Each award is broken down into a best high-end winner and budget-friendly winner. For each award, the winning brand/product gets a brief description of why, and where appropriate, a link to any in-depth review. These awards are given out by me based on my personal experience with the products. Readers’ Choice Awards are completely separate 🙂
I would LOVE to hear what you think about my picks — any of these your favorites, too? The very opposite of your favorite? Tell me in the comments!
Part 2 focuses on my favorite products to use on the eyes — from eyeshadow to eyeliner to mascara. These were not restricted to new products in 2009; any brand, any product, from any time can win.
Best Pencil Eyeliner (High-end):Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil ($17.00) are soft, smooth, and come in a variety of colors. They’re vibrant with rich pigmentation, and they glide on so smoothly. I love how long-wearing they are on my lower lash line. The color range and the softness of the pencil itself really make this one a huge winner in my book. You can read my full review here.
Best Pencil Eyeliner (Budget):L’Oreal HiP Chrome Eyeliner
L’Oreal HiP Color Chrome Eyeliner ($10.00) are some of the richest eyeliners I’ve tried. Black Shock is easily one of the deepest blacks I’ve come across in a pencil form. I love the metallic finish of these, and I find them to be very much like Urban Decay’s 24/7 Liners. I do hope to see more of these from L’Oreal HiP in the upcoming year. You can read my full review here.
Best Gel Eyeliner (High-end):MAC Fluidline
MAC Fluidline ($15.00) is an excellent gel eyeliner that is easy to work with, doesn’t budge or smudge throughout the day, and has a decent color selection. (They used to have more, and MAC used to regularly release limited edition shades, but it’s been a minute since that’s happened.) I just find Fluidline to be the best of both worlds — smooth and creamy without being too wet nor too dry that it creates drag.
Best Gel Eyeliner (Budget):Sonia Kashuk Gel Eyeliner
Sonia Kashuk Dramatically Defining Long-wear Gel Eyeliner ($8.99) are a great budget-friendly alternative for grabbing yourself a gel eyeliner. They’re creamy, long-lasting, and easy to use. The only downside is that there are only three shades available (a vibrant blue, cocoa brown, and black). You can read my full review here.
Best Liquid Eyeliner (High-end):MAC Penultimate
MAC Penultimate Eye Liner ($16.50) is an easy-use liquid liner in a felt-tip pen delivery system. The pointed felt tip edge really helps to make it easier to use, stabilize, and get a rich, even line across the upper lash line. You can read my full review here and see me use it in a look here.
Best Liquid Eyeliner (Budget):Wet ‘n’ Wild MegaLiner Liquid Liner
Wet ‘n’ Wild MegaLiner Liquid Eyeliner ($2.99) are easily some of the better liquid liners on the market, but they’re also ridiculously affordable. If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at liquid liner, I totally recommend grabbing a few MegaLiners to play with. The Turquoise shade has always been one of my favorites!
Check out the Best & Worst Mascaras, Best Eyeshadows, False Eyelashes, Bases, and Palettes!
Best Mascara (High-end):Chanel Exceptionnel
Chanel Exceptionnel Mascara ($30.00) gives me long, dramatic lashes that are thick, full, and oh-so-black. It’s as close as I’ve gotten to my dream mascara! I love how black my lashes look, and the length it gives me is incredible. But not only does it give me dramatic length, it thickens, too — I often find a mascara can lengthen, but not thicken or vice versa. Rarely do you get both done well in a single mascara! If $30 is a bit steep for you, my second favorite is still MAC Plushlash, which yields similar results, though just slightly less dramatic results — but it’s also half the price. You can read my full review here.
Best Mascara (Budget):Maybelline Full ‘n Soft
Maybelline Full ‘N Soft Mascara ($6.59) has been a long-time favorite for me. It gives me lush looking lashes without effort. It has a nice black pigmentation (Very Black is my favorite shade) while being a very, very clump-free formula–even when you pile it on as I often do. You can see me wearing it here.
Worst Mascara (High-end):Dior DiorShow
Dior DiorShow Mascara ($24.00) was just one of those very anticipated, much-loved-by-everyone-else products I was hoping to fall in love with, but couldn’t because it smudged and flaked horribly. Even though I felt like I saw good results (nice length, some thickening, decent volume), having black flakes and smudges after an hour just isn’t very sexy. I don’t have many mascaras that flake on me, but this one was one of the worst.
Worst Mascara (Budget):Maybelline Great Lash
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara ($4.99) is a really poor performing mascara. It might even be one of the worst mascaras I’ve ever used. It’s alsoa huge let-down, because it consistently wins awards in magazines and yet it really is nothing to write home about. (Well, no, you may write home to tell your best pal never to waste her $5 on it!) It doesn’t do much to lashes, and I found it a particularly dry and clump formula overall.
Best False Eyelashes (High-end):shu uemura
shu uemura False Eyelashes has a wide variety in false eyelashes; from the eccentric to the avant garde to the natural. They’re beautiful, soft, and really well-designed. Some of the more wearable/everyday kind of lashes are more affordable than the couture lashes.
Best False Eyelashes (Budget):Revlon
Revlon Fantasy Lengths Eyelashes ($4.00) are affordable false eyelashes that get the job done. I like that every pair you purchase comes with either a self-adhesive strip or a mini tube of glue (which will give you more glue than you need).
Best Eyeshadow Base (High-end):MAC Paint Pots
MAC Paint Pot ($16.50) is an excellent product to layer underneath your eyeshadows to give you bolder, truer color that lasts all day without fading or creasing. (Of course, as with all beauty products, your mileage may vary!) I know some prefer to use a combination of Urban Decay’s Primer Potion and MAC Paint Pots, but I just need to lay down a Paint Pot, and I’m good to go. My favorite is Soft Ochre, because it has a matte finish, so it can be incredibly versatile. If you’re cooler-toned, I recommend Painterly for the same reason; I’ve just found that Soft Ochre works better on warm skin tones while Painterly works better on cool skin tones.
