I’m the type of girl who doesn’t care for drama, but I’ll take dramatic lashes any day! If you crave long, can’t-miss-me lashes like I do, get thee a tube of Shu Uemura’s Precise Volume Mascara ($23)! Using it lately I’ve achieved some of the longest, most defined lashes I’ve seen on myself in a while.
Because Shu bills Precise Volume Mascara as a “volumizer,” I expected thicker, fuller lashes mainly at the base of the lash. Instead, two coats seemed to extend the length of my lashes near the tip.
The results look dramatic to me; I feel like I’m wearing falsies, or like I applied some sort of miracle grow lash formula.
Product: Shu Uemura Precise Volume Mascara Waterproof in black
Price: $23
Use: To lengthen lashes
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A
I’m not sure why it appears to lengthen so much more than it thickens, but the effect could be due in part to the included mascara brush, which the Shu website claims has a unique two-way design (wha?) that builds volume from root to tip.
And the formula keeps a curl all day long — a huge plus for me and my naturally stick straight lashes. That, and I found it easy to apply, with no clumping or mess, even if I rush through the application.
If you also need heavy duty waterproofing, Precise Volume Mascara should be up to the task, but I have noticed a little smudging when I’m sweating buckets at the gym.
This stuff dries quickly, too — almost too quickly. When I apply more than one coat, I have to zip through the first one, applying the second coat right away to avoid having to drag the brush through crunchy lashes. I call it both a blessing and a curse.
Shu offers Precise Volume Mascara in a range of colors. I’m using black here, but I’d also like to try it in brown, mauve, blue, purple and green.
It may not be the most thickening mascara out there, but as a lengthener it’s tough to beat, even at the steep price.
Purchase Shu Uemura Precise Volume Mascara at your favorite Nordstrom store or online.
Happy hump day, ya’ll! Are you hanging tough? If you are, I will too!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
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HOTNESS, wow Karen your lashes look insanely long
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Pretty 🙂
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HI Iheartmakeup,
I know, right? After looking at the pic a bit longer I think I realized that I’m cool with it not being so thickening. To have both crazy thickness and super length might make it look to obvs, ya know?
Thanks BeautyTalk! Do you have a fave mascara?
Hi Karen,
wow that lengthening is amazing!
Yet another item to add to my ever growing shu list! I think im going to find out where there is a shu store in London as im going there for some Chanel training soon!
My wednesday has been mixed, a very boring day writing an essay but then a lovely meal with friends at a fantastic Italian restaurant tonight which made the whole day much better 🙂
Hey Karen! Loving the mascara!
I have a question for you. A friend and I want to go down to San Fran. Where do you recommend we stay and what do you think would be some good places to go to while we are there? Thanks!
Adina
Hi Holly,
I know, it really surprised me. It looks really great when contrasted with a simple color wash over the entire eye! Definitely hit up the store when you got to London. Don’t forget to check out the crazy lashes at the Lash Bar!
Sounds like you had fun during dinner. Italian food sounds really good right now (it’s about to be dinner time here soon). My Weds was like yours – so-so. Work was once again very busy but today I’ve been drinking a ton of green tea so I’ve been hyper all day, WHHEEEEE! It feels great. I’m getting ready to go to dance class in about an hour. 🙂
Did you finish your boring essay?
Hi Adina,
Thanks girl! Do you have a fave mascara?
Are you looking for specific hotels or neighborhoods to stay in? I know lots of folks get hotels in the Union Square area/SOMA because it’s fairly centrally located and easy to get to public transpo (plus, the great shopping!). I haven’t stayed in the hotels in that area but have visited the W and it’s very nice.
One really great resource for SF trip planning is http://www.yelp.com. It is a review site that allows you to look up reviews of restaurants, hotels, and things to do in the SF and the surrounding Bay Area. I always refer people to this site because it’s very useful!
Gimme an idea of what kinda things you guys are thinking of doing (shopping, hiking, whatever) and I’ll throw out a few ideas for you!
i’ve been waiting to read opinions on this! your lashes look great!
one thing i forgot to ask: is it hard to take off?
