If you’ve been following me for a while you’ll know that my quest for long lashes is on-going and my life’s mission. Lash extensions, lash serums, false lashes, I will try anything.
If you know anything about Asian folks you should know that we typically have flat straight hair, head to toe. I am cursed with these poker-straight lashes that point downward so I am always looking for the best lash solution to give me my Bratz Dollz fantasy.
My requirements for a good mascara is something that holds a curl and has a low-transfer rate. Because my lashes barely hold a curl, they lose that slope throughout the day and the downward droop can cause my top lashes to touch my undereye area causing a racoon effect. Call me Frodo, because I am on a quest (I never saw the movie, that might be the wrong reference.)
Okay. So first off, the above is what my lashes look like bare. As you can see my lashes are turned downward and while I have a lot of lashes they’re not very full or thick. I will also tell you right now, the difference between the mascara is subtle in pictures but I can tell a difference when I am wearing them. All the mascara pics are taken after curling my lashes with two coats of mascara after about an hour of wear or so.
For volume. Adding volume to Asian lashes can be tricky because of the downward turn of my lashes, a full lash can weigh down the look of my eyes and look heavy. Not with Annabelle’s Bigshow Curved Brush Mascara ($11) – a long lasting mascara enriched with carnauba wax to avoid flaking while the curve brush gets to every single lash. I love how layerable this formula is and once one coat sets another can be easily applied for full volume. This is my choice pick if you like that full look where some of the lashes crisscrossing one another.
For length & separation. My ultimate fave for a amped up version of my natural lashes is the Ilia Limitless Lash Lengthening Mascara ($37). It’s all in the brush, there is a short side that curls and lifts and a long, comb-like, side that helps lengthens and separates. It’s truly like having two mascaras in one. This one is probably one of my fave mascara formulas of the bunch too because it’s so nourishing and never looks clumpy. As you can tell from the photo, it really adds separation and looks the most “natural” of all my fave mascara.
For long-lasting curl. Listen, the thing about Asian lashes is that while I can curl them and load up the mascara for a wide-eyed look not all mascaras can hold that curl for an extended amount of time. I don’t know what it is about the Revlon So Fierce! Eyes Wide Open Mascara ($13) but she really does that heavy lifting without the crunch of other mascaras. It’s also pretty much an exact dupe for the Benefit BADgal BANG! Volumizing Mascara at a fraction of the cost! You can even see in the photo the actual kink of my lash curler still.
BONUS For ultimate glam. When it comes to an ultra-glam, red-carpet ready eye look there is really nothing that replicates the look of false lashes, but did you know that knowing how to apply lashes isn’t the trick to making them look seamlessly? It’s also picking the right shape and curl for your eyes. My all-time fave false lash brand, Ardell, has an entire collection ($10/pair) based on your eye shape to ensure you get the best fitting lashes for your eyes. They have four different lash curl types depending on if you have almond-shaped, round, monolids, close-set, hooded or deep-set eyes! No more guessing here! (I don’t have any recent photos of me wearing them because they have been sold out at all the London Drugs near me.)
For long-term. A while back the team at Foxy Box invited me to check out their Mount Pleasant location for a lash lift ($75) and when I say that I immediately starting acting different. While I can curl my lashes, a lash curler doesn’t seem to fan out my lashes evenly the way a lash lift does. I never realized how naturally long and full my lashes could look prior to getting a lash lift and now I feel like I am in a long-term relationship with getting my lashes lifted for the rest of my life. I look good with or without mascara on and a lash lift has made all the difference when layering mascaras. The entire process takes less than an hour and the maintenance is relatively easy, just no contact with water for 24 hours and no waterproof mascara. Results are expected to last between 6 to 8 weeks and after the initial 24 hours you can rub your eyes and use cleansers as per usual.
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