For those of you who've wondered what's the difference between the products like I did.

my first ever mascara was one from missha, i bought it when i was 16, trying to prepare for my up coming prom dinner. i wish i knew more about make up back then, but hey, everything is a learning journey in itself! every little piece of experience i share with the products i've used along the way help me find out what to look out for when searching for specific needs.

sadly, the missha mascara (i don't even remember what name it's called) turned me into a panda. i probably have another brief encounter with a second mascara, fiberwig by dejavu, which also failed horribly for me (it just can't hold a curl for me! and it also melts and smudges!) from that day onwards, i figured i MUST use waterproof mascara.

one must recall that all these happened about a decade ago. beauty reviews/blogs were rare, and as an unsuspecting teenage consumer, i practically believed the ads when i saw maybelline market their hypercurl cat eyes mascara - which was my holy grail back then simply because it performed so much better than my first. you know what, i bought it for two reasons. it is waterproof, which suits my only need at that time, also, it has a beautiful zebra pattern printed on the tube in a coat of blazing pink chrome paint. animal prints won me over.


click on image to read my review and swatch of the mascara!

it's all about relativity. my first mascara sucked - it didn't do nothing for my lashes, can't hold a curl, and SMUDGES!? the maybelline mascara managed to hold curls, ALL DAY LONG. no smudging, no melting. and i really experienced the volumizing effects because i still remember the first time i put it on, i couldn't get used to seeing some dark blurry shadows when i open my eyes. oh hi, lashes! these days, i'll expect all these qualities from a normal mascara, so this makes the maybelline mascara really normal in today's definition. but like i said, relativity made it seem magical.

ever since then, maybelline has been my go to brand for mascara. well, at least for the first few years after i started wearing make up. i've only started to experiment with other brands in the recent years, so prior to my beauty blog phase, i'm an exclusive maybelline mascara bit*h. :P

i'm still thankful i didn't think too much back then before buying the mascara. if i knew maybelline has such a huge variety of products, i would have ended up not buying any because i simply can't decide which one i want. 

today, i thought i'll try to pass it forward, especially for makeup beginners. i found this wonderful comparison chart from maybelline japan, so i translated it into english for your easy reference. it sort of summarizes the main claims and effect of the different mascara. hopefully, this will help you decide which one suits your needs the most?

but honestly, i realize a lot of the different lines appear to be the same products thrown into different packaging. the selection offered in the asia region is still quite understandable, as the products managed to differentiate themselves marginally. i took a look at maybelline USA's mascara selection and let's just say.. the dilemma of choice is real. don't believe me? take a look for yourself.

there are two main lines for two specific needs - volum' express for volume, and the other is for length (which doesn't have a specific name).

VOLUME TYPE MASCARA


maybelline volumizing mascara comparison chart. click to enlarge!

i've tried the volum' express hypercurl cat eyes mascara, and the falsies everlasting (also called the false lash everlasting mascara in japan) mascara. purchased the magnum cat eyes waterproof mascara (but haven't tried it yet), and feel like trying the rocket mascara next time.

love the cat eyes, not feeling the hype for the falsies (or did i just get a bad tube? twice?). 

LENGTH TYPE MASCARA


maybelline lengthening mascara comparison chart. click to enlarge!

the lashionista care plus and lash exte is only available in japan. the former contains safflower oil as the hair care ingredient, while the latter contains vitamin B5 (panthenol) and ceramide R to nourish the lashes. it sounds so fancy schmanzy, i don't know why we don't have these in singapore, or hong kong. :(

i've tried the lashionista mascara and let's just say, i love it under certain circumstances. when i'm not wearing other kinds of make up, i love it to death because it comes off in the shower. however, when i'm wearing full makeup, it's hard to remove with my eye makeup remover.. but one thing is certain, the length that it creates it well loved at all times. you can read my reviews and see my swatches here.

i'm so glad i don't live in the states, because trying to put ALL of maybelline's mascara on a chart depicting their differences and main claims would drive me crazy.

all in all, i love maybelline for their affordable mascara that actually works - lengthens, volumnizes, holds a curl, and doesn't melt or smudge.

p.s. depending on your region, some of these mascaras may or may not be available in your local store. also, they may appear to have a slightly different name.