Diggin’ the length you get with this!! I (unfortunately) have stubby lashes that beg me for help every day. The price tag is a little steep, but I’m more interested in length than volume. Gotta think about it a little more…
My day’s goin’ well – just finished packing for my trip to Chicago tomorrow. Not looking forward to the very early flight, but am excited to spend the entire weekend there when the BF meets me after my business appts Friday! 🙂 What are you up to this weekend?
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My day was so-so until I went out to get myself a converter box. Now I can watch HDTV! I want volume, length, and curl. Like Ms. Cookie, I also have stick straight stubby lashes. I find many mascaras are good at getting the length, or the volume, but not both…and definitely not all of the above. The only drugstore mascara that came close to “all of the above” is Cover Girl Volume Express. I toss my mascara away every 3 months so it’ll be a cold day in h*ll when I buy a DiorShow.
Mascaras kill me! They can cost so much and they’re the item you really have to toss out in a fairly short time! I probably will never use up an entire tube! I wish they’d start selling packages of 3 sample size mascaras for the price of one regular!
Mascaras I have loved:
Diorshow for good lash payoff, good no-smudge factor
Chanel Inimitable for the wonderful green shade (LE)
DuWop Lash Laquer for an understated casual-yet-defined look with a glossy waterproof coat (bonus points for being available in plum black)
Max Factor Lash Perfection for a terrific everyday mascara at a good price
Tarte Lights Camera Lashes for Faux-eyelash-like multiplying effect
I’m sure there are more out there that I will love, and I just can’t help myself from trying them out (and paying more than I should) every 3-6 months! I’ll probably try this one in the plum-mauve color at some point (I’ve really been preferring purples to browns as a softer alternative to black).
Well, enough of my ranting! Off to bed I go! I hope your day was a good one and that tomorrow will be even better! 🙂
i love shu! it does look damn awesome haha i must must try this! been hearing it that its awesome.. haha.. but its a little costly.:(
Girl… I’m gonna have to stop reading your blog. Mascara is a particular addiction/weakness for me. Just last night I was telling myself that I have permission to buy one more thing and then no more makeup for awhile. And here you are making me want to change my mind already.
So last night I went to the estee lauder counter at Bloomingdales which by the way is down the street :-)but about a 5-7 minute drive away. I picked up the Pearls of Light as well as the Bronze Goddess Eau Fraiche…but no comments yet because I didn’t use any today because I was running late and in a bit of a hurry. But the other point of my story is that if you need/want anything from Estee Lauder hit up your local bloomies…or the online because they have a really cool GWP where you can choose what formulation and color you want – an eyeshadow palette, a serum, a mini fragrance, a moisturizer, a lipstick, a lipgloss…so it’s a pretty good gift.
The one thing I was still allowing myself to buy is a concealer from prescriptives…so when i went last night I wanted to check out the concealer and evidently the prescriptives MA was away from the counter…so the bobbi brown MA was helping me…and of course she does a horrible application with the prescriptives concealer and tries to sell me some bobbi brown stuff…which to start off with she used an entirely wrong shade for my skin…and i told her like three times that I don’t want something thick or heavy because i don’t really wear foundation… so when the prescriptives lady came back I just had to make her take off the bobbi brown stuff and then put the prescriptives I had been looking at to start with on the right way…and she found the perfect shade…only they were out of it. 🙁 So I am planning to head to Nordstrom tonight to pick it up. It was already like 9:15 last night and I didn’t feel like rushing.
So although I am tempted this is just going on a maybe list. Maybe by the next time I need mascara there will officially be lash crack which will give us all perfect beautiful lashes that always hold their curl.
I actually have this in brown! I wanted to “test” a waterproof before summer and tropical vacations. 🙂 I totally agree, not some much volumizing as LENGTH. I will get again, but black (or maybe plum). The brown is a lighter shade of brown, instead of deep/chocolate brown, if that makes sense. My most favorite superdramatic, thick lush lashes mascara is Fresh supernova! Just wish it wasn’t so darn $$$, but it’s fab. (I’m constantly looking for a drugstore alternative and hasn’t found one yet). But want I really want now, for fun, is a navy or blue-black mascara!
