Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus (Swatches and Review)

i am aware that this mascara has been replaced by the lash expander edge meister. once again, this is so telling of how long i've owned this mascara. this dates back to 2010. =_= surprisingly, it has not dried out yet, so i still keep it in my stash even though i seldom use it (you'll see why in a bit).

the name is seriously fancy and yet says nothing about what this mascara does. i mean, expand the lashes in which direction? if it's the horizontal direction, it could be a voluminizing mascara..! i would actually name it "lengthening and curling mascara", but that wouldn't catch the hearts of the little princesses i guess..!

ok, i'm being mean here. this mascara claims to carry out 3 functions - lengthening, curling, and separating. while it did not state explicitly that it's waterproof on the tube, it is actually waterproof.


it comes with girly prints on the tube. i love the little details! and i really like the gold on black design. so classy.

as usual, i got it in black, its colour code is BK999. it's as though 999 stands for the blackest of the blacks.

THE BRUSH__________________________________________________________________


not only do the mascara have a fancy name, it has a rather fancy brush too. there are two sides to it.

the first is meant for the bottom lashes and it consists of shallow grooves that will collect lesser products so as to prevent depositing too much onto the lower lashes.
the second side is a single comb brush with closely spaced tooth. this is meant for combing the upper lashes. the groove is much deeper than the first, so it contains much more products (which is ideal when it comes to building length with it).


tried to take a close up to show the fibres in the mascara.
i have no idea how long the fibres actually are, and i don't think it matters because do you really use a ruler to measure how long it lengthened your lashes? neither do i.


THE BEFORE AND AFTER______________________________________________________


naked lashes vs 1 coat vs 2 coats, lashes curled prior to mascara application.


MAGIC. comparison with eyes opened.


gif image comparing naked lashes, 1 coat, and 2 coats of mascara.

THE CAPABILITIES___________________________________________________________

the lengthening power is okay, it looks really amazing in the comparison photo with my eyes opened because they made my really thin lashes become more visible, but does it really lengthen that well? i think it's rather mediocre if you compare the gif. if anything, it made my lashes wider than longer (due to the age of the product i suppose). when it was brand new a few years ago, the mascara was relatively wetter, when i load up two coats of mascara, what i get is the same lengthening effects, but lesser volume. i ended up with really natural looking lashes, so natural that it looks like i didn't wear any mascara at all (not sure if i like that look or not).

thanks to the comb brush, it is able to separate my lashes into little clusters.

this mascara is able to hold the curl for the entire day, but one thing i didn't like is that it will straighten part of my curls right after application. instead of a beautiful curl (that i achieved by crimping my lashes along the lengths), it now becomes a one that points straight up, i can't even call it a curl. it's waterproof, and is able to stay put on my lashes for the entire day when i do wear it. no melting or smudging!

if i want better curls, i'll have to curl my lashes with an electric lash curler. it works so much better that way in giving me natural looking curls. the mascara doesn't melt off when heated! :D

the age definitely made it a little harder to get the 2nd coat on without some clumping even when the first coat is not fully dried yet.

lastly, it is so waterproof that it'll take some effort in removing it, even with a eye makeup remover.

IMHO:
i'm not one who goes for just length actually, that's why i'm not too happy with my purchase. my lashes are both short and sparse, and without the volume, no matter how much length i pack on, it will just seem MEH on my lashes.

i really didn't like the fact that it straightened my lashes after application. sometimes i think that the only reason why it's still pointing upwards is because i didn't really get to my roots. otherwise, it'd have fallen down too. but that part can be remedied by using an electric lash curler, so that's fine.

however, with all these said, i used to use it together with a voluminizing mascara, as the latter is able to impart volume and curl, acting like a mascara base for me before i build on its length. BUT, the fibres are really fine, and they can't hold a shape very well, and they often end up bent on the tip of my lashes. who has bent lashes like that!?


can i say that this mascara is overly waterproof? i bet if i go dive with this mascara on, it'll stay on me even after the dive. this stuff is really nasty to remove off my delicate lashes. it's actually the hardest to remove out of all my waterproof mascara.

i don't even know why i still keep it in my stash. to be honest, i've only wore it once in the past few months, and it's for taking swatch photos for this entry. i know hate is a very strong word to use, but i really hate how this mascara works for me - it just didn't work for me!

IN A NUTSHELL
this mascara is good for you if you want
1) separated lashes
2) natural looking lashes
3) length
4) SUPER waterproof mascara that is heat resistant

i bought this for SGD18+ when it was on sale in watsons.

