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MAC Haute & Naughty Lash Mascara Review, Photos

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara

The Tale of Two Mascaras

MAC Haute & Naughty Lash Mascara ($18.00) is the latest in mascara innovation from MAC, and though the formula itself isn’t the key innovation here, it’s actually a nice formula.

I’m personally a big fan of MAC mascaras — Plushlash is my favorite MAC mascara (and second favorite mascara–Chanel Exceptionnel being the first), with Zoomlash and Opulash coming in second and third, respectively. Haute & Naughty Lash is as two-in-one as they lead you to believe, but I don’t love the fuller, more dramatic part nearly as much as the softer, more defined half.

The daytime end (the smaller opening) really cleans off the brush so that there really isn’t much mascara on it, but it keeps all that actual mascara in the tube–so you’re not wasting it, like you would if you blotted off excess with a tissue or the like. The smaller opening has a fairly large mascara wand with a tapered end, and the effect it gives is longer, fuller lashes with definition and great separation. It doesn’t clump at all, and it gives a nice full-lash look with nice length and blackness. All it doesn’t do it thicken lashes. It also seems to lift lashes a bit, too, and it held a curl well for me.

The evening end (the larger opening) allows for more mascara on the brush, even though the brush itself is essentially the same. It thickens quite a bit, but it also has more of a tendency to clump if you get too much on the brush (much like most mascaras). It lengthens, but I think because it tends to clump, it looks like there is less volume and length.

The way this mascara works is when you open using the smaller end (the first opening – the pink ring), the entire brush pulls through the opening of the larger mascara. There are actually two handles, not so much wands (the brush itself is the same) — when you open with the small tube, the skinnnier handle pulls through the larger, hollow handle of the dramatic opening. It’s kind of hard to describe, but I took a photo for you.

I don’t recommend playing around too much with it to see how the technology works (once should be sufficient!), because it does show how much mascara is removed from the brush itself as you pull it through the smaller opening–but you get it all over the larger wand when it’s outside of the tube, so you end up having to wipe it off with a paper towel rather than keeping it in the tube for later use–aka wasteful!

I dig the separation technology they’re using here, because it’s not so much in the formula as it is in the packaging itself, which is nice, since they did up the price by $6 just for it. You’ll need to comb through your lashes, and you may even need to blot the brush, if you’re going to use the more dramatic end of it, because it has a tendency to clump a bit on lashes.

Both mascaras held up well during all-day wear–no smudging, budging, or flaking. My lashes also felt soft, never crunchy, which was really nice. I also felt like I could put on a quick layer of additional mascara in the evening without much fuss, just in case you want to refresh your mascara without removing all of your eye makeup.

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  • Product: 25/30
  • Value: 7/10
  • Ease of Use: 4/5
  • Packaging: 5/5

RECOMMENDATION: If you like longer and defined lashes, Haute & Naughty Lash does this amazingly well. It also gives you the option for thicker lashes, too, which is kind of convenient to have in one mascara.

AVAILABILITY: Nordstrom

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara (Daytime)

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara (Evening)

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara (Daytime)

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara (Evening)

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara (Evening)

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara (Evening opening)

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara (Daytime)

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara (Daytime opening)

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara (Daytime)

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara (Evening)

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara — Evening (thicker wand) on the left, daytime (thinner wand) on the right

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara — See the excess pulled off the brush? Yes, it’s gross.

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara — See how the thinner wand pulls through the thicker one?

67 Comments

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Tavia Avatar

Honestly, I’m disappointed. I surely expected more from that evening look. I was dreaming of fat fuller lashes and instead I see just natural looking lashes. 🙁 I guess my favorite mascara is still L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black.

baby in a corner Avatar

i’m still kinda confused about this but thanks for the review. the pictures of your eyes with the mascara look really good!

not to be picky but i think there is a typo in the first line cause you wrote formula twice, you probably meant technology or packaging!

Dianna Avatar

“…though the formula itself is the key innovation here, it’s actually a nice formula” is semantically insignificant. The though/actually combination signals an unexpected outcome, meaning that you should be ‘disagreeing’ with your main clause (that’s the best way I can explain it).

Perhaps you meant to say that the formula isn’t the key innovation but it’s nice nonetheless…?

Sorry, I’m a gigantic grammar freak and sometimes I can’t help myself. Anyway, thanks for the review! Your lashes looked super long w/the daytime applicator! I bet it would look even better if you piled a bit more mascara on your outer lashes.

Melissa Avatar

MACs version of Dial-a-lash with only two settings. It is a cute tube, and it seems like an okay product. I doubt I would buy it myself though. Thanks for the review! Wonderful photos, as always. 🙂

ShockingBlue Avatar

While I think the mascara looks great in the photos, I don’t see much difference between the “Haute” and “Naughty” ends, which defeats their whole marketing strategy of a 2-in-1 mascara…I’m wondering though, if technique really comes into play with creating a different looks with the brushes.

