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clareg Avatar

A good mascara must apply smoothly with no clumps and add decent volume. It can’t crumble or leave smears under my eyes. My lashes are already long but have gotten thinner. A great mascara does all of above plus is tenacious, waterproof and holds a curl. I have very stubborn lashes with tendency to droop downward. I have to use a lash curler then a usually waterproof mascara that holds the curl. My HG mascara over my 48 years of using makeup? Cover Girl Marathon Mascara, sadly discontinued. Another discontinued one that was fantastic was Lancome Aquacils. Lancome’s current waterproof Definicils is close to great but expensive for someone on a pension. My usual mascara these days is L’Oreal Voluminous Million lashes waterproof and it’s good enough and I can get for a reasonable price. It has a great brush that really fans my lashes to great effect.

Ana Maria Avatar

A good mascara stays put all day. A great mascara stays put all day even when my eyes are runny and still comes up easily in the evening with my balm cleanser.
A good mascara gives length and definition. A great mascara does without creating clumps or look too thick (aka spider lashes).

Cara Avatar

A good mascara has a wetter formula that gives volume but tends to clump, requiring extra work with a lash comb. A great mascara has a drier flake-free formula that allows me to build volume in multiple coats for fluttery, separated lashes without clumps. Diorshow Buildable Volume and L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black are great mascaras. I only buy volumizing mascara as I have naturally long lashes that touch above my brow bone and look freakish with additional length lol

Nancy T Avatar

Since I literally ONLY want “great” mascara, I personally love the one of two that I’ve been buying for quite a while: L’Oreal Lash Paradise WP in Blackest Black. I also love the Heroine Make Long & Curl Super Waterproof mascara because it gives me perfect looking lashes, but man, taking it off is a LITERAL pain!
So, for me, a great mascara does not smudge, transfer to my undereye area, or flake. Is definitely waterproof and tear-proof, keeps a curl all day or throughout a nighttime event, is super black, has a wand that separates and fans out my wimpy, sparse lashes, and is neither too wet , nor too dry. Oh, and doesn’t make my lashes fall out when removing it!

Francine Avatar

I value the ability to curl my eyelashes without sticking after the initial mascara application. I use a combination of the Dior mascaras which allow this.

janine Avatar

I don’t know that I can differentiate. Sometimes mascaras are thin and dry out a bit with time and go on thicker when that happens and are best.
I had an essence mascara once which was amazing bought another and it was totally different. I haven’t tried a vast amount of mascaras I have used Lancôme a lot and a few drugstore. I liked better than s€x and it was great then got too thick and clumpy. It’s the only one I tried ever that flaked.
Right now I’ve been using sky high by Maybelline and Idole by Lancôme on the lowers when I’m in the mood for that little extra oomph.

Guess I’m not too picky and I’ve never been into applying multiple coats I’m lucky to do one coat. Sometimes I skip it. I hate taking mascara off the most at the end of the day.

Juliet Avatar

Right now I am loving Caliray Mascara. It does everything a mascara is supposed to do. No smudging or flakes. Fullness, no clumpy lashes, holds a curl. Too bad it’s $24.00. :>(

Ana N Avatar

My great mascara is Maybelline Sky High waterproof. Repurchase multiple times.
– separates my lashes, no clumps. I dont need volume despite my lashes are sparse & short.
– darkens each strand equally.
– slight natural curls.
– buildable.
– no panda eye at all.
– easy to wash off with any make up remover.
– love the comb applicator, rather than the typical brush bristles.

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