QUESTION
have you tried any maybelline mascaras? how do you love it?

For Those Confused By The Marketers

i decided to write this entry because i also need to educate myself on the range of mascaras offered by majolica majorca, a brand under shiseido. those fancy  names don't tell me much about the actual functions, and the brand is obviously trying to make it difficult for me to differentiate between product packaging because they all look similar in terms of color scheme (with the except of the lash link and lash bone). so here is an illustrated entry on the strengths of each mascara.

on the official japanese website, there are only 2 types of mascaras and one base coat. each type comes in two variations: film type (removeable with warm water) and waterproof type.

Maybelline Lashionista Mascara VS Dolly Wink Long Mascara

my first ever film type mascara was the deja vu fiberwig mascara and it disappointed me. but that didn't stop me from trying more film type formulas.

film type mascaras are water and oil resistant, as far as the formula in the past few years goes.. i can't say the same for fiberwig from a decade ago! they are easy to remove in the shower as they can easily come off with warm water. they form little "caps" of black polymer that will just trickle down your drain after some gentle rubbing.


i'm comparing the maybelline lashionista mascara in black to the dollywink long mascara, also in black.



similarities:
1. both create very natural lengths (seems to have similar lengthening powers)
2. both straighten my curled lashes
3. both last me throughout the entire day, no panda eyes!
4. both are able to hold curls IF i use a heated lash curler after application, and they do not melt or stain the heated lash curler!

differences:
1. dollywink has a wetter formula and tend to group my lashes together, whereas the maybelline is of a drier formula, giving me a one by one look.
2. dollywink has a fatter brush than the maybelline.
3. maybelline is able to go up to 5 coats without looking unnatural, while dollywink may look a little spidery.
4. maybelline may be a few dollars cheaper than dollywink.
5. maybelline's formula feels more light weight.

that's all for a simple comparison! if you were to ask me which do i prefer, i'd go with the maybelline. even though both will straighten my curled lashes, the lightweight formula of the maybelline means i can keep going on and on to build a layer of fibers, and then using my fingers i can push these fibers upwards and they'll hold the curl just fine. they'll probably need some "reassurance" throughout the day to keep them perked up, but i couldn't achieve that with the dollywink because it's formula is just too wet. i did try to remove most of the excess mascara on the wand, but it's just a little troublesome.

for a more dolly look, i'd go for the dollywink since the brush bunch up my lashes together. for a really natural "i don't have any mascara on" look, i'd choose maybelline.

the full review of the individual mascaras are linked above! check them out if you want more details.

DollyWink Long Mascara (Swatches and Review)

a lengthening film type mascara, dollywink is a japanese brand that i've heard but never thought of laying hands on until my girlfriend gifted me this.

this is the first version and it has gotten pretty good reviews from across the community. i was quite happy to receive it so i gave it a try! it claims to be oil and sweat proof, maintain curls all day, and comes off easily in the shower.


i got the mascara in black.

THE BRUSH__________________________________________________________________


the brush is straight and has a cylindrical shape, except for the tip which is slightly tapered, which is meant delicate areas like the lower lashes and the hard to reach corners.



visible fibres on the brush. perhaps you can tell how wet the formula is from this photo too?

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!


THE CAPABILITIES___________________________________________________________

the mascara does a superb job at lengthening. i think the gif image says it all! i usually wear two coats and it does a good enough job at growing my lashes a fair bit. i'm sure if i go further i'd be able to achieve really long lashes! my lashes remained soft after mascara application.

i don't remember the mascara clumping, however i always apply my second coat before the first dries out fully (this means i will apply one coat to my left, then proceed on to my right, and going back in to my left for the second coat).

as the formula is so wet, it does straighten out my curled lashes (sadly). but the workaround is to use a heated eyelash curler instead, and i have gotten amazing results with that method, the curls did last the entire day! what's amazing is that the mascara doesn't melt when heated, so it's definitely heated-curler-approved!

my lashes are pretty well separated thanks to the brush, and going in on the second layer added some volume to my lashes, this makes the dollywink mascara different from maybelline lashionista as the latter doesn't add volume at all.

as this is a film type mascara, it washes off in the shower with warm water. it does come off when i use an eye makeup remover, but that will take some rubbing, whereas in the shower, it's almost effortless.

it does live up to its claim of being oil and sweat proof, as the mascara didn't melt and transfer to my lids after the entire day!


