If I was stranded on a desert island, and I was only able to bring five things, mascara would definitely top the list. I'm obsessed with mascara and the glamour that long and luxurious lashes invoke. Eyes are often the first thing that others notice, and mascara is the finishing touch that brings your make-up look all together.
There are so many mascara products out there, ones that darken, strengthen, lengthen, volumize, separate, etc etc. With so many options, how does one choose???
I recently tried Benefit's They're Real Mascara. *swoon* I fell in love hard. I was constantly getting complimented on my voluminous and lushy lashes, and being asked the very question of whether or not they were in fact real.
However, $26.99 for mascara was enough for me to question my devotion to this product. Most experts recommend a mascara shelf life of 3 months. That's over $100 a year in mascara! That's absolutely cray-cray! Do you have any idea how many shoes, tops, handbags, and accessories I can buy for $100?
Well, all hope is not lost and appears in the form of Maybelline's Rocket Volume Express Mascara.
At a price tag of $5.99-$7.99 (depending on local drugstore sales vs. amazon pricing) it is an extremely budget conscious alternative.
Both mascara's offer semi-hard plastic tip applicators adorned with spongy-like spikes. The little spikes/bristles on the end of the wand help lengthen and separate lashes. Benefit's wand has more spikes at the tip which eases in trying to get the smaller lashes at the corner of the eyes. Maybelline's spikes/bristles taper in size towards the tip, creating a similar aide. Benefit's actual mascara formula is a nice combination of wet and dry, which prevents smudging while applying. Maybelline's formula is super wet, which helps in creating dark beautiful lashes. I would suggest using caution with Maybelline's formula to avoid any smudging and I would also suggest allowing a dry time. However, I found that with several uses of Maybelline's formula, that the smudging definitely diminished.
The final verdict? Benefit's They're Real Mascara is an amazing product, except for the price tag. Go for Maybelline's Rocket Volume Express, and use the $20 you saved on just one tube of mascara to buy something else to enhance your already fabulous wardrobe. Just imagine how much you could save over the year!
