Let me start by saying I don't like mascara. I have naturally long, dark, thick lashes, and I wear glasses for severe far-sightedness, so my eyes look huge, and I rarely have any desire to make them look bigger. I hate how many mascaras clump, flake, smear, and make my lashes so long they bump annoyingly against my glasses (yes, this happens). Mostly I just curl my lashes and call it a day. There are, however, some times when I feel that my eye look benefits from more dramatic lashes, and that is the reason I opted to get a deluxe sample of Lights, Camera, Lashes! (henceforth LCL) as my Sephora 100 point bonus. And, of course, so I could share my experience with you all! Because nothing's more fun than mascara reviews, right?
The one annoyance I have with it is flaking: I have to check under my eyes and on my cheeks every couple hours to wipe away any black bits that have fallen off my lashes (see the third picture above, right corner, for some already-present flakes––that was a few minutes after application). I'm sure layering a clear mascara over the top would prevent that, but by golly, I'm of the belief that you shouldn't have to use two products to accomplish what one can reasonably be expected to do. And flaking? Should not be happening, especially in a mid-range mascara. At $19, there's a bit of sticker-shock, though it's certainly on the lower end of mascaras available at Sephora. I like it alright, but I don't love it. However, I do recommend the Picture Perfect Duo, which comes with a deluxe sample of LCL and a Tarte eyelash curler, which I've used and loved in the past, especially if you need a little extra to reach free shipping.
Overview
$19 for 0.24 oz, available from Sephora
Quality: 8
Effectiveness: 4
Ease of Use: 4 (mascaras suck, guys)
Senses: 5 (I haven't had any problems with eye irritation)
Pigmentation: 5 (I actually have no idea, since my lashes are naturally black, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt)
Duration: 2.5 (I wish it didn't flake off!)
Consistency: 4 (goes on with minimal clumping)
Price: 2
Value: 3 (0.24 is definitely on the small side of mascaras, but even if it weren't, you're supposed to discard mascara after 3 months for sanitation reasons [bacteria in your eye = you need more than mascara to help with that], and that adds up fast)
Grade: C
Let me now end this review by repeating what I said to begin with: I don't like mascara, so take this post with a heaping pile of salt. If you're the type who enjoys poking at your eye with a pointy stick covered in pigment, then you might find LCL to be a good, reliable choice (though, from what I remember from when I used it, Maybelline Full 'n Soft mascara gives similar results for a third the price). I'll stick with my eyelash curler, thanks.
Have you tried Lights, Camera, Lashes!? What did you think? Do you wear mascara?
image via Sephora
LCL is an all-in-one mascara. It claims to lengthen, curl, volumize, and condition lashes. The bushy wand deposits plenty of product with one coat, making my lashes longer, though I don't notice much in the way of volumizing (unless some mild clumping counts?) or curling. I still do my normal curl routine after application, because I find that when I curl my lashes before applying mascara, I end up with product all over my lid (the result of an unfortunate combination of blindness and tremor); fortunately, the mascara holds a curl really well, and I don't find my lashes limping at all over the course of the day.
no mascara, no curling
1 coat LCL, no curling
1 coat LCL, curled lashes
Compare that to my lashes curled but mascara-less:
Not nearly as dramatic, but my glasses magnify that by about 50%, so...it usually works out. (You're going to be having nightmares about my eye staring creepily at you now, aren't you?)
Overview
$19 for 0.24 oz, available from Sephora
Quality: 8
Effectiveness: 4
Ease of Use: 4 (mascaras suck, guys)
Senses: 5 (I haven't had any problems with eye irritation)
Pigmentation: 5 (I actually have no idea, since my lashes are naturally black, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt)
Duration: 2.5 (I wish it didn't flake off!)
Consistency: 4 (goes on with minimal clumping)
Price: 2
Value: 3 (0.24 is definitely on the small side of mascaras, but even if it weren't, you're supposed to discard mascara after 3 months for sanitation reasons [bacteria in your eye = you need more than mascara to help with that], and that adds up fast)
Grade: C
Let me now end this review by repeating what I said to begin with: I don't like mascara, so take this post with a heaping pile of salt. If you're the type who enjoys poking at your eye with a pointy stick covered in pigment, then you might find LCL to be a good, reliable choice (though, from what I remember from when I used it, Maybelline Full 'n Soft mascara gives similar results for a third the price). I'll stick with my eyelash curler, thanks.
Have you tried Lights, Camera, Lashes!? What did you think? Do you wear mascara?
