Our previous Rimmel review was on the Wonder’fully Real mascara, which is available here.

Today, Miss Nals will be reviewing Rimmell’s Wonder’lash mascara.

Their website states “Do you need a solution to your clumpy mascara?
Wonder’Lash mascara with argan oil is your best secret weapon to perfectly full, smooth, zero-clump volume! …Experience beautiful volume and lash definition in one smooth, easy stroke… and left feeling conditioned”.

Click HERE for more info

Reviews on their site are favourable at 4.2 stars (307 reviews).

Makeup Alley reviews give it 3 stars (75 reviews). Comments are similar as on Rimmel’s site.

Now for our actual review

Lengthener

Yes-ish. Because it separates so well, my lashes looked a bit longer (but sparse).

Separator

yes, like a hot damn.

Volumizer

Nope, not even when paired with a volumizer.

Curl

I curl before and after applying mascara. This mascara initially holds the curl well… then they look wonky.

Thickener

Product colour is black, which you’d think would help the appearance of thickening. In fact, because the separation was so thorough, there was significantly less volume/thickening effect.

Application

This bristled beast of an applicator looked like it meant business. But I guess it was more of an empty promise that never was.

Other considerations

✓Mascara didn’t interfere with my contact lenses.

×It stuck on like a SOB. Despite triple washing, I didn’t always get all of it off. But it didn’t irritate my eyes.

✓This is a available in a waterproof version (turquoise tube).

Recommendation:
I’d skip this mascara.

Today, Miss Nals will be reviewing Covergirl’s SuperSizer (Lashblast) . 

Their website states “The Super Sizer Mascara gives you 400% more corner-to-corner volume for full, fanned out lashes. Our amazing Lash Styler transforms even small lashes— just twirl as you apply it to your lashes for an instantly Super Sized lash look. Opthalmologically tested, suitable for those who wear contact lenses”.

Click here to read that description on their site

Reviews on their site are basically favourable at 88% (1161 reviews).  Covergirl has suggested they contact Customer Service to remedy an unfavorable situation, if a reviewer mentions it.  People might respond to this with of course they would because they don’t want bad PR. But, it takes time to read each review and respond accordingly°.

Makeup Alley reviews are also favourable in scores (218 reviews, 68%) but comments are varied°. 

Getting back to the N&K review…

Nals’s lashes are long (partially due to EnEnvy and our reviews are here and here) but straight.

Lengthens

Yes! (And even at the corners with the stumpier baby hairs.)

Volumizer

Not so much, despite the flared bristly brush and thin product.  Reminds me of a product that contains fibers such as Rimmel’s Wonder’fully Real mascara (N&K review is here). 

Separation

Product clumps with >2 layers.

Curl

I curl before and after applying mascara**.  Mascara holds the curl well through out the day.

Thickener

Product colour is black, which helps the look of fuller lashes. But since it clumps with >2 layers, there’s not a lot of thickening effect.

Application

Due to flared brush with bristles in a spiral formation (like DNA or pineapple seeds), application is best when you follow instructions on the package.

✓Mascara didn’t interfere with my contact lenses.  ✓This particular tube had staying power and was waterproof.   
×But it stuck on like a SOB.  I  use an oil-based facial cleanser (such as Julep’s Love Your Bare Face).  I tried all-sorts like soaking my lashes with Julep cleanser then gently rubbing to lift up product.  I used makeup remover before cleanser… And then tried after.  I tried to triple wash my lashes.  And there were days that I didn’t get all of it off.  I still haven’t found the best method because each time is slightly different.

This is not a good mascara for a newbie/novice due to the application instructions and difficulty of removal.

For the experienced mascara-ista… I probably would not recommend it again due to difficulty of removal and clumping properties.

Footnotes
* formerly known as Mascara Monday
° To give you guys an idea, it probably takes Kells and I a couple hours to post and publish ONE post.  Formatting, uploading pictures, viewing and re-editting take scads of time.  Add additional time to take photos, picking topics and then writing.  So, both N&K appreciate how much work goes into it. However, the varied comments on Makeup Alley give us pause. Why are comments different on the CoverGirl vs. MUA site? Hmmm…
** MUAs might balk at this double curling, as the curler could pull lashes out after mascara-ing.  But I curl when mascara is dry as a bone.  If you double curl, don’t do it wet!