Best Eyeshadow Base (Budget):NYX Eyeshadow Base
NYX Eyeshadow Base ($6.00) is a short and sweet product in three different shades (White, Pearl, and Skin Tone). I find Pearl is nice under more shimmery shades, but Skin Tone is good in a variety of situations, so it’s more versatile. It does a good job of extending the wear of your eyeshadow and giving you a base for the color to grab onto and look true to form.
Best Eyeshadow (High-end):MAC Eyeshadow
MAC Eye Shadow ($14.50) is an amazing product at the end of the day. MAC has a huge range of well-pigmented, easy-to-use shades in their permanent line-up, and I think the permanent range is often overlooked with the sheer amount of limited edition shades MAC releases on a yearly basis. Even if you’ve been a little disappointed in the quality of limited edition shades, you’re really missing out if you don’t check out their permanent line of shades. No matter what brand I try, I always come back to my MAC eyeshadows. They’re just so easy to use, come in so many different shades and textures, it’s hard to stay away for long. I also love that you can use palettes or pots, depending on your preference.
Best Eyeshadow (Budget):Sonia Kashuk Eyeshadow
Sonia Kashuk Eyeshadow ($6.99 to $14.99) is a brand that I find incredibly reliable. Reliability in beauty is actually a really good thing, because there’s a consistency of quality across the brand that makes it easier to try new shades or products without fear of disappointment. Sonia Kashuk has pigmented bright colors, but there are also some lovely neutrals in the range as well.
Best Cream Eyeshadow (High-end):Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow
Benefit Cosmetics Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner ($19.00) are creamy, smooth eyeshadows that can be used as a base, liner, or worn alone or mixed together. I absolutely love the shade range–there are lots of shades that are perfect for everyday, but then there are a few “fun” shades, too. The packaging is cute and functional, and the product itself is amazing. You can read my full review here.
Best Cream Eyeshadow (Budget):Wet ‘n’ Wild MegaEyes Cream Eyeshadow
Wet ‘n’ Wild MegaEyes Cream Eyeshadow is a quick-drying cream shadow that stays in place once you’ve applied it. It appears to have been discontinued this year, unfortunately. I was originally going to give out the award to another product, but I just didn’t feel like there was another one that rivaled this. I hope Wet ‘n’ Wild brings it back or calls it something else but is virtually the same product.
Best Eyeshadow Palette (High-end):Urban Decay Eyeshadow Palettes
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Palettes are some of the best around. They always have a good selection of shades and the quality is consistent across the board. You may find one or two out of ten or twelve shadows isn’t your favorite, but the majority are soft, buttery eyeshadows with rich pigmentation.
Best Eyeshadow Palette (Budget):NYX Eyeshadow Palettes
NYX Color Palettes ($9.00) are surprisingly well pigmented for such an affordable palette. They have both five and ten-color palettes, and the quality is decent in them. Sometimes you get a few chalkier shades, but they’re some of the best I’ve seen at such a low price point.
Best Eyelash Curler (High-end):shu uemura Eyelash Curler
shu uemura Eyelash Curler ($19.00) is easily my favorite curler, and it has been since I first had it. I used to have a Revlon one, and I didn’t even realize that an eyelash curler could really have levels of quality. Shu’s is easy to use, works well, and it lasts awhile. The only thing I wish they did was sell replacement curling pads, since it would be more cost-effective (for us!) and more environmentally-friendly (for everyone!). I know shu recommends replacing the entire curler after about two years or so (because the springs weaken, supposedly), but I’ve had mine for longer and couldn’t tell you I’ve noticed a thing!
Best Eyelash Curler (Budget):e.l.f. Mechanical Eyelash Curler
e.l.f. professional Mechanical Eyelash Curler($1.49) also gets the job done, no matter how tight your budget. (Seriously, $1.49!) It’s handy, easy-to-use, and gives lashes a nice curl. It’s not quite as comfortable use as shu’s, but you’re not using it for long, anyway.
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I totally agree with you! L’Oreal HIP liners are fabulous (and frequently BOGOF). I love MAC Paintpots and Fluidlines, and Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows, and can’t stand Great Lash.
The hype over Great Lash always makes me wonder if…
1.) Are there a ton of misguided casual makeup wearers wearing Great Lash because of all the so-called raves?
2.) Is it really *great* on some people…?
Faith
I’ve always liked the way Great Lash worked. My lashes have a pretty nice natural length and curl, so I really just need a mascara to thicken and darken. Maybe that’s why I like it?
However, I also haven’t tried a whole lot else. I’m due for a new tube, so maybe I’ll pick up another type next time to compare.
Thanks, Faith! I’ve just always wondered – it’s terrible on me, and I always hear others say the same, for as much love as you “hear” it gets, I don’t hear as many personal recommendations 🙂
Alyssa
Great list! I have mostly Mac eyeshadows, but I think that Nars are my favorites. I love all the funky colors they have, but Mac is a bit cheaper and glorious on my eyes. I also have to say the L’Oreal Hip cream liners (I totally forgot what they’re called) are just as great as the Mac fluidlines. They only downside is that they dry very quickly on the eye. And my all time favorite mascara is Lashblast.
Nice! NARS eyeshadows, L’Oreal HiP Cream Liners, & CoverGirl LashBlast are all good products 🙂
jessica
This has really helped me! i think im gonna pick up the ‘full and soft’ mascara..i checked out the picture you posted and it made your lashes look amazing <33.
thank you.
