Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara Set : A package from Bloomies arrived

I’ve been holding onto a gift card to bloomingdale’s for a couple of years.  I had spent most of it on my actual birthday years ago, but always hung onto about 50 bucks on the card.  Figured I might as well use it before I end up losing it or they decide to expire 5+ year old gift cards- why risk it- spend it now!

I looked online and really wanted to get the Nars Trio Eye Shadow in Arabian Nights Trio until I read enough reviews to tell me that it was a smokey back with very minimal glitter and little to pretty much no difference in color.  At that price, I’d expect something better.  Disappointed, I searched on, looking for something that would fit the 50 dollar or so limit and not have to pay to much for shipping kinda thing.  I finally decided on two things:

MAC’s Viva Glam IV Lipstick – $14.50

Lancome’s Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara Set. – $29.50

I got the MAC lipstick because I previously had the lip gloss in the same color and loved it.  And since I’m on a lipstick kick lately, I figured what a perfect one to try out and see if it looked any different.

I was excited to get a Lancome mascara set since I cant remember using one since raiding my mom’s bathroom years ago.  I just remember being told it was one of the best mascara brands out there and I remember them making my lashes super black and super long–whichever one I was playing with.  The Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara claims that it would volumize, extend (lengthen), and Lift (curl) the lash.  Im down for all of that! Volumize, lift and extend away! Weeeeeee!  More specifically, the mascara I got was: HYPNÔSE DOLL LASHES Doll Lash Effect Mascara Wide Eye Look in So Black.

This mascara has a cone shape brush so that its gets ever lash-even in the corners!  It also features some handy dandy technology “FibershineTM” that helps in shaping the lash.  It also imparts a shine to the lash making them look “wet”.

Included in the kit was also:

 Lancome BI-FACIL eye makeup remover

This two-phase eye makeup remover helps break up stubborn eye makeup–including waterproof, all while conditioning the delicate skin of my eyes.  Also note* OPHTHALMOLOGIST -TESTED FOR SAFETY.

Lancome CILS BOOSTER XL mascara base

This mascara base is a primer to give your mascara something to cling onto.  Micro-fibers lengthen lashes while the wand is supposed to separate.  I’ll have to agree that when you first apply just the primer you can see that it lengthens the lashes by just a bit.  I’ve found that applying to the full lash does NOT help and just brushing the tips worked best for me.

  Lancome Le Crayon Eye Pencil in Black Ebony

This creamy black pencil glides on easily and doesn’t tug at the skin.  I hate that. That tells me dried out or cheap. In any case- why would I be receiving/purchasing a dried out pencil on purpose.  You can salvage them by running a hot dryer over the tip for a few seconds to soften the pencil–just be care to not heat the pencil too long or you may hurt your eyes.

Here I am with no eye makeup on yet:

I then applied a Tarte’s Diva and Leading Lady Shadow to the lid:

I then applied the mascara primer to just my left eye:

Here you can see how the primer added length to my left eye lashes.  You can also see they already have a curl, or lift to them. Weird, huh?

Now I added Mascara to both eyes so you can see the difference:

Ok, so on YOUR LEFT (and my right) I am NOT wearing primer.  On YOUR right, (and my left), I AM wearing it all.  It looks kinda chunky with the primer, right?  Not really what I was going for.  Mimi spider lashes.  Anyone have tips on how to separate these more?

 Close up of eye with only mascara (no primer) – above

Close up of eye with primer, mascara

And then I used the liner and finished the look:

I’m not 100% happy with this set.  For one, the primer made my lashes feel like they WERE dried out and very stiff.  Almost like they were capable of breaking off?  The mascara wand did not separate as much as I hoped and I spent a lot of time using a mascara brush/comb trying to separate my lashes.  The mascara plus primer definitely helped curl the lash though, I will give it that.  You can even tell in the photos that the lashes looked “lifted” with the primer on. Bah. Double-edged sword. If I’m going to use this mascara it will not be with the primer.  Maybe the primer will work better with another brand mascara. As for doll lashes?  Eehhhhhhhhhh…not what I was expecting, really.    They did make my lashes very black which I love, but I’m not sold on buying this one again  for the price tag it had–let alone that it leaves my lashes slightly clumpy if used together. What do you think?  Worth it?  Whats your favorite mascara?  Do you go for Volume? Length? Color?