So here are our rules

1. We bought all mascara ourselves (which means nobody is paying us).
2. We wear each mascara for at least 1 week.
3. All mascaras purchased were black… and the darkest black they had available.
4. Every mascara used was put on the exact same way, with only 2 coats.
5. This is just our 2 cents. This opinion is ours…take it or leave it. Believe it or not.

What do we want in a mascara?

In a mascara, we typically discuss the following points: Lengthen, Volumize, Separation, Curl and Thicken.

The lowdown

The Bad

Everything was initially fantastic. Long lashes for dayzzz. However after a month, I noticed that the product clumped on my lashes. And, at the end of the day, flakes fell into my eyes. I typically use several thin coats plus another mascara. For this tube, I only can do 2-3 thin coats. This product falls short on volumizing and thickening. So, I tried to pair it with another volumizing mascara. And again, I got clumped.

That brush

The brush picks up a lot of product. You must ensure that swipe off as much of the product as can before application. (That is, make sure you can see lots of the pink brush showing through.) Fair warning: this brush is a poke hazard.

The Good

The bristly brush and product lengthen & separate. As such, Rimmel Wonder’fully Real Mascara is a good lengthener and separator. It also keeps the curl. (One must use a lash curler!)

An interesting thing

I felt like sporting the au naturel look a lot with this mascara. At first I thought it was due to the emergence of the PNW summer sun. (The summer makes me feel more like a let’s-skip-work-and-soak-up-some-sun bronzed goddess than a dramatic eye queen.) Or, maybe I was too lazy to add liner? But, I finally figured out why… I noticed that the brush/product inadvertently builds colour at upper water line. Which is fantastic for an au naturel look. And fantastic that Nals was inspired to keepnit low-key.

The Ugly

The ugly truth is that it’s really hard to get a mascara with all of these features. Which is why I typically use 2 mascaras on every application. But I got clumped when I tried to pair this mascara with a volumizer.

Additionally this mascara is hard to remove. After washing, you’ll need to get in there with a cotton-tipped wand.

Recommendation

I probably wouldn’t buy Rimmel’s Wonder’fully Real again unless I was in desperate need of a mascara… and it was on sale.

The brush would be challenging for novices.

The product itself is a bit annoying after 1 month.

And guess what I thought? It’s Mascara Monday time for our gorgeOUs N&Kers!

Let’s re-state our review rules:

1. We bought all mascara ourselves (which means nobody is paying us).
2. We wear each mascara for a week.
3. All mascaras purchased were black, and the darkest black they had available.
4. Every mascara used was put on the exact same way, with only two coats. All eye makeup for the comparison pictures was exactly the same.

That’s it…there are no more rules.

Wait…maybe one more…the opinion is ours…take it or leave it. Believe it or not. These are just our 2¢.

What we want in a mascara

Lasting Curl

Staying Power

Colour

Separation

Volume

Length

Most reviews talk about these 6 points. The first 5 are important to me since I’ve got naturally long lashes².

The problem is that my durn lashes ramrod straight. So, I’ve got to bust out the eyelash curler first¹. Doesn’t matter if it’s a mascara dipped in gold. Without that lash curler, the mascara will not reach its full potential.
Application. So after curling and applying Rimmel London’s 24 Hour Supercurler, I found that the product applied quickly, without much fuss.
Curl power. This product didn’t curl my lashes very much. But, once I cyborg’ed it up¹, the mascara worked well.
Staying power. It lasted quite a while. In fact, I found that I needed to get a Q-tip in there after cleansing to ensure all the product was out. (Lots of other people experienced this as well. See some other reviews.)
Separation. That curved brush is thick and it’s got some junk in the trunk. Angle that brush around & work it for your lashes. As the product has a thin consistency, lashes were separated beautifully with no porridge-y clumps.

Colour. Yep, the colour was “very black”. See Volume as this affects appearance of Colour.
Volume. Oh sigh. Here’s where it falls short. I got length, separation, curl power, colour… do you really need volume, too? Can all 5 equally co-exist in 1 mascara? I layer my mascaras anyways, so I’d just pair it with a volumizer.

Interesting tid bit: Rimmel London gives a dupe on fake lashes here. Did this dupe work for you?Did this dupe work for you?

Would I buy again (Yes!) & would i recommend it?