Y’know, I’d have to disagree with you on two things.
The first being Diorshow Mascara. Now, I’m a big fan of mascaras that make you look like you’re wearing false lashes, and I’ve been searching for the perfect formula forever. Through my research, I found DiorShow (the waterproof formula) and fell in love. It makes my lashes HUGE. Thick and long and blacker than black. I’ve never had a problem with flaking or smudging (though, it does need a good comb through with a metal lash comb to get the clumps out.) It really lasts for hours on me. It’s never given me an issue.
And the other being MAC’s Penultimate. I HATE this liner. Though I love the idea of a felt tip liner pen, I thought the liner formula was awful. It was sheer and smudged within minutes. I had to go over it a million times to get anything close to an opaque black. And it barely stayed on me for more than 10 minutes (and my lids aren’t even greasy. Even the cheapest makeup tends to stay on me.) And by the end of the day, it was half way down my face. I’m hoping either Stila’s or Smashbox’s new liner pens will be somewhat better.
But besides those two, I agree with most of your decisions.
I wanted to love DiorShow SO BADLY but the whole smudging/flaking part was a huge problem, lol! I’m so glad it works for you, because it is, otherwise, a good mascara 🙂 I’ve had a few other readers (in the past) tell me they’ve had similar experiences, but I know we’re definitely in the minority!
Sheer? Really! I did some looks with it, and it’s so black. I didn’t feel like I had to layer over it much at all. Have you tried Eve Pearl’s? I liked that one quite a bit as well. NARS’ Stylo is decent, though I prefer Eve Pearl’s and MAC’s over it.
Karli
Yeah. I have a feeling Penultimate may have been a bit sheer on me because I tend to wear TONS of eyeshadow. I think it just could compete with all the brightness. Haha.
But I’ll definitely look into them. Thanks!
So weird! I just used it yesterday on top of really shimmery and bright purples and had no problems!
Jen
I’m a really big fan of DiorShow waterproof also. It’s odd but I’ve found that the waterproof formula is much different than the regular one. The regular one flakes on me but the waterproof formula is just fabulous.
I loved how Diorshow looked on me, but I unfortunately had an allergic reaction to it. Major bummer. My eyes completely broke out. Almay is my HG because it doesn’t break my sensitive eyes out. Not the best performance but I look dead without mascara, so it’s better than nothing.
Which Almay mascara, Melissa? So sad to hear about your allergic reaction to it 🙁
Kiko
Have you tried LORAC’s Front of the Line Pro Liquid Eyeliner? It is my fave felt pen type liner. I found it easier to use than MAC – seemed to glide on more smoothly.
I agree completely with you on the HIP eyeliners. I had abandoned pencil liners for gels (I like both MAC and Bobbi Brown) but gave these a shot after so many positive reviews. Absolutely love them.
Alyson
Kiko– Totally agree w/ you on LORAC’s liquid eyeliner. It’s the best. Completely idiot proof to apply, which I really need since I’m so bad at liquid eyeliner.
Reza
I really wish I agreed with you about Sonia Kashuk’s eyeshadows. I wanted to like them so adly, because I love her makeup brushes so much. But I’ve bought and returned four individuals and two duos. Unpigmented and quick-to-fade, even over UDPP. I’ve never been so disappointed. Now Nyx, on the other hand, has some great singles with tons of pigment, and Ulta has pleasantly surprised me with their eyeshadow singles. After you account for BOGO sales, they sell for about $3.50 each and there’s even a seriously fine Satin Taupe dupe in their inventory! 🙂
I find NYX can fade a bit throughout the day, and even though I like NYX and think it’s good for affordability… sometimes their shadows feel a little powdery/chalky to me (and not just mattes!). I’m glad you found one that works for ya, though! 🙂
Lulee
oooh what is the satin taupe dupe called?
mary
i totally agree with you on NYX. They are the BEST budget eyeshadows i have found by far! i tried Sonia Kashuks and they did not have much pigmentation at all and i didnt like the color range.
I agree, love fluidlines, cant live without em! I absolutely love maybelline full&soft! never clumps on me ever and gives amazing results! I hate diorshow, the brush just clumps my lashes, doesnt separate them at all!
Full ‘n Soft is definitely one of those mascaras you can PILE ON and not have to worry about clumping much at all!
cmferrets
i love UD 247 for liners. i love benefit for their creeam e/s . i love mac and UD for their e/s. i just wish that mac didnt come out with so many LE collections so then i can build e.s from their original line. i love mac paint pots for their bases with color and then UDPP for the primer. i havent tried dior for their mascaras but i love lancomes formula! i havent shelled out the caash to buy any yet, i always just ask for a sample when my mom buys something.macs new mascara is pretty good, have u tried it christine>? i like mac fluidline and smashbox for liners.
I just picked up the new mascara a few days ago (I forgot to order it online with my Warm & Cozy order), and I tried it before I finalized my award decisions (one of the last products to make it into consideration, lol!) — it lengthens a ton, but I didn’t feel like it beat out Chanel Exceptionnel. It’s like super, super lengthening, and certainly very black, but it didn’t thicken as much as I’d like!
Which Lancome formula is your favorite? They have so many! I like Oscillation a lot – very good at separating and defining.
It took me 3-4 years before I was able to delve into MAC’s permanent collection, just ’cause they have so many LE launches!
kristina
I didn’t realize MAC was considered high end, I always thought they were a mid range line slightly above mass market brands. I didn’t know they shared the company of Chanel, Guerlain or YSL, to name but a few.