IMHO:
i love that this mascara adds a little volume on top of the amazing length it gives me. i'm still learning to like to super wet formula though. i haven't gone beyond 2 coats so i can't testify whether it's able to lengthen without clumping.

as with most film type mascaras, it straightens my lashes almost immediately no matter how well i curled my lashes prior to that. even though a heated lash curler could easily fix that, on days when i'm rushing out i don't have the luxury to do that. i just want to crimp my lashes, load up on the mascara and be gone. unlike the maybelline lashionista, this can't be curled just by pushing my lashes up with my lashes. the formula is too heavy for that.

i strongly recommend removing most of the product on a piece of tissue before using it to reduce the likelihood of the product weighing the lashes down. or you must use it with a heated lash curler to get really amazing curls that lasts the entire day.

i use this mascara when i have the time to use my heated lash curler.

IN A NUTSHELL
this mascara is good for you if you want
1) long and light weight lashes
2) a mascara that doesn't melt in the heat, oil, and sweat
3) your mascara to come off in the shower
4) some volume to your lashes

i would really recommend this mascara to people who have a heated lash curler, otherwise you can't achieve the full potency of this product. and it's also advised to wipe off most of the product off the wand before using to prevent overloading on mascara.

i got this as a gift from my gf when she travelled to japan.

Maybelline Lashionista Mascara (Swatches and Review)

another lengthening mascara! this time it's a film type lengthening mascara from maybelline. i heard how it's able to create endless length (without clumping) so i got it when i saw it on sale just to try it out. this mascara contains fibres, but what's so special about it is the lightweight formula.

i believe this mascara is only available in asian countries, as the american maybelline website didn't have any information on this. i found it on the japanese website though.

i can't really read too much japanese, but it claims to create "long upward" lashes, thanks to the formula!


i picked up the mascara in black.

THE BRUSH__________________________________________________________________


the brush has a spoon shape (but they didn't call it the spoon brush on the website). apparently the brush design is made to fit the japanese (they called it a "just fit brush") population! i don't know about that.

the tip of the brush has shorter bristles, so it's easiest to get more product from the tip of the brush than from the other end, where the bristles are longer.

according to the instructions, you're supposed to use the concave part against your lashes.



visible fibres on the brush. maybelline claims that they're 4mm. a micrometer, anyone?

THE BEFORE AND AFTER______________________________________________________


naked lashes vs 1 coat vs 2 coats vs 3 coats, lashes curled prior to mascara application.


comparison with eyes opened.


see my lashes grow!


five freaking coats of mascara later - lashes still looks natural (NOT spidery or clumpy), but much more visible and longer. note: lash was not curled prior to application.

THE CAPABILITIES___________________________________________________________

the lengthening power is pretty amazing, because it really does live up to the claims of "endless length". i don't usually go over 2 coats because beyond that as there's a clumping alert (even if i were to layer it on before the previous coats dries out compeltely). but this mascara never clumps, i can keep going on if i want to. from the gif you can see that it lengthens the most in the first coat. the subsequent ones starts to add a little more volume to the lashes than length.

my lashes are still soft even after 5 coats.

as the brush does a good job at separating the lashes and coating them fully. my lashes actually look like they're one-by-one even after the 3 coats.

even though i forgot to curl my lashes before taking the "before" photo, i curled it right before i applied my mascara. my experience with it is this - the mascara will straighten any curls that i achieve with the lash curler. BUT, if i push my lashes upwards with my finger, they actually stay in place and becomes curled! of course, it doesn't stay that way too long, but i'm quite amused by the fact that it does that. i think it's partly because half of my new found lashes are actually fibres, and since they are so lightweight, they are able to hold a curl just by me pushing them. if you look at the photo of me wearing 5 coats of mascara, you can see that curl in effect as i didn't curl my lashes before that. by brushing the mascara in an upward motion, it deposits fibres and build it upwards too. i think that's what helped it create this 'curl', and i assure you, whatever curled part you see are actually fibres.

as this is a film type mascara, it washes off in the shower with warm water. it does come off when i use an eye makeup remover, but that will take some rubbing, whereas in the shower, it's almost effortless.

the first film type mascara i used was deja vu's fiberwig and that little thing melted off my eyes. lashionista DID NOT MELT!!! WOOHOO!