I might have to try this and see if it stands up to my current favorite mascara, maybelline lash stylist. That stuff is so dramatic (you should definitely test it out!) but I’d love to try something a little less BOOM, you know?
I love your blog, Karen, you inspire me to try out all kinds of fun new tricks with my makeup!
Hi Lindsay,
I know! I saw your comment earlier and I though, dang, that stuff rocks, I should do a review for her!
It’s not that hard to take off; I use an oil-based eye makeup remover, Lancome Bi-Facil, and it works like a charm.
Hi Lilan,
Do it! It will make those stubs into long, luscious, things o’ beauty. Tis totally worth the steep price.
Hope you had a safe trip to Chi-town. Say hi to Kanye and Oprah for me (I wish!).
This weekend I’m going to do a lot of writing catch up work. I have a travel assignment to write so I gotta get crackin’ on that. The closest I get to Hawaii is writing about it, LOL.
Hi Dao,
Yah, DiorShow is bank but it’s pretty darn good at what it does. You’ll have to be wearing it morning, noon and night to get the most out of it though. I have yet to try Volume Express! Will have to add that to the list…
Have fun with your HDTV! Sweet! Now you can look at everybody’s makeup closely. I hope you see some pores, which I think would be gross and cool at the same time.
Hi Glosslizard,
It’s official — I need more colored mascara in my life 🙂 Now I want purple and navy in addition to green.
I have a thing for mascara too. I am not really that loyal to one kind; I like different types for different looks. I have a few on your faves list: Diorshow (this is so old school for me, but I dig it) and Tarte! I wore my Tarte today, as a matter o’ fact!
Hi Ping,
It’s great! While pricy, it certainly goes to work at creating length. 🙂
Hi Megan,
LOL, my bad! I can’t help it if I am compelled to share mascara awesomeness with the world. I even added pics for the visual learners because the results were so dramatic!
Let me know how you like the Pearls of Light. Ohhh, I busted out the Bronze Goddess today after my shower. Seriously, it makes me feel like I’m instantly on vacation. Thanks for the heads up regarding the Estee GWP! I will have to check out the site just to “look” (ha ha ha).
Which Prescriptives concealer did you end up getting? It’s getting sunnier here so I suspect I need to pick up a new shade because after I get tan I won’t be able to wear my Dior concealer for a while.
Hi Amanda,
Now that one is new to me. I will have to seek out Supernova! I am all about super dramatic lashes, girlfriend.
I also want a few colored shades too — purple, blue and green. 🙂
Hi Nikki,
I will, thanks for the recommendation! 🙂 I am so glad that you’ve tried a few new makeup tricks from what you’ve read on the blog. That’s awesome! Are you a makeup newbie, or hopelessly addicted like me?
Hi Karen,
how do you think this mascara compares with MAC’s PlushLash?
Hi Sylvie,
Plushlash gives thicker lashes… but the results aren’t as long as Precise Volume. Both are equally as crunchy!
K – I got the site unseen concealer…and I really like it. It’s a brightening concealer, and not too heavy, but it covers, so it works well for me since I only do tinted moisturizer over it and not foundation. I saw it in the In Style this month…so I decided to try it. I guess that it’s been in the news a lot lately…like on good morning america etc. So I had to go to 5 stores to find it. Good thing that only required two malls…and I already needed other things from both of them.
Girl, I need that right. Tomorrow after work I’m going to the mall to visit with a few things. (LOL, on Friday I think I’m going to SF to visit with some more things). I hope they have a color that works for me, but seeing how it’s Prescriptives I think they will! 🙂 I hope they have it *crosses fingers*
Ooo I should try this one out!
this is actually my all time favorite mascara! i was lucky enough to get one at the l’oreal friends and family sale last year for $8. sooo mad i didn’t pick up more as it was my first time purchasing this one. while other mascaras i’ve tried provide thicker lashes, they also way them down. i’m asian and have a hard time finding mascaras that will hold a curl and this definitely did the job!