Estée Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara

I thought I'd give the Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero Smudge Lengthening Mascara a try since I'm a huge fan of their Double Wear foundation. This mascara was good in adding length, definition and a bit of curl to my lashes. However I did find that it was quite clumpy on my lashes. To make your lashes look perfect, you would have to spend a fair bit of time making sure that your lashes weren't clumping together or leaving smudges beneath your bottom lash line. My lashes did look good after taking the time to declump and remove excess product on the mascara wand and my lashes as well as redoing coats to maintain definition. Overall I expected this mascara to perform better especially considering the price.

This is the perfect everyday mascara. In addition to being long-lasting and smudge-resistant, the finish is also natural. It does darken, volumise, lengthen and curl - as a mascara should - but the effect is more like an eyelash extension rather than a fake lash or a bad mascara. I love how this mascara enhances my eyes without making them look overdone. The traditional, rigid brush has a combo of long and short microfibre bristles so that every single lash gets coated, defined and separated to perfection. I've never had an issue with clumping or unevenness with this mascara. The brush picks up just enough product to coat each set of eyelashes, meaning I don't have to waste product by wiping off excess - which is such a pet peeve of mine with many other mascaras. Being a tubing mascara, this baby doesn't just paint your lashes, it coats each individual lash with its perfect water-resistant formula so that it doesn't smudge or flake. This means I can enjoy long lashes without having bits of pigment just under my brows or under my eyes. The water-resistance extends to sweat and cool water, but not warm water, i.e. not tears. This is fine for me, as I prefer a gentler approach to my eye makeup - and if I can get a mild, non-waterproof mascara that handles perspiration with no issue, then I'm happy. Not one to choose when you anticipate tears, though. Since the tubing loosens with warm water, that's really all it takes to remove this mascara at the end of the day. To reiterate, I really love this mascara and how glossy and fluttery it makes my lashes. It is truly zero-smudge, so I needn't worry about black bits on my skin. It is annoyingly pricey, but it is a great product. It's also not a fake-lash kind of product, but this makes it perfect for a no-makeup makeup look.

A great everyday mascara that lasts without smudging, this is important for me as I have oily skin and have trouble with most mascaras smearing under the eyes.  I wouldn't say it gives any extraordinary length or volume, it leans more natural than bold but the tapered brush is easy to control and helpful to cover every lash, even the teeniest.  If you are after a mascara that stays put throughout the day and that is not too dramatic, this would be ideal. :) 

I have a love hate relationship with mascara, so I was having a Mariah Carey moment and swore off mascara totally, until I discovered a type of mascara that changed my life. Tubing mascara is made from polymers, rather than waxes and oils, that wrap around the entire surface of the eyelash as it dries. This means that once the mascara dries, it doesn't flake, smudge, melt into or under your eyes, and best of all it removes with plain water (yet it doesn't smudge in the rain, cool huh?). Tubing formulas have meant that I can wear mascara again as they solved my two biggest mascara problems: 1) smudging and 2) irritation.  Estee Lauder's take on the tubing trend is one of my favorites. I love the long, thin brush as it easily coats every lash, including the small inner corner ones, and it doesn't poke your eyelid, even when you really work it into the roots. The formula itself is on the wetter side, not too dry, but it dries very quickly so you don't end up with the doll eye look after blinking.  This truly lasts all day, it doesn't smudge under my eyes and most importantly, it doesn't start to sting my eyes mid-way through the day, even in hot weather when other mascaras can start to run. It's a breeze to remove too, just splash with water (use damp fingers and hold over your eyes for a few seconds), then pinch off gently. This never gives me panda eyes the next morning.  I know that for some people, mascara is just mascara, it's black and it goes on your lashes. But for people like me who have both oily skin and sensitive eyes, finding a product that works can seem like an impossible task. Discovering the Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara has meant that I can actually wear mascara again and my makeup looks polished. There is no denying that something is missing when you don't frame your eyes with lashings of mascara, so I am really thankful to have finally found a product that I can use on my oily, sensitive eyes. 

After searching far and wide for a mascara that suits my daily life, this is my mascara of choice. It is long-lasting, completely smudge-proof and no amount of rain and tears will budge the formula. The problem I usually have with mascaras is tackiness and clumpiness, as my lashes are too soft. When I apply this, the micro-fibre bristles comb through and coat each individual lash with fast-drying product that seals in colour quickly and effectively. It not only accentuates my lashes with a black glossy glaze, but also lengthens them in a subtle yet flattering manner. The stay power is amazing, even in extreme Summer humidity, it stays put through the work day and doesn't budge at all. The classic navy and gold Estee Lauder packaging is elegant and refined, and the formula inside is simply faultless. This was one of those rare beauty finds that you just can't go back from, and I'm sure that I will be using this for years to come.