Price-wise, MAC is more mid-range, but I’ve always considered them high-end, particularly since they’re kept at cosmetic counters, just as Chanel, Dior, etc. are. I do think that comparing MAC to Chanel is not exactly fair, but that’s one of the reasons why MAC is so successful – they have a high end image/feel with a mid-range price.
kristina
So if MAC won a high end category, were they not running against Chanel and the like? I have always wondered what made a company High, mid or mass market; price or quality or exclusivity. High end isn’t solely sold at counters anymore due to Sephora, Ulta etc. For me it comes down to price point, so MAC imho would be mid range, keeping company with brands like Clinque m/u.
No, they were – I consider MAC high-end, but I wouldn’t compare them for value – that’s more what I mean. Like Chanel isn’t trying to price themselves at MAC’s price and vice versa.
I think it’s mostly drugstore vs. anything else, and high-end is surely something by exclusivity (and as you mentioned, not a big deal any more) or price point – but to many, $14.50 for an eyeshadow *is* expensive and is considered high-end to them. I almost consider brands like Chanel, Dior, etc. to be more like luxury brands.
For the purposes of the awards, however, the idea is “here’s a pricey option” and “here’s a budget friendly option” — but I wanted to make it a point to give both. I think if we started breaking it down into here’s one under $10, under $20, and under $30, it’d start getting confusing (or more than it already is, lol).
kristina
I totally see your point! It’s great to see how you balance all these issues in Temptalia!
I think the biggest difficulty with putting in a mid-range category is “What qualifies as mid-range?” Because UD is still way cheaper than Chanel… but then do we still lump say Cle de Peau and Chantecaille with Chanel? What about La Prairie? $55 lipstick vs. $30 for Chanel lipstick… huge difference! But are both high-end?
And if UD is considered high-end (I think their lipsticks are around $20ish – as a lot of other brands – Smashbox, Stila, Cargo, etc.), then are there only maybe 3-5 mid-range brands? (Clinique and MAC are the only ones that really come to mind as mid-range)
So confusing!
I remember when I first got into makeup, MAC felt and seemed like high-end to me. I felt like I was getting high-end for less, in a sense, but I got the quality of high-end makeup (at least, more often than not). Even now, personally, I’d still consider MAC that way – high end for less than the price tag of high end (which is one major reason I think they’ve been so successful). I’d say high-end (again, just from my own perspective) is everything up until around Chantecaille, La Prairie, Cle de Peau… when pieces start going for $35+ a pop, it seems more luxe to me. I’d also say exclusivity kicks in, too — I don’t have any La Prairie or Cle de Peau counters near me (well, not makeup-wise – I think there’s a La Prairie mini-counter with skincare at my Nordstrom), so it’s this rarity.
kristina
I think the categories are separated by being an “aspirational brand” versus a “commodity brand”. The aspirational brand have fewer people who can afford it, as compared to the latter commodity brand. The mid range do not fall into either group perfectly but because it is a new market in cosmetics, I think in time they will have more lateral competitors.
I think with these definitions it allows beauty products to have an empirical standard of divisions. So perhaps with the perfect examples you provided, it can make sense how CDP and Chanel can belong to the same group because neither are the major brands of makeup consuumer purchases. CDP, for example, would just be a more successful aspirational brand because the gap is larger between desire and affordability.
For the sake of the awards, the third group of mid range is too tedious but for the industry it does exist.
The way I categorize things is by looking at is as if it were in an ULTA store. If it’s low end/mass/drugstore it would be on the side of ULTA with Maybelline, Revlon, etc. If it’s high end you will find it on the side with UD, Lorac, etc. I’m pretty sure if MAC was sold in ULTA it would be on the high end side. Just because it’s cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not as “high” end as Chanel, etc. Because when you put it that way… Wet N Wild, Elf, NYC are cheaper than Maybelline, CG, Revlon, etc… but you still put ALL of them into the drugstore/mass/cheap category.
If you’ve been to Sephora, you’re not missing anything. It’s just convenient because they have all price ranges and a salon!
cloudburst
I have to agree with your worst high end mascara pick: DiorShow. I got a sample of this and the scent alone was a turn off. I didn’t find it held curl in my lashes either.
But I have to disagree with your review of Great Lash – for some reason, this is the best mascara on my lashes! It is a drier formula which is great if you have hard to curl lashes.
It must be the dryness of Great Lash that really gets me – I guess it always feel like I’m on the last legs of the tube, because it gives me crunchy lashes (plus it flakes a bit, too).
I am glad it works for you though 🙂 It is nice to know that it DOES live up to the hype for some!
Readers’ Choice should be interesting! It’s really a treat to see it all come together — we have some incredibly close categories right now, so it’ll be very fun to see who pulls through in the end (12/31).
Jennifer
I would love DiorShow if it didn’t give me an allergic reaction. 🙁 I recently bought that elf eyelash curler and I love it, so I’m glad it’s up here.
I also recently received MAC’s Fluidline as a gift and omg it’s amazing! Now I’m looking into buying a eye liner brush, I just have to choose between the 209 or 210…
so many items i have not tried so far as they are not accessible by me in here!
UD eyeliner i tried once as i only have it in bourbon.. so far quite liking MUFE in Ol (black) (whats your take on their eyeliner in comparison to UD?)
I like Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Eyes – they’re really good. They’re definitely comparable to Urban Decay’s 24/7 Liners, but I do find them a little harder (vs. UD which is very soft, almost like butter) and I like the pop of UD’s shades a bit more than Aqua Eyes. You can’t go wrong with either, though. Aqua Eyes would have been my runner up, but I love the softness and texture of UD as well as the more metallic finish compared to Aqua Eyes.
thanks for the highlight on the softness of the pencil. Now i realise the diff, ya the MUFE poke my eyes sometimes and the UD one goes rather smoothly erm like butter. hmm i know what i’m gonna get when the MUFE OL runs out!
