Well look at you, eagle eye cutie pie. 🙂 You discovered my latest lash secret. I’ve been asked a few times over the past couple of days about what I’m wearing on my lashes, and yes, I’ve been trying something new.
When it comes to lashes, for me it’s GO DRAG OR GO HOME! I’m flat-out wild about that dramatic false lash look, ya know? — the longer and more voluminous, the better. That’s why I’m so stoked about my current combo, which adds mad crazy length and lots of thickness at the base. And the best part? I discovered it by accident!
One day last week I had on two layers of Urban Decay Cannonball Waterproof Mascara ($20) on my top lashes, and one on the bottom. Even though Cannonball smudges a tad, it stretches my lashes to their lengthening limits and cures the curl from my lash curler (Shu know the one), so I readily accepted the tradeoff.
Later that same day while testing the NYC New York Color Mono Eye Shadows, I got a smidgen of shadow on my lashes, so I grabbed the closest tube of mascara, which happened to be Buxom Amplified Lash ($22), and added a layer of it to Cannonball, to again get my lashes nice and dark.
FAN-FRICKIN-TASTIC! Turns out Amplified and Cannonball work together like PB&J. Amplified adds the thickness and drama that I think Cannonball lacks, and the two combine to create a fantastic false-lash look.
As far as budget options, there must be tons! I bet $9 NYX Doll Eye Long Lash Mascara (for its ability to lengthen and separate lashes) would totally complement $7.25 L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black (a volumizing champ).
Do you ever combine mascaras? If so, have you come up with any cool combos lately?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S.
Gotta admit—I swear by Cargo Lash Activator and Buxom mascara.
The Lash Activator REALLY works miracles for growing longer, thicker lashes. I don’t like it on its own, especially when it’s just opened–it’s too damp so it clumps. But with the Buxom separating it and adding length…. My lashes are CRAZY long and healthy, and EVERYTIME I wear this combo, people ask me if my lashes are natural.
Ooh, I’m intrigued!
http://thepaintedmask.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/img_1133-e1282570471249.jpg?w=300&h=271
That’s the two layered, after using the lash activator for a month. My lashes were always decently thick, but they just got crazily so after I picked that product up.
You’re so lucky to have thick lashes. Mine are paper thin naturally.
They’re thick but the used to break and fall out very easily, and they are SOOOOOOOOo transparent that without any mascara, they aren’t even visible. I had a BEAST of a time getting before mascara shots for the blog because my camera couldn’t even focus on the hairs!
Everybody has their own flaws and fine features.
I never combine mascaras, but I should try it out!
You should!
I totally forgot to ask you a few days ago what you were wearing, because your lashes were MAJOR! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your combo. I’ll have to give this a try with some things I have kicking around in my drawer.
TGIF! Do you American folks get a long weekend as well? I can’t wait for it to start.
We do! I’ll be writing all weekend though. What are you and Sherbie up to?
Been meaning to ask — which part of Canada are you from?
Toronto! 🙂 I was so excited when you said you were visiting Toronto last month. My geeky self was thinking about what I would say if I accidentally bumped into you in the city, ha!
Scherbie will be running after birds (or weirder, leaves). I will be biking around close to the beach if the weather holds up. 🙂
I’ve never thought of combining mascaras before. Thanks for the tip!
You’re welcome!
When doing my own lashes (which are already very long, thick and curly by themselves), I have found that Lancome’s Definicils works the ABSOLUTE best to bring out the length and to thicken dramatically, but when I am trying to get fabulous on a budget I like to go for Maybelline’s Great Lash mascara in Blackest Black combined with Maybellines Lash Stiletto in Very Black. They make my eyelashes look just as fierce and I love it!
