Bobbi Brown Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara Review

It's one of the best selling beauty brands - if not the top performer for John Lewis judging by the size of the new counter in the Oxford Street flagship store - and Bobbi Brown has countless award-winning products including the beauty editors favourite, the long wear gel liner and gorgeous the shimmer bricks. Surprisingly though none of Bobbi Brown's mascaras have taken home any prizes.

The Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara launched last year and does exactly what it promises: longer, glamorous lashes in seconds. With widely spaced bristles, the wand combs through lashes, separating and coating each lash without even a hint of clumping. The deep black colour rules out the need for a second coat and the formula stays put all day, so much so you will need a good eye make-up remover to take it off.

Creating a mascara that creates impressively long lashes with no clumps for less than £20 is no mean feat - Bobbi Brown we salute you. 

Bobbi Brown's Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara is £18,  available from Bobbibrown.co.uk.

Rating: 8/10 - Great mascara for adding definition and length, but those who prefer volume might not be 100% content.

Diorshow New Look Mascara Review

Combining all the qualities of a great lengthening mascara with an eyelash serum gives Diorshow New Look Mascara serious brownie points. With active ingredients, the Lash Multiplier serum treatment helps strengthen and thicken your eyelashes to not only improve the effects of the mascara, but also to promote healthier natural lashes.

Using Royal Jelly extract the treatment nourishes eyelashes and reinforces at the lash line to ensure rejuvenated, thicker lashes. The formula also contains Dior’s exclusive Dior Black Glass pigment, which has light reflecting particles that create a 3D jet-black colour effect.

The most impressive thing about the formula though is its staying power. Come rain or shine this mascara won’t budge, smudge or flake. However it does mean you’ll need a good eye make-up remover to get it off.

Aside from the formula, Dior has also created a new nano brush, which mixes supple rubber with resistant plastic for easier, precise application. The bristles are structured in two parts, so the root of your lashes are fully loaded with formula. The shape and style of the brush is great for coating both your top and bottom lashes, even the shorter, finer ones.

Despite the packaging promising both volume and length, like all mascaras Diorshow New Look is much more giving to the latter. While eyelashes do look instantly longer, they don’t have the volumising va-va-voom of mascaras like YSL’s Luxurious Mascara Shocking Volume.

   

Diorshow New Look Mascara is £23 and available from Selfridges.com.

Rating: 7/10 – If you were just looking for a lengthening mascara this one would get full marks, but for an all round finish it does lack the volumised finish.

Noir G De Guerlain Mascara Review

Without sounding like I'm trying to plug this beauty product, this is so much more than just your standard mascara. Noir G De Guerlain is part of a collection of new age mascaras that help strengthen and nourish lashes as well as lengthen and volumise.

Using artemia salina, an ingredient which helps stimulate keratin production and therefore encourage the growth of stronger lashes, Guerlain's latest beauty product almost combines the goodness of eyelash serums with the must-have qualities of a mascara.

Guerlain has also worked on the improving the formula's quality and longevity by combining a blend of waxes with polymer film, which together helps set the mascara onto lashes and prevents it from smudging and flaking throughout the day. The three-dimensional formula promises to lengthen, volumise and curl eyelashes too with a glossier, blacker than black shade. 

Unlike some of the other more recent mascaras, Guerlain has gone back to the old-school style of brush, which has an abundance of bristles to provide a much more volumising finish and distribute the formula evenly across your lashes. Despite the bulky packaging - which does follow on from Guerlain's lipsticks style and comes complete with a handy mirror - the wand is actually relatively narrow and the handle gives you more control when apply your mascara. 

Aside from the formula and glossy packaging Guerlain has gone one step further to give Noir G De Guerlain the ultimate touch of luxury by scenting it. Using the House of Guerlain's signature fragrance with delicate, feminine roses and jasmine, the mascara feels like a true pampering product for your eyelashes. 

Guerlain's Noir G De Guerlain mascara costs £35 and the refills are £19, both are available from Johnlewis.com.

Rating: 9/10 - This is a premium-priced mascara, but it does give lashes a thicker-looking, volumised finish and it has the advantage of also helping to strengthen eyelashes which is always a good thing. However, personally I don't like the bulky packaging and admittedly it is a hefty investment if after purchasing you decide you prefer a more lengthening mascara or it just doesn't work for you.

Soap And Glory Thick And Fast Mascara Review

The full name of this beauty product is Thick & Fast Super Volume False Lash Effect Mascara, which is quite a statement as far as mascaras go. A mascara is the one product that most women can’t leave the house without and spend their lives trying to find the one that works for them.

As far as Soap & Glory’s Thick & Fast Mascara, and the bold title, goes, well, it’s mixed reviews. On the one hand, the price is right for almost everyone and the oversized brush combined with the quirky packaging puts the fun back into dressing your lashes.

However on the other hand, the formula is a let down. In the first instance, the results are good – lashes are given a good coating thanks to the wide brush and the deep, rich black shade is flattering.

While the mascara doesn’t dramatically change the appearance of lashes volume or lengthening wise, it does improve natural lashes and could definitely work as an everyday, work mascara.

