Maybelline’s pink tube with green cover used to be the undisputed top seller.  But in the past few years, dozens of new mascaras have exploded onto the beauty scene and they are all fighting, wand to wand, for market share.  Cover Girl has toppled Maybelline’s mascara empire but L’Oreal’s Lash Explosion is creeping up on Cover Girl and gaining ground at a very steady rate.  Today’s mascara wearing woman must choose among volumizers, lengtheners and vibrating wands (hey, that one makes you giggle, doesn’t it?!), not to mention shiny finishes, glossy blacks, and a myriad of colors.  To get some perspective on decoding this strange and fascinating world of mascaras, I spoke to Terran Marcotte, the Cosmetics Manager at a well known beauty supply store.

My first question for Terran was about vibrating wands.  Were they really any better than the ones that don’t come with buttons and batteries?  The vibrating wands, she explained, do the work for you.  The best application comes from the way you move the wand – a little jiggle side to side as you sweep your lashes.  These new wands do that for you.  All you have to worry about is the up and down motion.  Although they may look state of the art, these motorized marvels are very easy to use.

Also easy to use are the lash tubes.  If you have issues with length, these tubes will wake up your peepers with a tube-like, short-term “extension”.  The only thing to watch for here, Ms. Marcotte says with a smile, is the fact that they come off as tubes too.  The first time you wash off your mascara and see little tubes in the sink, well, apparently it’s a bit of a jolt.  When asked if these tubes come off with plain water, Terrain says yes, but it is better to use a makeup remover for all types of mascara removal.  This cuts down on the rubbing which, in turn, helps to prevent wrinkles. 

Although mass companies are launching mascaras every spring and fall, the main changes are actually in the brushes.  The formulas, while varied, are still basically thick for volume or lighter for length.  While Terran favors Dior Show and insists it is worth the hefty price tag, she recommends you find what works for you by talking to a cosmetician and being clear about the result you are looking for.  The rest comes down to personal preference.

A word of caution, however.  The models you see in commercials and print with stunning full and long lashes are most likely wearing some kind of extension or filler.  Check the fine print that flashes on the bottom of the screen or is placed discreetly on the page as companies that advertise their mascara but use fillers are obligated to disclose this information.  Purchasing a tube of mascara will alter the look of your lashes but it will never make you look like Drew Barrymore or Penelope Cruz and it does not come with a team of highly trained stylists, lighting artists, and photo shoppers.  So purchase away, just stay grounded in realism.

Well, vibrating wands and lash stilettos aside, I have always been a fan of good old Maybelline in the pink tube and the green cover. Whatever your personal preference is, we girls know that when we bat our eyes, we want them framed with mascara. So grab a tube, coat those lashes, and wink away, ladies!