For newbies this is a good starter mascara.

For the seasoned mascara-ists, you’ll have to pair with a volumizer.

Footnotes

1 Mr Nals calls me cyborg when I’m using the curler. I’ve found that when I put curler under the hair dryer for 2-3 seconds, the curl is intense and adding a good mascara suspends it in curl-perfection.

2 My lashes have lengthened and volumized with EyEnvy eyelash conditioner! Our review is available here.

This week Nals

will be reviewing Katy Perry’s Katy Kat Eye mascara (by Covergirl).

Their kitch

. . . is the sculpting brush.
Indeed this is a swashbuckling brush, all swirly and packed with bristles. It applies the product to your lashes, with luscious accuracy.

Red dot eyes show results after 2 coats

drawback

The product is a bit thick so wipe it off real good before applying. (The first time I used it, I didn’t and ended up with a gd huge black molten glob in my eye… and had to trash the contact¹.) The issue may not lie in the mascara’s viscosity, but rather, the scooping expanse of the brush.

Conclusion?

Defo try this mascara… but not ideal for the novice user.
Footnote:
¹Truth be told, the black glob looked like something out of X-Files.

To read previous Mascara Reviews, please search our Mascara Monday tag.

lashes because she uses some new serum called EyEnvy. Nals assured me that this sweet coworker of her swears by it. So when I saw it in the store, I bought it. I was a wee bit shocked by the sticker price, but I thought Nals would never lie to me. Plus, I could try it, then review it for you all!

Funny thing is, I bought it back in November, did some Mascara Mondays and then 4 months ago (after our trip to Seattle), I started to use it. Yup, that’s right, it took me 2 and half months to open the package and start using it.

The instructions were simple, put it on your lash line, once a day for 3 months. After 3 months, do it every second day. Well, that’s easy enough…just gotta remember to put it on. But I did good. Keeping in mind that I want to make sure I do it right, so I can assure all you that I used it every day (with only a couple of times forgetting). I honestly can’t remember my start date. Thinking back, I should have written it down, but I know it was shortly after our trip to Seattle in January. So for argument sake, let’s say mid Jan. And roughly about mid-April, after coming home from Palm Springs, I went to using it every second day (just like the instructions say).

Ok, so do I think it works?

Hells to the yah it does!

And let me tell yah, I’ve had so many people ask me about my lashes. And yes, a couple of people have asked where I get my lash extensions done.

All I gots to say is:

Boom! It’s alllll Natural baby!

I’ll be honest, I was not expecting much. In the past I have tried others. One from Shopper’s Drug Mart (it was so long ago and didn’t work, so I don’t remember what it was called) and the other was Rapid Lash, for about $50, that I picked up at Costco. Also, I didn’t think that it worked.

But this EyEnvy didn’t take long for me to start seeing results. I actually picked it up when I was in Edmonton (of all places) at this Spa, located in a gardening center that was hosting a Christmas market. Yah, I know right? Talk about random. I was shopping with my sister-in-law and saw the 2ml bottle for $85! Yikes! But I said to my S-I-L that this stuff was supposed to be amazing so here goes nothing. Honestly, I should have looked around for a better price but I hadn’t seen it anywhere else so I just bit the bullet.

The serum comes in 2 sizes, 2ml and 3.5ml. I originally bought the 2ml but just picked up the 3.5ml bottle for $99 at Onyx. However, I just saw the smaller bottle at Spa Utopia for $70.

I used to love getting lash extensions, but I found:

1.They were hard to maintain and keep clean

2. My natural lashes started to fall out

3. It got expensive

So yes, the price of EyEnvy seems a bit steep. BUT I can say it worked for me and 2. it’s a whole lot cheaper than extensions and fills.

Do I recommend this product?

You better believe I do!

And if you are wondering, EyEnvy did not pay me to say that! But I mean if they would like to, I’m all for it. Will they? Highly unlikely, they’ve already made money off me!

Also, for the before and after pics I have here: you may recognize the before picture because it was from one of the Mascara Mondays titled the Ultimate Boom! So, just to be fair, I used that same mascara to shoot the EyEnvy results. I also tried to do my makeup the same, that way no one can say it was the makeup or mascara that changed it. Unfortunately, my photography skills aren’t on par…so the angles aren’t prefect.

