Lashing Out

We've never really posted about cosmetics on this blog, which is odd when you think about the tight-knit relationship that Jayn and I have with Sephora. To us, the store is something like Blockbuster Video. (Remember that place? When people actually went to a store to rent movies? And they came on VHS? And then they told people that they weren't charging late fees anymore except they totally were and got sued? Don't know how those ads got past a legal team. But I digress.) We go to Sephora, browse the titles, and when we find one we want to watch (or try), we check it out. Then, after we've tried it, we bring it back and exchange it for something else.

NOTE: I would feel bad about the fact that I return so much stuff to Sephora. But then I think about how certain I am that I will be invited to join their new VIP Insider program, the one reserved for people who spend a minimum of $350 a year at Sephora, and suddenly I don't feel at all bad about returning the products that I don't like, or, in many cases, don't work (every eye cream ever that swears it will get rid of dark circles).

That being said, I think it is time for the first beauty-related post here on Luckier. (Unless there already was one and I forgot.)

Perhaps my favorite beauty discovery ever is Blinc Kiss Me mascara. As far as I am concerned, it is the greatest mascara ever. Their tagline is, "Stop painting your lashes, tube them," which refers to the fact that the mascara forms tiny little tubes around your individual lashes, as opposed to just coating them in paint. The benefit is that lashes are beautifully defined and will never, ever smear or flake. It's so smudge-proof I can even wear it on my lower lashes, which formerly was a no-no (see earlier reference to need for dark-circle-remover). It doesn't lengthen or thicken, so if that's what you're looking for, this may not be the product for you. It just beautifully defines and enhances, and removes easily with warm water -- no make-up remover needed. I've also never had a problem with it getting in my contact lenses.

The only drawback is the price tag. $24 is a lot to be spending on mascara. So I was pleased to discover a Luckier choice -- L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara. They advertise the same "tube" formula and easy

 removal, plus an extra "ultra-nourishing base coat." Frankly, I've been wearing this product for two weeks and still have not figured out what this base coat does. The only nice thing is that it coats your lashes white, which helps ensure you get full coverage when you apply the mascara. It doesn't apply quite as nicely as Blinc, but I've gotten compliments on my long lashes from two different people since I started wearing the L'Oreal stuff, so it must be doing something right. It doesn't come off quite as nicely as the Blinc, either, but still doesn't require make-up remover. And it comes in two shades, as opposed to Blinc's one (although how Black AND Blackest Black are really two different color is beyond me). But it was around $9 -- less than half the price of Blinc -- and easy to pick up at any drugstore.

Not that I ever mind having to make a trip to Sephora.