Ardell is good, too 🙂 There’s also Lash Addiction, NYX, etc. Good lashes aren’t so hard to find… at least when you want to go 100% fake, LOL! Now, getting my own lashes to look good…
I’ve only tried Lancome’s Ink Artliner (the gel one), but I’ll have to check out their liquid version, too.
Anitacska
Hi Christine!
I agree with you wholeheartedly on the best eyeliner pencils, I love both UD 24/7 and L’Oreal HIP eyeliners (the latter I bought on eBay specially after reading your review as they’re not available in the UK, and I got all the 6 colours and they’re all great!). However, I found Chanel Exceptionnel exceptionally rubbish, may be due to me not applying it properly – although to be honest, mascaras that need an entire website dedicated to them to show you how to apply them aren’t worth the trouble for me. My favourite mascara (high end) is definitely Guerlain’s Le 2 mascara, it lengthens like crazy and gives good volume too. Anyway, good choices, although I don’t know/use some of these products, I definitely agree on a lot of them.
Nice! I just have those four, but maybe one day I’ll remember/track down the other two!
At first, Exceptionnel was just whatever, but as I used it more, I found a method that worked and gave me what I wanted, haha.
Chiara
It’s funny how a mascara can be such a personal item. Diorshow Blackout has been my favourite mascara for over a year. It gave me incredible looking lashes, without any clumps or smudging. On the other hand, Chanel’s Exceptionnel just doesn’t do the trick for me.
Agreed! I think we can always make some generalizations, but it’s so obvious that a mascara I hate is AMAZINGGGGG! on someone else or a mascara that is AMAZINGGGG! on someone is terrible on me.
Ellie
surprisingly, i love maybelline great lash! i have naturally dark and long eyelashes, but not much volume, so i look for volumizing mascaras, and i think it does a pretty good job with a few coats. maybe i just have a soft spot for it because it was the first mascara i ever owned!
It sounds like Great Lash *is* great if you have lashes that are hard to curl or you already have pretty good lashes from the get-go 😀
Michelle
Hmmm. Great Lash definately seems to be a love it or hate it kind of product. There never seems to be any in-between. Personally, it’s my pick for low-end mascara, but I have really thick lashes that only need lenghthening and definition. Thickening mascaras are a disater for me- looks like I’ve got a tarantula on my eyes! My high end pick, and my ulitmate favorite is Lancome Definicils in Noir. That is true love for me.
I haven’t tried Definicils, I don’t think… It’s hard to remember – Lancome has a zillion of ’em!
CAMILLE
I think MUFE e/s is way better than MAC e/s will ever be…. MUFE is just a better brand overall… It is more expensive though so most people shy away from them.
I like MUFE eyeshadow, and after blowing like $500 on MUFE products (40% off at IMATS, though), I just didn’t think they were the best. I think they’re really lacking creativity in their textures and finishes – I found their shimmers to be just so-so (even in quality/pigmentation). They do excellent matte eyeshadows, though, that are both soft and pigmented. I just think their eyeshadow strength lies in mattes, but they haven’t shown me more yet! IMO, of course 🙂 Just thought I’d explain what made me *not* choose MUFE.
amelia
look, i think when Great Lash came out (and for like ten years after) it really WAS the best mascara of the time. i remember my mum having some and loving it, and now, she hates it and uses Lancome. it WAS the best at some point, but other brands have just caught up.
I like Anastasia, but it’s pricey. I usually just use a dark brown powder eyeshadow 🙂
Kristin- Sonia Kashuk, Inc.
We here at Sonia Kashuk really appreciate your support and amazing reviews! We always strive for utmost perfection in offering the best possible products.
We will be launching a new shade of the Dramatically Defining Long Wear Gel Liner this Spring. Keep an eye out for Charcoal Gray… it will hit stores March 2010!
Nathalie
I TOTALLY agree with you on Great Lash being the worst. Why do people love that mascara sooooo much?! I read a blog at Glamour.com and people over there are always raving about it. I actually went out and bought one lol. As soon as I opened it I already knew I wasn’t going to like it. The applicator brush alone was enough to spook me. I’m very particular about the mascara brush I use. I swear by MAC Mascara X. I have YET to find a mascara that does a better job for me. The brush is fluffy and it seperates and extends all my lashes nicely. I adore it!
JB
Can you please add best eye cream next year? Thanks!
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($17.00) are soft, smooth, and come in a variety of colors. They’re vibrant with rich pigmentation, and they glide on so smoothly. I love how long-wearing they are on my lower lash line. The color range and the softness of the pencil itself really make this one a huge winner in my book. You can read my full review here.
I totally agree with you! L’Oreal HIP liners are fabulous (and frequently BOGOF). I love MAC Paintpots and Fluidlines, and Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows, and can’t stand Great Lash.
The hype over Great Lash always makes me wonder if…
1.) Are there a ton of misguided casual makeup wearers wearing Great Lash because of all the so-called raves?
2.) Is it really *great* on some people…?
I’ve always liked the way Great Lash worked. My lashes have a pretty nice natural length and curl, so I really just need a mascara to thicken and darken. Maybe that’s why I like it?
However, I also haven’t tried a whole lot else. I’m due for a new tube, so maybe I’ll pick up another type next time to compare.
Thanks, Faith! I’ve just always wondered – it’s terrible on me, and I always hear others say the same, for as much love as you “hear” it gets, I don’t hear as many personal recommendations 🙂
Great list! I have mostly Mac eyeshadows, but I think that Nars are my favorites. I love all the funky colors they have, but Mac is a bit cheaper and glorious on my eyes. I also have to say the L’Oreal Hip cream liners (I totally forgot what they’re called) are just as great as the Mac fluidlines. They only downside is that they dry very quickly on the eye. And my all time favorite mascara is Lashblast.