IMHO:
what i love most about this mascara is that it doesn't clump even after many layers, which is essentially the key to getting really long lashes with any fibre type mascara. i feel that the draw back for most lengthening formula is the threat of clumping from the repeated layers of mascara being applied, since the fibres are built by layering them upon each other. this mascara solved that problem for me. i can go 5 layers with this mascara and my lashes still look natural (instead of spidery).

the only thing i didn't quite like is that it straightens my curled lashes. yes, i can push it with my fingers to point it upwards, but i like strong curls. however, i don't mean that it creates a kink. there is a curl, just a very smooth one that looks extremely natural. i just prefer stronger curls especially when i have eye makeup on.

in fact, the first few times i wore this, i really feel like they look so natural to the point that they look like my own lashes. this departs a little from majolica majorca's lash expander frame plus, because that mascara don't give me this kind of smooth curl. i like that i'm able to control the impact of this mascara by controlling how many layers i wear. usually i wear 2 coats for no makeup days just to lengthen it a bit, and when i want to go gungho, i go for 3 coats, very seldom 4. but now i'm wearing 5 coats (because i'm curious just how many layers it can go before it starts to clump) and it still looks great as hell.

i can see why this mascara rose to be the best selling mascara (in japan). the natural length it creates is really like no other. but it does take a bit of patience if you want really long lashes, just keep in mind that there's really no limit when you're using this mascara :)

IN A NUTSHELL
this mascara is good for you if you want
1) natural looking lashes that are long and light weight
2) a mascara that doesn't melt in the heat
3) natural curl
4) your mascara to come off in the shower

i would really recommend this mascara to people who already have full (or semi full) lashes to begin with. if you have very sparse lashes, it'd be better to use a set of natural falsies and build this mascara on top of it if you desire more length.

i bought this for SGD$15 when it was on sale in watsons.

Maybelline Volum'Express Cat Eyes VS Heroine Make Volume&Curl

out of my mascara stash, there are two mascara that are both waterproof and volumnizing. i compare them below.


i'm pitting the maybelline volum'express hypercurl cat eyes mascara waterproof against the heroine make volume and curl mascara.



let's talk about the similarities first.
1. both holds up curls VERY WELL, long lasting and budge proof.
2. both are volumnizing and adds some thickness to my really thin lashes. i feel that both have similar volumnizing power to me.

and on to the differences.
1. heroine make has a slight lengthening effect while the maybelline doesn't (even when it's fresh it doesn't lengthen my lashes as well as heroine make).
2. heroine make separates the lashes better due to the brush design, giving me a more fanned out and one-by-one look.
3. maybelline is slightly easier to remove.



you can read my full review above, i've linked them :)

xoxo
karman

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.

Heroine Make, Canmake, Maybelline Haul and Swatch (Video)

before you jump to the conclusion that i haul very often.. i don't. as mentioned in the video, my dad got back from HK so i thought it's a good chance to get some items that i've been eyeing for a while! you probably won't be seeing another haul anytime soon.

this time it's a mini haul from hong kong. i called it a sasa haul, but it's not entirely true because some items were bought from other shops (like colourmix and bonjour).

if you haven't already watched the video! unlike the korean cosmetics, all of the items i tried are unscented (except for the solid perfume)




the family photo!