Anitacska Avatar

I’m just not interested in this. The daytime look is fine, but the evening one looks so clumpy, plus doesn’t seem to lenghten as well either. I’d much rather stick with my tried and tested Guerlain Le 2 and Givenchy Phenomeneyes mascaras.

amy Avatar

That is an interesting concept for packaging and use of the product. I like how define the lashes are and it looks like it separates well,but I would prefer a mascara that is more volumizing and thickening.

Kelsey Avatar

Wow, I love how the daytime wand makes your lashes look! I really like the look of this mascara (the packaging is adorable!)

Kelly Avatar

I think its just the packaging that makes me want it, but I think I will pass since it looks like you can get the same results with Plushlash!

Proximity Avatar

It’s interesting … and kinda tempting in that it’s different from other things, but I fail to really see how the ‘evening’ end will give results that are more dramatic/better than just doing a couple coats with the ‘daytime’ end … and then you’d avoid more clumping and product wastage.

I tend to like mascaras more like the ‘daytime’ wand from this – ones that really wipe off the brush better, and define without leaving as many clumps or needing as much combing. (Fresh Firebird is great for this.)

Lea Avatar

I am pretty sure I will get it, just because the packaging is beautiful. But I definitely prefer the day look, it just looks nicer. Though I think maybe it would look nice if you applied the mascara with the thinner wand first and then coat it again with the thicker wand? Hmm.

cloudburst Avatar

The brush is the same for both wands, right? It’s just the amount of product taken off the brush each time that is different.

Laura Avatar

I just got this mascara, and I have to say it’s the first MAC mascara I’ve ever really liked! I find the “evening” side builds really easily and gives me some great drama. It also didn’t smudge or flake after all day outside in 90 degree weather on the 4th! “Day” side gives nice natural whispies and works great for lower lashes. Finally a MAC mascara that doesn’t suck!

Janet Avatar

Ah! So that’s what so special about it – I’ve been wondering how the brush system works. The packaging is nice, but the mascara is kinda eh for me. I feel that the daytime one is better – it gives more length. I saw no difference in volume between the two. I think I’ll pass on this one; I’m sure it’s wonderful, but I’m on the hunt for a great volumizing mascara, because I have too many lengthening ones. 🙂

Hilana Avatar

I received my Plushlash and I like it, but I have to admit my excitement to own a MAC mascara was maybe just a tad over the top. 🙂

This looks nice, but I don’t think I would go and buy it for myself if I could. I am seriously pickey about mascaras and I have to say that Estee Lauder has so far made me the happiest of ’em all, and I have tried scores of brands so far in my life.

cmferret Avatar

i really like mac mascaras-i just got the opulash-love it. i also have plushlash and zoom fast black lash-but the zoom fast black lash one im not to fond of bc i think its too wet and doesnt get enough product off the wand-so then it end up on my upper lid, and at the end of the day it msudges on my upper lid.

Petra Avatar

It seems like a fun concept, but it’s far too gimicky for me. I’d rather stick with two seperate mascaras for two different looks. I wonder if it gets infected/ dries out faster than a regular mascara, if you use the daytime end more frequently -since you’re pulling through that ‘extra’ tube, if i understood correctly.

Lauren Avatar

I wore this for the first time today (the pink wand) and was disappointed on how much it flakes out. It’s not as bad as zoomlash though, which made my face look like I applied black concealer and then cried for three hours. But still, no one wants a flakey mascara. Opulash never flaked on me though.

Meheen Avatar

I really want this, but mostly because my eyelashes are too long and thick for most mascaras and all I want is some light definition. will be checking this out!

Chloe Avatar

I do like the idea of this mascara, the packaging too . However , i am not too sure if it is for me as I have tried the rimmel mascara that works on the same principle ,and it was fine on the day and night but not on the inbetween setting. Is the brush similar to the one Opulash has ? and how wet or dry is the formula ?

Jessica Avatar

I really do not like this mascara. The second “wand” is pointless, there is way too much mascara on the brush if you use the purple one. As for the pink wand, it’s just fine and still renders the second option useless, in my opinion.

Tracy Avatar

I actually love this mascara.. i use them both at the same time. I apply the evening one to thicken up my lashes a bit more, and then the daytime part to define and comb through. My fave mascara at the moment.

Tiffany S. Avatar

I received this mascara as a gift and I love it! This is my favorite of the MAC mascaras. I have long thick lashes and the other MAC mascaras tend to clump on me but not this one.

Vanessa Avatar

I love this mascara! I went into the MAC store at my local mall and the sales girl totally sold me on it. I agree with your review completely. It is a one of the better mascaras that I have used although the evening side does tend to get a bit clumpy. A good mascara is a must for me on an everyday basis and I have found that if I use the evening side first at the base of my lashes then use the day side at the tips is when I get the best results. With this method the clumps are not a problem at all and gives a great full look.

Carly Avatar

I personally really like this mascara. I like both the Haute and the Naughty side. Both deliver volumized and lengthened lashes. I love the smell and honestly think that the minimal clumping in the Naughty makes for a fuller lash. The formula is true black and creamy and I really like that 😉

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