But please trust me here, the stuff works. It does what it says it’s going to do. So if you can add it to your morning routine, you probably won’t regret it. Just try it. Oh and if you do, let us know what you think.

Want us to review something? Let us know by sending an email to nalsandkells@gmail.com

Mondays can feel like a real drag. That’s why we bring Mascara Mondays – to jolt some excitement back into your week.

(Our other reviews are under the Mascara Monday tag.)

Today, I will be reviewing

⇒ ⇒ Length Matters ⇐ ⇐

I am a Julep Maven.* As such, every month, I get a box of polish, skincare or makeup goodies from Julep. So when Length Matters arrived at my door step, I said “Come on in, honey.”

To remind y’all about The Rules of Engagement:

1. We paid for everything ourselves and were not comp’d.
2. 2 coats were used for the photos with same make up.
3. This is just our opinion. Take it or leave it.

The brush: plastic nubs on a plastic base. Julep site describes it more eloquently.

The formula: on the thin side.

Positives:

• Doesn’t clump easily.
• Good price point for Julep Mavens.
• Thin formula = easy application.

Considerations:

• Doesn’t give a luxury coat to the lashes. Julep site says this is buildable colour. So keep applying til you get what you want. (sigh… if only the rest of life was like that…)
• Not readily available in drug stores but easier to find than EyEnvy.

Conclusion:

For lengthening, sure it looks like it does the job.

But we all know it’s also about thickness. So, here it falls short. Can I fault it for something that it doesn’t claim to do? Not really.
So my 2 cents: try it if you are a novice or want natural looking lashes. I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it. But I’d happily use it if it came in my Maven subscription!
Footnotes:
*if you’d like to try out Julep Maven subscription box, we may be able to get you a few bucks off. Just leave a comment below. And we’ll email you with the deets. (When you leave a comment, the web master will ask for your email. Please don’t post your email in the comments for gen pop to view.)

Have we enticed you to try this mascara?

What are your thoughts?

Kells started us off with a bang with several Mascara Monday reviews. (Feel free to search our tag cloud for her Mascara Reviews.)

Today, I will be reviewing

⇒ ⇒ EyEnvy ⇐ ⇐

No spoiler alerts here (hee hee) but the love story began with a co-worker of mine. As if she had stepped out of game of beach volleyball, in to my life walks Miss T. She sports an au naturel look with lashes that go on for dayzzz. I asked her the secret. She told me EyEnvy serum. Then off I trotted like a truffle piglet, snout to the ground… and did I find the serum? Hells to the nope. Firstly, only select places sell it. Of those places I visited 3 with no luck. And I fruitlessly called a myriad of others. SOLD OUT! Scant weeks before Christmas & can you imagine the nerve of people to gypp me out of a precious bottle!

So I begrugingly settled for the EyEnvy mascara. Pfft. Peanuts.

Sooo … I have sensitive skin, a sensitive schnoz and sensitive freaking eyes. Initially, I thought I was the s-word to EyEnvy. This is because the next morning, my eye were sore puffballs. This happened several morning before I figured out the culprit.

Turns out, this stuff coats your lashes like a second skin. So when removing makeup, add a 2nd step: Get out your cleanser-covered Q-tip and get to cleaning up in there for an extra minute or so. (Like one of those skin-eating pedicure fishies… but… not weird or as creepy.)

Once I did that, all was shanti.

So, to remind y’all about The Rules of Engagement:

1. We paid for everything ourselves and were not comp’d.
2. 2 coats were used for the photos with same make up.
3. This is just our opinion. Take it or leave it.

The brush: conventional.

The formula: is thick and sets kind of quickly. Make sure you do your coats quick but thin. So after swirling your brush in the bottle (not pumping like it’s a bicycle-tire pump), do a few good zig zaggle squiggles near the roots to build volume then move up to ends. Don’t just do your coat roots to tip. You must squiggle.

Positives:

• My lashes got thicker after using daily for just a few weeks. And for you skeptics, the thicker lashes still look thicker with other mascaras, too.
• It has staying power.
• It’s got tons of coating power. (But I needed >2 coats to get the desired effect.)
• Colour=Very black!
• Compact product line.