Nice! NARS eyeshadows, L’Oreal HiP Cream Liners, & CoverGirl LashBlast are all good products 🙂
This has really helped me! i think im gonna pick up the ‘full and soft’ mascara..i checked out the picture you posted and it made your lashes look amazing <33.
thank you.
No problem, Jessica 🙂
Y’know, I’d have to disagree with you on two things.
The first being Diorshow Mascara. Now, I’m a big fan of mascaras that make you look like you’re wearing false lashes, and I’ve been searching for the perfect formula forever. Through my research, I found DiorShow (the waterproof formula) and fell in love. It makes my lashes HUGE. Thick and long and blacker than black. I’ve never had a problem with flaking or smudging (though, it does need a good comb through with a metal lash comb to get the clumps out.) It really lasts for hours on me. It’s never given me an issue.
And the other being MAC’s Penultimate. I HATE this liner. Though I love the idea of a felt tip liner pen, I thought the liner formula was awful. It was sheer and smudged within minutes. I had to go over it a million times to get anything close to an opaque black. And it barely stayed on me for more than 10 minutes (and my lids aren’t even greasy. Even the cheapest makeup tends to stay on me.) And by the end of the day, it was half way down my face. I’m hoping either Stila’s or Smashbox’s new liner pens will be somewhat better.
But besides those two, I agree with most of your decisions.
I wanted to love DiorShow SO BADLY but the whole smudging/flaking part was a huge problem, lol! I’m so glad it works for you, because it is, otherwise, a good mascara 🙂 I’ve had a few other readers (in the past) tell me they’ve had similar experiences, but I know we’re definitely in the minority!
Sheer? Really! I did some looks with it, and it’s so black. I didn’t feel like I had to layer over it much at all. Have you tried Eve Pearl’s? I liked that one quite a bit as well. NARS’ Stylo is decent, though I prefer Eve Pearl’s and MAC’s over it.
Yeah. I have a feeling Penultimate may have been a bit sheer on me because I tend to wear TONS of eyeshadow. I think it just could compete with all the brightness. Haha.
But I’ll definitely look into them. Thanks!
So weird! I just used it yesterday on top of really shimmery and bright purples and had no problems!
I’m a really big fan of DiorShow waterproof also. It’s odd but I’ve found that the waterproof formula is much different than the regular one. The regular one flakes on me but the waterproof formula is just fabulous.
I’ll have to try the waterproof version next 🙂
I loved how Diorshow looked on me, but I unfortunately had an allergic reaction to it. Major bummer. My eyes completely broke out. Almay is my HG because it doesn’t break my sensitive eyes out. Not the best performance but I look dead without mascara, so it’s better than nothing.
Which Almay mascara, Melissa? So sad to hear about your allergic reaction to it 🙁
Have you tried LORAC’s Front of the Line Pro Liquid Eyeliner? It is my fave felt pen type liner. I found it easier to use than MAC – seemed to glide on more smoothly.
I agree completely with you on the HIP eyeliners. I had abandoned pencil liners for gels (I like both MAC and Bobbi Brown) but gave these a shot after so many positive reviews. Absolutely love them.
Kiko– Totally agree w/ you on LORAC’s liquid eyeliner. It’s the best. Completely idiot proof to apply, which I really need since I’m so bad at liquid eyeliner.
I really wish I agreed with you about Sonia Kashuk’s eyeshadows. I wanted to like them so adly, because I love her makeup brushes so much. But I’ve bought and returned four individuals and two duos. Unpigmented and quick-to-fade, even over UDPP. I’ve never been so disappointed. Now Nyx, on the other hand, has some great singles with tons of pigment, and Ulta has pleasantly surprised me with their eyeshadow singles. After you account for BOGO sales, they sell for about $3.50 each and there’s even a seriously fine Satin Taupe dupe in their inventory! 🙂
Wow, really? How terrible!! 🙁
I find NYX can fade a bit throughout the day, and even though I like NYX and think it’s good for affordability… sometimes their shadows feel a little powdery/chalky to me (and not just mattes!). I’m glad you found one that works for ya, though! 🙂
oooh what is the satin taupe dupe called?
i totally agree with you on NYX. They are the BEST budget eyeshadows i have found by far! i tried Sonia Kashuks and they did not have much pigmentation at all and i didnt like the color range.
I agree, love fluidlines, cant live without em! I absolutely love maybelline full&soft! never clumps on me ever and gives amazing results! I hate diorshow, the brush just clumps my lashes, doesnt separate them at all!
Full ‘n Soft is definitely one of those mascaras you can PILE ON and not have to worry about clumping much at all!
i love UD 247 for liners. i love benefit for their creeam e/s . i love mac and UD for their e/s. i just wish that mac didnt come out with so many LE collections so then i can build e.s from their original line. i love mac paint pots for their bases with color and then UDPP for the primer. i havent tried dior for their mascaras but i love lancomes formula! i havent shelled out the caash to buy any yet, i always just ask for a sample when my mom buys something.macs new mascara is pretty good, have u tried it christine>? i like mac fluidline and smashbox for liners.
I just picked up the new mascara a few days ago (I forgot to order it online with my Warm & Cozy order), and I tried it before I finalized my award decisions (one of the last products to make it into consideration, lol!) — it lengthens a ton, but I didn’t feel like it beat out Chanel Exceptionnel. It’s like super, super lengthening, and certainly very black, but it didn’t thicken as much as I’d like!
Which Lancome formula is your favorite? They have so many! I like Oscillation a lot – very good at separating and defining.
It took me 3-4 years before I was able to delve into MAC’s permanent collection, just ’cause they have so many LE launches!