Unfortunately, it isn’t waterproof and is prone to smudging. By the end of a normal day you’ll have to really squint and look close up to tell whether you have any mascara on at all.

If you’re still set on Soap & Glory’s mascara, use the zigzag motion with the wand and apply plenty of layers.

Soap & Glory’s Thick & Fast Mascara is £10 from Soapandglory.com.

Rating: 5/10 – This is a hard one to call as while it’s not an incredible beauty product, it’s price makes it slightly more alluring. For £10, this is a pretty good budget beauty buy, so I’ve given it a half way, middle of the road sort of score.

Rimmel Day 2 Night Mascara Review

Rimmel’s Glam Eyes Day 2 Night mascara sounds like a great idea - two caps allowing you to achieve two different looks within one wand. The results, however, leave you feeling somewhat indifferent.

                      

The first cap, the lengthening ‘day’ look, gives an even coating without clumping. While it does highlight the length of lashes, it doesn’t provide an outstanding difference, especially with naturally long lashes.

The second cap, aka the volumising brush gives eyelashes a sparse coating, so you need to apply a few coats to get a lot of volume.

The overall effect of using both caps together is a little underwhelming. However, while it doesn’t live up to expectations there’s no denying that this is a good budget mascara. It’s one of the cheapest available and doesn’t leave lashes feeling heavy or clumped together.

Rimmel’s Day 2 Night Mascara is £7.99 and available from Boots.com

Rating: 6/10 - An interesting concept that is good for the price, but not as revolutionary as it sounds. 

DHC Perfect Pro Double Protection Mascara Review

It’s the strap line that makes this mascara so intriguing, “Beauty From Japan”. At once, thoughts of a hi-tech beauty product that will transform lashes into super natural, volumised feelers spring to mind.

In actual fact if you keep reading the mascara promises merely to offer natural looking, defined lashes using cutting-edge technology.

Unfortunately there is nothing revolutionary about this product. Both the wand and the brush feel flimsy, the formula is too watery and although the packaging promises you only need to splash your lashes with warm water to remove the formula, you do need make-up remover.

While DHC’s mascara does coat the lashes with a black colour and separates them, it doesn’t do anything else.

DHC Perfect Pro Double Protection Mascara is £13 and is available from Dhcuk.co.uk

Rating: 2/10 – It does do what it says on the packaging, but the overall quality of this product is lacking somewhat.

Lancome Hypnoses Doll Eyes Mascara Review

Having won the title of best mascara in Elle magazine’s beauty awards for 2011, the bar was set high for Lancôme’s Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara and unsurprisingly this product hits the spot, and some.

The unique ‘Fibre Shine’ formula gives lashes a large dose of drama with a seriously volumised and lengthened curve, making this the perfect mascara for an evening out. As the formula is enriched with nylon powders, lashes are given a subtle sheen and you won’t have to worry about reapplying throughout the night either.

However the formula is only half of the story with this product. Lancôme developed a new wand shape for the Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara. The cone-shape nylon brush makes it quick and easy to coat every lash, including the shorter, finer ones. It also separates and enhances the curve to create a wide, doe-eyed look, perfect for channelling AW11’s 60s beauty trend. 

Lancôme Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara is available from Lancome.co.uk for £20.50. 

Rating: 9/10 – If you’re looking for a mascara to transform your eyes this is, with out a doubt, the one for you. The only downfall is it’s only available in one shade. 

For similar reviews see Smashbox's Hyperlash Mascara and YSL's Luxurious Mascara Shocking Volume.

Smashbox Hyperlash Mascara Review

Just from reading the name you expect good thinks from Smashbox's Hyperlash mascara and as you move on to read the full packaging, 'lifts, lengthens, volumises and defines', you expect miracles.

And this mascara completely smashes the length factor and within seconds lashes are given incredible definition. However what it gives in length it lacks in volume, so much so lashes are left looking a little spidery. (If you're set on this mascara a top make-up tip for making lashes appear more volumised is to apply a good jet-black eyeliner on the base of the lash roots).

The formula has a rich colour but is slightly watery, which seriously lets this product down. Throughout the day the mascara smudges under the eye. Although this makes it easy to remove at bedtime, it does mean you are constantly checking and wiping your eye make-up throughout the day.

Smashbox Hyperlash Mascara is £17 and is available online at Debenhams.com

Rating: 6/10 - overall it gives good coverage and amazing length, but the lack of volume and smudging doesn't match up to the price tag.

YSL Luxurious Mascara Shocking Volume Review

Yves Saint Laurent's new mascara for AW11 definitely offers a false lash effect. The formula smothers lashes and offers a dramatic look. If you're looking for sheer volume, YSL's Luxurious Mascara Shocking Volume is the ticket.

The best bit is the brush with multi-directional bristles you can apply the first coat with the wand horizontal and the second with the wand vertical, so lashes are separated.

It's worth noting that this isn't a lengthening mascara and can feel quite heavy, so you if you're looking for longer lashes opt for a lighter mascara.

YSL Luxurious Mascara Shocking Volume is £22 and is available from Selfridges.co.uk in six shades.

Rating: 9/10 if you're looking for volume and instantly thicker lashes, 3/10 if you're looking for a good all rounder.