Other Considerations:

• Not for the novice as one needs to build coats quickly and thinly like a pro.
• Clumps quickly (avoid this by applying thin coats).
• Not waterproof.
• On the expensive side – especially if you’re just trying it out.
• Poked my eye a few times with that hard as nails brush.
• Semi-challenging to source – can’t just pick up at your local drug store.
• Need to pay extra attention to removing product – I thought I was sensitive to it until I started the Q-tip step.
• Only available in black (at least in the stores I looked at).

Conclusion:

Once I figured out how to apply & remove it properly, I fell in love. I have long lashes but they don’t stay curled. With EyEnvy, my lashes are thicker and longer and… remained curled.
→For the seasoned mascara-ista: thumbs up, must try!
→For the newbies – stick with drug store specials till you hone your technique.

Have we enticed you to try EnEnvy?

What are your thoughts?

VOLUMINOUS FELINE NOIR MASCARA

As you know by now, I always start with the simple rules I followed when taking the pictures. They are:

1. We bought all mascara ourselves (which means nobody is paying us).
2. We wear each mascara for 1 week.
3. All mascara’s purchased were black, and the darkest black they had available.
4. Every Mascara used was put on the exact same way, with only 2 coats and all eye makeup for the pictures was exactly the same.
5. That’s it…there are no more rules.
6. Wait…maybe one more…the opinion is ours…take it or leave it. Believe it or not. These are just our 2 cents.

So what’s the deal with this black cat of a mascara?

It’s actually pretty good. Aren’t you glad I’m not so negative this week?

For starters, the brush is great. I find the little nubs help get close to the root and allow for the lashes to be coated well and separated. All the things that I like.

The mascara itself is nice and dark, which is what I look for. AND it doesn’t clump like some of the previous weeks I have tried.

I also wore this to the gym, like I usually do and it did not streak or smudge. Which I think is a bonus. To me it means it has good staying power.

Sadly, I do have A boo.

This formula tends to be a bit dry. I find you have to get that wand a good swooshing around the tube to whip it up. If not you may find that it dries out to fast.

So what do others think of this mascara?

I read LOreal’s website and here’s what others are saying:

(nada)

Well…here’s the thing…no one has made a comment on Loreal’s website about this mascara! So I have no idea what others are thinking. However, I’m sure they would agree with me! After all, I feel that over the past few weeks I have really started to know a good mascara.

Would I buy this one again?

Yup!

Would I suggest it to others?

Yup.

Let me know, have you tried this one? What did you think?

Oh, and as for me and mascara Mondays…I will be taking a break…and letting you all hear from Nals. She’s gunna give some mascara’s a roll. Stay tuned.

Just another Mascara Monday in the books. This week was a new mascara by Covergirl called Peacock Flare.

For a little reminder, I will start with the rules I follow. I’m sure by now (and if you have read the past few weeks) you know them. But just in case, they are as follows:

1. We bought all mascara ourselves (which means nobody is paying us).
2. We wear each mascara for 1 week.
3. All mascara’s purchased were black, and the darkest black they had available.
4. Every Mascara used was put on the exact same way, with only 2 coats and all eye makeup for the pictures was exactly the same.
5. That’s it…there are no more rules.
6. Wait…maybe one more…the opinion is ours…take it or leave it. Believe it or not. These are just our 2 cents.

So what did I think of one of the newest mascara’s launched by Covergirl? Meh. I had high hopes. It’s in a pretty bottle. The brush is easy to hold. And that’s really about it.

First, the brush. Like I said it’s easy to hold, which I highly suggest Covergirl continue to use. However, the brush itself is odd. The nubs (yes, I am calling them nubs) on the brush are short and it’s not totally clear in the pictures I took, but some are super short. According to Covergirls website it’s a “feather-fan brush” that’s supposed to help coat and separate each lash. But not really.

The first few days I really liked the mascara itself. So I was excited about the week of fab lashes thinking I would be walking around with these feather like lashes. Nope! I was let down. Man* does it dry out fast. But the end of the week it was starting to get a little clumpy and needed some finessing to get the lashes right and the clumpies off.

I just read over some of the reviews on Covergirls website. Needless to say, most people agree with my assessment. One person calls the wand bare, and another person compares the mascara to an old dried out mascara. There are people that do love it though…but I wonder if they have changed their mind after using it for a week or longer.

Have you tried this one? What do you think?

Oh, and if you have a mascara you think I need to try, send us an email at nalsandkells@gmail.com and we will be sure to check it out!