I didn’t realize MAC was considered high end, I always thought they were a mid range line slightly above mass market brands. I didn’t know they shared the company of Chanel, Guerlain or YSL, to name but a few.
Price-wise, MAC is more mid-range, but I’ve always considered them high-end, particularly since they’re kept at cosmetic counters, just as Chanel, Dior, etc. are. I do think that comparing MAC to Chanel is not exactly fair, but that’s one of the reasons why MAC is so successful – they have a high end image/feel with a mid-range price.
So if MAC won a high end category, were they not running against Chanel and the like? I have always wondered what made a company High, mid or mass market; price or quality or exclusivity. High end isn’t solely sold at counters anymore due to Sephora, Ulta etc. For me it comes down to price point, so MAC imho would be mid range, keeping company with brands like Clinque m/u.
No, they were – I consider MAC high-end, but I wouldn’t compare them for value – that’s more what I mean. Like Chanel isn’t trying to price themselves at MAC’s price and vice versa.
I think it’s mostly drugstore vs. anything else, and high-end is surely something by exclusivity (and as you mentioned, not a big deal any more) or price point – but to many, $14.50 for an eyeshadow *is* expensive and is considered high-end to them. I almost consider brands like Chanel, Dior, etc. to be more like luxury brands.
For the purposes of the awards, however, the idea is “here’s a pricey option” and “here’s a budget friendly option” — but I wanted to make it a point to give both. I think if we started breaking it down into here’s one under $10, under $20, and under $30, it’d start getting confusing (or more than it already is, lol).
I totally see your point! It’s great to see how you balance all these issues in Temptalia!
I think the biggest difficulty with putting in a mid-range category is “What qualifies as mid-range?” Because UD is still way cheaper than Chanel… but then do we still lump say Cle de Peau and Chantecaille with Chanel? What about La Prairie? $55 lipstick vs. $30 for Chanel lipstick… huge difference! But are both high-end?
And if UD is considered high-end (I think their lipsticks are around $20ish – as a lot of other brands – Smashbox, Stila, Cargo, etc.), then are there only maybe 3-5 mid-range brands? (Clinique and MAC are the only ones that really come to mind as mid-range)
So confusing!
I remember when I first got into makeup, MAC felt and seemed like high-end to me. I felt like I was getting high-end for less, in a sense, but I got the quality of high-end makeup (at least, more often than not). Even now, personally, I’d still consider MAC that way – high end for less than the price tag of high end (which is one major reason I think they’ve been so successful). I’d say high-end (again, just from my own perspective) is everything up until around Chantecaille, La Prairie, Cle de Peau… when pieces start going for $35+ a pop, it seems more luxe to me. I’d also say exclusivity kicks in, too — I don’t have any La Prairie or Cle de Peau counters near me (well, not makeup-wise – I think there’s a La Prairie mini-counter with skincare at my Nordstrom), so it’s this rarity.
I think the categories are separated by being an “aspirational brand” versus a “commodity brand”. The aspirational brand have fewer people who can afford it, as compared to the latter commodity brand. The mid range do not fall into either group perfectly but because it is a new market in cosmetics, I think in time they will have more lateral competitors.
I think with these definitions it allows beauty products to have an empirical standard of divisions. So perhaps with the perfect examples you provided, it can make sense how CDP and Chanel can belong to the same group because neither are the major brands of makeup consuumer purchases. CDP, for example, would just be a more successful aspirational brand because the gap is larger between desire and affordability.
For the sake of the awards, the third group of mid range is too tedious but for the industry it does exist.
I like your thinking 🙂
I definitely agree that there’s an emerging mid-range, but we’ll see how things play out.
The way I categorize things is by looking at is as if it were in an ULTA store. If it’s low end/mass/drugstore it would be on the side of ULTA with Maybelline, Revlon, etc. If it’s high end you will find it on the side with UD, Lorac, etc. I’m pretty sure if MAC was sold in ULTA it would be on the high end side. Just because it’s cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not as “high” end as Chanel, etc. Because when you put it that way… Wet N Wild, Elf, NYC are cheaper than Maybelline, CG, Revlon, etc… but you still put ALL of them into the drugstore/mass/cheap category.
That’s a really good way to think about it 🙂 (Though I’ve never been to an ULTA, lol!)
If you’ve been to Sephora, you’re not missing anything. It’s just convenient because they have all price ranges and a salon!
I have to agree with your worst high end mascara pick: DiorShow. I got a sample of this and the scent alone was a turn off. I didn’t find it held curl in my lashes either.
But I have to disagree with your review of Great Lash – for some reason, this is the best mascara on my lashes! It is a drier formula which is great if you have hard to curl lashes.
It must be the dryness of Great Lash that really gets me – I guess it always feel like I’m on the last legs of the tube, because it gives me crunchy lashes (plus it flakes a bit, too).
I am glad it works for you though 🙂 It is nice to know that it DOES live up to the hype for some!
Thanks for sharing your favourites and hates. I can’t wait to see the readers’ choice.
Readers’ Choice should be interesting! It’s really a treat to see it all come together — we have some incredibly close categories right now, so it’ll be very fun to see who pulls through in the end (12/31).
I would love DiorShow if it didn’t give me an allergic reaction. 🙁 I recently bought that elf eyelash curler and I love it, so I’m glad it’s up here.
I also recently received MAC’s Fluidline as a gift and omg it’s amazing! Now I’m looking into buying a eye liner brush, I just have to choose between the 209 or 210…
208!!!! 🙂
love ur summary!
so many items i have not tried so far as they are not accessible by me in here!
UD eyeliner i tried once as i only have it in bourbon.. so far quite liking MUFE in Ol (black) (whats your take on their eyeliner in comparison to UD?)
Ur take on chanel mascara tempt me so much now.