I’m a chronic mascara combining type gal. Seems I’m never happy with just one of anything, LOL! Two combos I am working with right now are Smashbox Lash DNA & Cover Girl Lash Blast Length and Maybelline the Falsies & Neutrogena Healthy Volume. I have tons of different mascaras from taking advantage of drugstore sales & getting the higher end deluxe sample mascaras in kits or with Beauty Insider points at Sephora. There’s a plethora of them out there to play with so why not. Thanks Karen for this great combo…I’ll have to give it a go!
I’ve never tried combining mascaras but will now! Your lashes look amazing! I’m using Armani’s Eyes to Kill Excess, its incredible!
I use Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion (purple tube) as my “base” then I layer a volumizing mascara on top. My faves are Lancome Hypnose, Origins Full Story, & L’Oreal Voluminous. It is a winning combo with any of those!
Oh, you know I love the drag look! I’ve never done the mascara combo but I’m totally trying my 2 faves with my next purchase. I should look for cheaper options but I know I won’t! 🙂
And, waaay off topic question but, remember when you were raving about a brand of undies that you really liked? Can you remind me which ones they were? I have to break down and do some skivvy shopping and want to find the holy grail. 🙂
I am always mixing my mascaras. Currently I am starting off with Covergirl LashBlast length in very black followed by Maybelline Volum’ Express the Falsies Waterproof in Black drama. That combo really boosts my lashes and the waterproff-ness stops any potential smudges.
I’m too lazy to combine mascaras. lol. But this combination looks amazing on you!
I’ve never thought of combining mascaras, but considering the fact that you look AWESOME, I have to try it now. Thanks!
(And I’m with you on Go Drag or Go Home. The bigger the lashes, the better!)
Hey I should try combining mascaras now ! They look divine …
Btw are you wearing the burberry feather pink lipstick I drooled over the other day ? It looks amazing !
My perfect mascara combo was simply YSL Faux Cils OR Prestige My Biggest Lashes + Shiseido’s The Makeup Mascara Base. The 2 together turned my pathetic short, tiny lashes into dramatic thick long lashes -people actually thought I natural had long lashes! But since they sadly discontinued it and put out a new primer with a new formula, my lash life has been horrible.
I’ve tried about 5 or 6 new primers so far and none work! Agh..
I am always mixing my mascaras!
First : Maybelline Volum´Express Mascara.
Second : Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara!
I love loooooong lashes!
The bigger the lashes ,the better-yes Karen-I´m with you!
xoxo
I love layering my mascara. I start off with Clinique High Impact Mascara to thicken and lengthen. Next, I used Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion to define and make them bolder and better.
Personally, I’m obsessed with mascara.
I love combining! I usually over combine though lol my poor thin lashes! Never tried buxom though! Will do…
GO DRAG OR GO HOME!! AMEN TO THAT SISTER!
I like using L’oreal Telescopic Explosion over pretty much any other mascara because it gets the little bitty lashes that many brushes leave behind and it amps up the drama so easily with it’s unique spiky-ball applicator!
I used to use Maybelline Waterproof Lash Stiletto (the black packaging) with Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! Lovvvvvvvvvvvvved that combo. now I can’t find the Lash Stiletto that’s NOT the red packaging- I bought it, the brush is different and it just ruins everything!
I use mac prep and prime to lengthen and plushlash on top for volume. It works really
What blush are you wearing in the picture? It’s lovely!
Karen your lashes, and everything else, are lookin’ great in this picture. But when I combine mascaras, I usually get something too thick and crunchy and gross looking. But if you say these don’t do that, I might have to give them a go!
I’ve combined mascaras before! anything to oomph up my pathetically straight and thin lashes. I only did it recently because I got a mini Fresh mascara duo and it was a suggestion on the packaging somewhere. 😛
i just did this tonight, in fact! i used an avon defining mascara followed by covergirl lashblast. i do one eye at a time, and apply the volumizing one before the defining (or a lengthening one works really well too!) dries. FABULASH!!!!!
I rarely splurge on mascara, so I’m a drugstore girl and Maybelline is by far the best for good cheap mascaras! One by One + Falsies will make your lashes amazing!