Maybelline Volum'Express Hypercurl Cat Eyes Mascara (Swatches and Review)

a mascara touted to hold curls for up to 18 hours? that's a fancy and bloody eye catching advertising tagline, but i bought it and gave it a go.

this was my 2nd mascara that i ever purchased in my life (a few years ago), and i'll be honest with you - i bought it because of the beautiful metallic-pink-against-black zebra print on the tube. but this is one of the best blind purchase i've ever made because its formula worked great for my needs to keep my short and stubborn lashes curled - for the entire day! and, this thing removes easily with an eye makeup remover, and doesn't melt at all as it's a waterproof formula. this is the mascara that i'll keep going back to for volume and curl.

on its japanese website, it says that you don't even need to curl your lashes prior to mascara application, but i don't know about that. it seems like this mascara is only available in asian countries. as far as the claims goes, this japanese chart summed it up pretty well - waterproof, 18 hours curl, 3 times volume.


i got the mascara in feline black. i almost never get it in other colours!

THE BRUSH__________________________________________________________________


the brush is a comb that has 2 rows of alternating teeth. the groove between the teeth is about 3mm deep, so it collects a good amount of product. the alternating teeth is able to cluster my lashes into tiny bunches. depending on the wetness of the formula, the size of the cluster changes too. the wetter it is, the wider the clusters (as more product gets deposited) and hence the more voluminous the lashes looks.

the formula has no fibres, just waxes, and volumnizing stuff (i guess powders).

THE BEFORE AND AFTER______________________________________________________


naked lashes vs 1 coat vs 2 coats vs 3 coats, lashes curled (with traditional lash curler) prior to mascara application.


comparison with eyes opened.


see my lashes grow!
it looks particular luscious in the image with 2 coats on because i've also applied it on my lower lashes, giving rise to the illusion of fuller lashes.

THE CAPABILITIES___________________________________________________________

the mascara is definitely waterproof - it never melted or smudged on me even in the singapore heat! even though it's waterproof, it's so easy to remove with an eye makeup remover. in fact, this is the easiest to remove out of all my waterproof mascaras! one of the reason why i love using it so much is due to its ease in removal.

while i can't testify for the 18 hours curl, it is able to hold my curls for at least 10 hours (that's the maximum i've worn it for). some mascaras (especially the lengthening type) will straighten my lashes immediately upon application, but this doesn't! my lashes remained curled after application, and it stays that way until i remove it at the end of the day. no drooping throughout the day too.

as for the volume, let's just say it made my otherwise invisible lashes become very visible! i don't have a micrometer to measure the width increment, but from the 2nd photo you can totally tell the difference between my right and left eye..! my tube of mascara is a little old now, so the formula has gotten drier than it used to. when it was brand new, so much product would get onto my lashes, i couldn't get used to my new found lashes! i actually prefer the drier formula because it helps me hold my curls without giving me too much volume. i like the more natural look!

due to the nature of the product, it does clump a little if i go beyond two coats. and i have to make sure i layer on the 2nd coat before the first coat dries out completely. the drying time is normal, if you do smear some onto your lids accidentally, you'll have enough time to wipe it off with a q tip.

as the brush is a spiky comb brush, it gives me dolly like lashes that are clustered together instead of the fanned out lashes that some may like. also, after a few layers your lashes will get so thick that you can't slot it into the comb anymore!

IMHO:
this is my second tube, which goes to show you how much i like it - this is a product that really does what it claims, and its something i can always rely on when i'm going out for the entire day. i don't have to worry a single bit about my mascara melting, or my lashes drooping.

what's more, this is a really affordable drugstore brand that i can afford as a student back then. and i love that packaging. :P

these days, i've experimented with more mascaras, but i still find myself reaching out to this old time favourite. i've found another mascara (heroine make volume and curl S) that can give me volume, curl, and gives me one-by-one lashes. depending on what kind of lashes i want that day - dolly or glamourous - i'd use a different mascara for it.

on top of living to all its claims, the thing that made me love this more than any other mascara is its ease in removal. i hate tugging my eyelids that may risk an eyelash fall outs - this is really the easiest mascara to remove. the majolica majorca mascara is a pain in my ass when it comes to removal.

overall, this is something that i really like and swear by.

IN A NUTSHELL
this mascara is good for you if you want
1) dolly like (clustered) lashes
2) a mascara that doesn't melt in the heat, oil, and sweat
3) volume
4) long lasting curls

i purchased this from some toiletry shop for ~SGD$16