HEROINE MAKE__________________________________________________________________


long and curl mascara super WP | volume and curl mascara super WP


brush design for: long and curl mascara super WP | volume and curl mascara super WP

i haven't opened them yet because i need to clear out some of my stash before i open them up. they have to queue up to be used :'D i bought back ups for a few of my older mascaras so i have to use those first. BUT i will open these soon enough. wait for it.

i already own the third generation, the volume and curl mascara S. hahaha now i'm wondering what the 5th generation will be called.. maybe super duper X.

price: HKD82 // SGD21.90
size: 8g
official website here

HEAVY ROTATION__________________________________________________________


heavy rotation coloring eyebrow 03 ash brown


brush design: heavy rotation coloring eyebrow 03 ash brown


more information: heavy rotation coloring eyebrow 03 ash brown

i used to have a brow mascara from fasio, but it has grown old and it stinks (omg germ alert) so i have been left without one for quite some time, which doesn't actually bother me because i'm no longer into that super light brow look. but deep down i'm still more inclined towards japanese style makeup, i wanted to keep one handy. i was debating between kate's eyebrow mascara and the heavy rotation. this won because.. of that cosme ranking. hahahahahha why not try something new, right? after all i've already owned so many kate products, time to expand my stash.

i haven't opened it yet because i don't want it to have the same fate of my previous tube. i'll use it in my future tutorials, so you'll see it in action soon enough!

i got it in 03 ash brown, which is a more yellow tone and darker shade (if you can refer to the image above, there's a small chart that shows you the difference between all the colours. it goes from yellow to orange from left to right, and bright to dark from up to down)

price: HKD59
size: 8g
official website here

CANMAKE___________________________________________________________________


glow fleur cheek 04


more information: glow fleur cheek 04


swatched: glow fleur cheek 04

i think canmake's product development manager saw the anna sui blush and drew inspiration from that. they look too eeriely similar - if i de-pot this and laid them both next to each other, i'll probably pass both off as the same product.

i got this in 04, strawberry fleur. what a suitable name, because i do think it reminds me of strawberry milk! shade 5 and 3 are pink and the more pigmented ones, with 5 having the stronger colour. 2 and 4 have a peachy colour, while 1 is a very light pink. all tends to be sheer and pearly, with micro shimmer.

on the back of the packaging, they suggest swirling the brush 2-3 times around shades 2-5 to apply onto the cheek as a blush, and to apply 1 on the protruding parts of the cheeks as a highlight.

price: HKD96
size: 5g
official site here



MAYBELLINE________________________________________________________________


lip polish glam 2 | glam 14

lip polish, lip elixir, they're the same thing with a different name. i got them in two shades, glam 2, and glam 14.


lip polish glam 14 | glam 2



lip polish glam 14 | glam 2


lip polish glam 2 on my lips


screen shot from my video! a comparison of how glam 2 looks like on my hand and my lips.

glam 2 is a vibrant hot pink while glam 14 is a nude beige colour. maybe some will call it taupe. it's a 3 in one lip product - lip stick, lip balm, lip gloss. whatever, to me it's just a pigmented and slightly more moisturizing lip gloss. it's texture is slightly heavier and creamier than a usual gloss.

see above swatch and watch out for the shimmers. VERY SHIMMERY. those little dark spots on glam 2 are the glitters that were reflecting light away from the camera. at first i thought i have some infestation (they look like insect eggs!!! URGH) going on, scared the crap out of me.

my first impression of this lip product: a tad too heavy for my liking, easily results in uneven application. however, thanks to the thick-ish formula, the product is very moisturizing and hydrating.

price: HKD89
size: 5ml
official site here


CRABTREE AND EVELYN___________________________________________________________


iris solid perfume.
this is not a purchase! my dad gifted it to me :D since it's a solid, it's very travel friendly, and the scent lingers quite well on my skin too. a very soft floral scent, very relaxing.

i can't seem to find this product on its website though!? is this old? hmm, whatever! it smells good :D

price: ??? dad threw it in as a gift :D
size: 2.3g
official site here


BEFORE AND AFTER


wearing the canmake glow fleur cheek (too heavily) and maybelline lip polish in glam 2 (blotted)

i blotted the shine off, the lippie stains a little as you can see in the photo! a glowy hot pink! also, even though i commented that the blush looks very sheer when i swatched it on my hand, they are actually quite pigmented when i got it on my cheeks. i think 1 swirl will probably be enough.

saw any product that you would like me to try first? let me know!

xoxo
karman