhile, while I gladly had stocked up before forgetting about it. Having loved Urban Decay's original primer potion which retails for significantly more, I'd happily repurchase MUA's instead to keep my shadow in place and avoid creasing.

Maybelline The Rocket Volume Express

Having heard many Americans rave about this mascara I had to purchase it when it eventually arrived in the UK. Like most hyped products The Rocket let me down, mainly due to the brush. I found that come application although the formula is very wet, not much ended up on the lashes due to the 'micro bristles' being incredibly discomforting leaving my eyes SO irritated. Usually one to try every maybelline mascara launched I've ignored all further releases, my eyes can't take any more torture.

Lord & Berry Scuba Waterproof Mascara*

Towards the end of last year Love Me Beauty, a UK beauty box subscription I receive featured another Lord & Berry product. Having loved previous products of theirs, a lot of receivers were found to be disappointed with dried up tubes being in boxes. Mine thankfully wasn't too bad, although a little dryer than expected I could still coat my lashes fully with the fibre enriched formula. It held up to the waterproof claim and definitely lengthened my lashes though as for volume? Not so much and not nearly enough for me to want to repurchase again. 

17 Blow Out Mascara

While I used to love the brand 17 when a lot younger, they rarely impress me  nowadays. Vouchers would always appear for an extremely discounted price, always tempting me back in. With Blow Out containing Argon Oil it's no wonder the formula smudges so much, rarely lasting on the lashes for an hour. I find all formulas of 17 to be either extremely dry or extremely watery. I'd love to know your ultimate drugstore mascara?

*only products marked with * were sent as PR samples
Disclaimer: press sample, for review consideration only, no payment received. see disclaimer page for more.