I like layering CoverGirl’s Lash Exact with Maybelline’s Falsies. Not bad. 😉
now you make me wanna buy not just one, but two mascaras 😀
what are you wearing on your lips? is it nymphette? pretty!
I second the comment on the lips! I’ll bet it might be that LM Rose gloss that I love so much!?!?
I love Cargo Lash Activator with Diorshow!
You look great! What blush are you wearing?
holy lashes, batman!
i like to mix up covergirl lashblast and loreal million lashes. drag queen lashes in a flash!
Seriously Karen, you look amazing in this photo. I love everything about your look, what are you wearing?
I combine mascaras and use Flirt! It Curls Mascara with Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume Mascara.
Karen, great blog! I discovered it about a week ago and love your tips/how tos and reviews! I have wimpy lashes 🙁 and love to experiment with layering mascaras but haven’t found one I am amazed by. I will definitely give this a try and probably also the drug store brands…I am obsessed 😉
Ru would be so proud of you, Karen. 😀
I am definitely a chronic mascara combiner. I use a waterproof mascara first to hold the curl from the shu uemura curler then top it off with a more volumizing mascara. My latest combo obsession has been tarte multipleye lash enhancing waterproof mascara then givenchy phenomenon mascara on top!
I use Maybelline Falsies for the volumizing effect and Lash Stilhetto on the tips for length…when I’m done, eyes wide open my eyelashes almost touch my eyebrows !
Hi Karen – great job on this blog! I am about to have a major mascara meltdown! Every brand I try leaves me with dark circles under my eyes, even if I only put it on my top lashes. I have tried Voluminous, Lancome, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Great Lash and probably a few more too. By the end of the work day, though, they all have left a ring of black, flaky, smudgy junk under my eyes. Any product ideas and/or tips to help eliminate this problem? Thanks in advance!
I don’t experiment much with different mascara formulas because I have sensitive eyes and I have been sticking to Clinique for years now. What I do, though, is to coat all the lashes with brown mascara and then add black mascara only on the outer third: I have learned this trick from a Youtube makeup guru and I must say it really adds dimension to my peepers ^^
I always combine a lengthening and a volumizing mascara. Most combis work well. However with YSL faux cils you need no combining. That is a force all on it’s own! I have tried every mascara under the sun and YSL just stands head and shoulders above the others. Love!
I love combining Maybelline illegal lengths with maybelline Lots of lashes! I use lots of drugstore makeup because my parents wont be me the other stuff, but when i get my alllowance ill def check out these two mascaras!xoxo-Taiya!(:
I usually start with any lengthening mascara I happen to grab and later Sephora’s outrageous volume mascara over it. it’s a super intense black and it adds a lot of volume.
I haven’t tried combining them, but if you’re into large lashes then I’d definitely recommend my newest obsession, Maybelline XXL Pro Extension Microfiber Mascara. It smudges just a teeny bit when it’s first drying, but for less than $10 and my lashes looking the best they ever have, I can totally accept that! I can’t even imagine what would happen if I tried layering it, holy cow.
I ALWAYS layer!! My new fave combo is: First layer – Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes and second – YSL Faux cils! Try it, you’ll love it!!! 🙂
It sounds a little weird but I swear by this lash combo. When I’m doing makeup for a client ill coat the lashes with vaseline using a mac 266, and just leave it for a few minutes. Then I’ll thinly apply some mac Frozen White pigment, which clings onto the vaseline, then with a metal lash comb I apply 2 coats of mac Zoom Lash in Zoom black. The blue pigment from the Frozen white layer, combined with the shine of the vaseline creates an amazing sort of wet look to the lashes. In photographs they look shiny, healthy and long. Ive been using this method for ages now…
Silly question: Which mascara goes on first? The lengthening or the volumizing? I’m interested in trying this. If I only wear one piece of makeup (the days I wake up late!) it’s mascara. Most important.
I use the lengthening one first.