BEAUTY
Lash-extending mascara:
MYTH OR MARVEL?
FALSE LASHES, AS FABULOUS AS THEY MAY LOOK ON THE KIND OF WONDERWOMEN WHO CAN STICK THEM ON SEAMLESSLY WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY FRENCH PLAITING THEIR OWN HAIR, ARE A MYSTERY TO ME. I have never found a pair that is either easy to apply or flattering, so lash-extending mascara has become my fixation. But, does it work? And if so, why? I tried and tested a few mascaras that promise thicker and fuller lashes in just a few weeks and this is my pick of the bunch. BY POLLY HUMPHRIS
The theory
Basic mascara is a tried and tested blend of pigments for colouring, various waxes for coating, and preservatives, which then simply coats the lashes to make them stand out; different formulas and brushes yield different results. Water-resistant mascaras differ slightly in that they also include solvents to keep your mascara from running in case of contact with water, sweat or heartbreak. In most cases, a mascara that promises to lengthen or extend lashes mixes all of the usual ingredients, but with short synthetic fibres added. Made of nylon or rayon, the fibres stick to your natural lashes from the root to the tip when applied, helping to make your lashes look longer. The more you apply, the longer your lashes will appear.
Tried and tested
Benefit they’ re Real! Lengthening Mascara, £ 19.50, www. benefitcosmetics. com
Jet black in colour and really long wearing, so immune to smudging or drying out, this mascara – as promised on the packaging – really does lengthen, curl, volumise, and lift. It’ s superpower however lies in its seemingly magic wand that separates you newly lengthened lashes like a dream, so they appear fluttery and full with not one unsightly clump ruining the look.
Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Lashes, £ 25, www. charlottetilbury. com
Created using a unique lash-enhancing formula that stretches out your lashes like a piece of elastic and holds them there building up length with each stroke, Charlotte Tilbury ' s Legendary Lashes promises 13 times more volume in just three coats. Carbon black for a deep colour intensity, the innovative, multi-bristle brush has a collection of bristles of differing sizes, which ensures that even the most fine and short lashes are caught and coated, for separated, elongated lashes.
And the winner is...
A Class Act Mascara from Joan Collins Timeless Beauty, £ 20, www. joancollinsbeauty. com
The Joan Collins Timeless Beauty range continues to delight and surprise in equal measure with this outstanding mascara that Joan herself has stated gives her lashes“ real presence”; a statement with which I concur. The gold packaging oozes glamour and looks far more expensive than the product is, and the mascara itself is a smooth, creamy, no-clump, no-shed formula, which coats each lash evenly to define, enlarge and shape lashes into a flattering curl. Although the lengthening and thickening effect is apparent from the first application, the overall look manages to be subtle and striking at the same time, giving the impact of false lashes, but with a definite‘ natural’ appearance. A month-long trial showed incredible results with lashes measuring in at 169 per cent longer and 13 per cent thicker in just 30 days. A must-buy mascara that works.
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