Well it’s a debate I have with myself, pretty much every time I step foot into a Boots or Superdrug. I *pretty* much buy as mascara every time I am in those damn places as I am constantly on the quest to find THE BEST High Street Mascara that God (or the lab technicians) put on this earth. I did a review and comparison of budget mascaras last year, but I have moved on and have some newbies that are currently under my close inspection which I am really rating. The things these mascaras all have in common is that they all have silicone wands which I have a penchant for seemingly, and they all cost under £10.
Max Factor Voluptuous False Lash Effect
This is the latest offering from MaxFactor and it’s *that* one which has pretty much been everywhere & promising ridiculous things like 5x more volume. The one where you walk into a Superdrug and it’s directly THERE as you walk into the shop with dozens of green tubes on offer that’ll be hard to pass a discerning beauty lover by. MaxFactor are up there in the high street mascara stakes and have some seriously good mascaras already including possibly my all time favourite, the Masterpiece and the original False Lash Effect is a favourite with beauty bloggers and journos. The new Voluptuous False Lash Effect has a large swirl-effect wand, which has silicon blade-type fins amongst the bristles which enable great seperation and a good coating with one use. Without the smaller bristles on the end of the wand I would be at a loss on my lower lashes but fortunately these allows all lengths of lashes to be seen to. As with most high street mascaras, it has huge blurbs and promises which are always over-inflated and laughable, but this is actually a REALLY great mascara and one that is noteworthy. SHOP
Maybelline Lash Sensational
Possibly the best street mascara I have ever used. I picked this up on a desperate whim as I went away for the weekend and forgot my mascara (the HORROR, I know), so I stopped off at a services and found this in Sainsbury’s = A WIN! I Absolutely love it and it gives me perfect lashes every time. The wand is silicone, dual-sided and I use the smaller edge for my bottom lashes and the fuller side for my top lashes. It’s one of those that I can easily coat all of my lashes without the smudging around the eyes ; great control , great results, amazing mascara. One to 100% try if you haven’t. SHOP
Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde
This is my second tube and that is quite remarkable in itself (I was going to say speaks ‘volumes’ but that would have been too pun-heavy). I rarely re-purchase a mascara unless it’s very lash-worthy and this one seemed to have slipped through that net. It has an unsual-looking wand, again silicone, that has teeny spherical bobbles attached to it amongst the bristles that shouldn’t-work-but-really-do to give a really good thick and coated lash. Not to be shallow but I also really like the silver chrome packaging and it just looks really luxe and pretty alongside being a really good all-round mascara. SHOP
GOSH Boombastic XXL Swirl Volume
Let’s put aside the obtrusively garish packaging for a second. I had never got on with any mascaras I had tried from GOSH until this one which has a large silicone, swirly-eqsue wand ; Remarkably similar to the aforementioned MaxFactor mascara actually. I find it easy to coat the lashes and build up volume relatively quickly and I really like the spikey smaller tendrils on the end of the wand that allows precision on the wispier bottom lashes and inner corners. It has small silicone blades wrapped around the wand for a 360 lash coating and great seperation. This one is infused with small amounts of Argan Oil & Bamboo Extract that condition & strengthen the lashes ; not anything to get overly excited about, it won’t dramatically help your lashes grow, let’s get real, but it just makes the formula a little more kinder to the lashes as you wear it. SHOP
Have you tried any of the above? I’m already on the hunt for my next high street mascara. Please recommend any that you think are worth a try.