Hey Sizbelle,
I like Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Eyes – they’re really good. They’re definitely comparable to Urban Decay’s 24/7 Liners, but I do find them a little harder (vs. UD which is very soft, almost like butter) and I like the pop of UD’s shades a bit more than Aqua Eyes. You can’t go wrong with either, though. Aqua Eyes would have been my runner up, but I love the softness and texture of UD as well as the more metallic finish compared to Aqua Eyes.
hi christine,
thanks for the highlight on the softness of the pencil. Now i realise the diff, ya the MUFE poke my eyes sometimes and the UD one goes rather smoothly erm like butter. hmm i know what i’m gonna get when the MUFE OL runs out!
Thanks a million!
No problem! 🙂 The softness is just one of the major reasons I prefer UD at the end of the day!
Shocked @ the best budget lash winner…would be Ardell hands down in my book! But, it is editor’s choice!!! Can’t wait to see more! 🙂
Ardell is good, too 🙂 There’s also Lash Addiction, NYX, etc. Good lashes aren’t so hard to find… at least when you want to go 100% fake, LOL! Now, getting my own lashes to look good…
I like Great Lash as well. My lashes are really hard to curl and heavier formula’s tend to weigh them down to the point where they go straight.
I love the Benefit creaseless eye shadows. Excellent product that is so versatile!
This is what I’ve been hearing from readers about Great Lash — works GREAT on lashes that are hard to curl.
For me the best aure:
Best Liquid Eyeliner (High-end): Artliner by Lancome. The color is so true black and easy too use.
I agree with the rest. Though using Urban Decay palettes never works on me. I always end up giving them.
I’ve only tried Lancome’s Ink Artliner (the gel one), but I’ll have to check out their liquid version, too.
Hi Christine!
I agree with you wholeheartedly on the best eyeliner pencils, I love both UD 24/7 and L’Oreal HIP eyeliners (the latter I bought on eBay specially after reading your review as they’re not available in the UK, and I got all the 6 colours and they’re all great!). However, I found Chanel Exceptionnel exceptionally rubbish, may be due to me not applying it properly – although to be honest, mascaras that need an entire website dedicated to them to show you how to apply them aren’t worth the trouble for me. My favourite mascara (high end) is definitely Guerlain’s Le 2 mascara, it lengthens like crazy and gives good volume too. Anyway, good choices, although I don’t know/use some of these products, I definitely agree on a lot of them.
Nice! I just have those four, but maybe one day I’ll remember/track down the other two!
At first, Exceptionnel was just whatever, but as I used it more, I found a method that worked and gave me what I wanted, haha.
It’s funny how a mascara can be such a personal item. Diorshow Blackout has been my favourite mascara for over a year. It gave me incredible looking lashes, without any clumps or smudging. On the other hand, Chanel’s Exceptionnel just doesn’t do the trick for me.
Agreed! I think we can always make some generalizations, but it’s so obvious that a mascara I hate is AMAZINGGGGG! on someone else or a mascara that is AMAZINGGGG! on someone is terrible on me.
surprisingly, i love maybelline great lash! i have naturally dark and long eyelashes, but not much volume, so i look for volumizing mascaras, and i think it does a pretty good job with a few coats. maybe i just have a soft spot for it because it was the first mascara i ever owned!
It sounds like Great Lash *is* great if you have lashes that are hard to curl or you already have pretty good lashes from the get-go 😀
Hmmm. Great Lash definately seems to be a love it or hate it kind of product. There never seems to be any in-between. Personally, it’s my pick for low-end mascara, but I have really thick lashes that only need lenghthening and definition. Thickening mascaras are a disater for me- looks like I’ve got a tarantula on my eyes! My high end pick, and my ulitmate favorite is Lancome Definicils in Noir. That is true love for me.
Agreed!
I haven’t tried Definicils, I don’t think… It’s hard to remember – Lancome has a zillion of ’em!
I think MUFE e/s is way better than MAC e/s will ever be…. MUFE is just a better brand overall… It is more expensive though so most people shy away from them.
I like MUFE eyeshadow, and after blowing like $500 on MUFE products (40% off at IMATS, though), I just didn’t think they were the best. I think they’re really lacking creativity in their textures and finishes – I found their shimmers to be just so-so (even in quality/pigmentation). They do excellent matte eyeshadows, though, that are both soft and pigmented. I just think their eyeshadow strength lies in mattes, but they haven’t shown me more yet! IMO, of course 🙂 Just thought I’d explain what made me *not* choose MUFE.
look, i think when Great Lash came out (and for like ten years after) it really WAS the best mascara of the time. i remember my mum having some and loving it, and now, she hates it and uses Lancome. it WAS the best at some point, but other brands have just caught up.
That’s a really good point 🙂
What are the best(high end and budget) eyebrow pencils?
I like Anastasia, but it’s pricey. I usually just use a dark brown powder eyeshadow 🙂
We here at Sonia Kashuk really appreciate your support and amazing reviews! We always strive for utmost perfection in offering the best possible products.
We will be launching a new shade of the Dramatically Defining Long Wear Gel Liner this Spring. Keep an eye out for Charcoal Gray… it will hit stores March 2010!
I TOTALLY agree with you on Great Lash being the worst. Why do people love that mascara sooooo much?! I read a blog at Glamour.com and people over there are always raving about it. I actually went out and bought one lol. As soon as I opened it I already knew I wasn’t going to like it. The applicator brush alone was enough to spook me. I’m very particular about the mascara brush I use. I swear by MAC Mascara X. I have YET to find a mascara that does a better job for me. The brush is fluffy and it seperates and extends all my lashes nicely. I adore it!
Can you please add best eye cream next year? Thanks!
I don’t use eye cream :/