ESTEE LAUDER LASH XL

Think of it as simply stretching the truth. Get extremely long, way-out-there lashes that defy reality. Lash XL extends natural lashes to supernatural lengths—up to 50% longer. Every last lash is separated, defined, lengthened beyond belief. And that’s the truth.

• Applicator: Small to medium sized brush, very skinny, but the bristles are packed densely on the wand.
• Clumping: I thought this mascara would have some problems with clumping if you waited too long between coats, and especially if you tried to do more than two heavy coats or three lighter coats. You can see in the results photo that after three coats, my lashes aren’t as separated as one would like.
• Curl: Some natural curl mechanism, but mostly due to the lash curler.
• Ease: Quite easy to apply given the smaller nature of the wand, which allows for more precision to get to harder to reach lashes on the inner area and the lower lashes.
• Length: This is a lengthening mascara that did not deliver as well as it could, and it definitely doesn’t compare to some of its competitors in the price range.
• Thickening: My lashes were definitely thicker, but several of them stuck together, so it’s hard to say whether it’s truly thickening or if it’s just the clumping that does it. I think my lash looks somewhat full, but with the lack of length, they’re unimpressive.
• Volume: I saw an increase in volume, but not by much. I was a bit dismayed that for a lengthening mascara, I couldn’t get the length, and despite that, volume seemed to be missed, too.
• Best: I liked the richness of the black, and if I wanted a mascara to quickly apply before leaving to get groceries or something simple, this wouldn’t be a bad choice.
• Worst: I was quite disappointed in this mascara, because it did not give me the length it should have. It claims to be a lengthening mascara, so when it clearly misses the mark, it’s a big let down. For $21, I expected more out of a mascara! I would compare the results of this with Bobbi Brown’s Everything Mascara.