I'm not gonna lie, I was drawn to the packaging on this one. The concept is cutesy and retro inspired. I was also curious about the two part brush system.

The pros, it's a nice rick black color, the small section of the brush is great for reaching the hard to grab lashes and ease into the corners. It really lifts my lashes kind of like a pushup bra for your eyes. It didn't flake or crumble. The formula layered well with my Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir for added staying power and length. I loved that it didn't get clumpy either. This is a great mascara for creating the relationship between your falsies and natural lashes too. I like this type of brush for that.

The cons, I didn't feel like I got that feathery look I go for. The texture felt a little too wet but that could have been because my Marc mascara was on its last leg and dry as a desert.

Overall, if you are looking for an inexpensive mascara that lifts and curls like a champ, I would check this out! I don't know if I would repurchase since I just wear it with another mascara or falsies but I might use my Extra Bucks for it from time to time.

With all the festivities who doesn't want to look their best this season? Lashes are one of your best accessories! Whether you like a more natural face or something more dramatic, lashes can make or break the final look. If you follow me on social media you probably know I'm obsessed with lengthy, fluffy fringe.

This week my favorite is Dior's Diorshow Maximizing Lash Plumper Serum. It is basically a primer for your eyelashes before your regular mascara. I love this product and will continue buying it. I see a difference when I use this rather than just my mascara alone.

With its protection and conditioning properties, this is a staple in my bag. I feel that it makes a difference in length, volume, and curl. If you can, I would definitely check this out. Sometimes Sephora has this as a free sample or deluxe sample!




From Sephora's Website:

What it is:
Dior's first lash primer that creates a smooth, even mascara base and promotes long-term lash growth, strength, and vitality. 

What it does: 
The newest addition to the family of legendary Diorshow Mascaras, Diorshow Maximizer Lash Primer Serum instantly primes, plumps, and lengthens lashes with an ultralight and quick-drying formula. The first "active serum" mascara primer also contains a unique cell-conditioning complex made up of hydrolyzed soy proteins that promote long-term lash growth, strength, and vitality. 

What else you need to know: 
"Diorshow Maximizer is this season's most innovative, must-have product. Apply as a primer serum base under mascara for intensely curled, thickened, and lengthened lashes and also on its own as a deep conditioner for lashes at night." -Sephora Pro Beauty Team Member, Nathalie Bechard 

Research Results:
The Dior Innovation Center has tested Diorshow Maximizer for efficiency and found amazing results after only 8 weeks use: + 52% Volume, +38% Length, + 73% Curl 
Studies also showed that lashes were more resilient, protected, and revitalized.

" BETTE DAVIS once said that she owed her success to brown mascara. But if Davis were alive today, the actress with the famously dramatic eyes might give the same credit to her mascara brush. "   (NY Times)


I've collected some of my favorite lash products to share with you. These are by far the best lash enhancing tools I have come across. Like I have said in previous posts I like long and thick (spidery) lashes. I put on multiple coats of whatever mascara I am wearing. These ladies add some serious drama. 

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Loreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions - Length like no other! This baby can give you volume plus length in a few swipes. The brush is great for your lower lashes too because it is slim and has sort of that comb like shape. The tiny bristles grab each lash and extend them for miles. It comes in waterproof and regular. 

Maybelline New York The Falsies Mascara, Black Drama - This baby has lash fibers right in the mascara itself. They build onto each other as you layer. I love the brush and texture. This is definitely a keeper in my book - a great way to have the falsie look without the glue and sometimes the weight of a strip of false lashes. 

Dior Extase - This was last week's Friday Favorite and it will continue to be a favorite for a long time. I think it's similar to Covergirl's Clump Crusher Extensions in that the formula has a similar texture but this one is much more black and needs fewer coats. Friday Favorite - Dior Extase

Dior lash plumping primer - A great addition to the Loreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions or any of these for that matter... It prepares your lashes before your mascara and adds that crucial extra layer for extreme length and conditioning too. I feel like it protects my lashes from harsher mascaras. 

Benefit They're Real - This mascara is no joke. This formula will create that false lash effect quiet simply. I do find it is harsher on my lashes so I don't always wear this. It does not say it's waterproof but I feel like it is that is how strong it sticks to your lashes. I definitely need to work with this to get it all off at night but that would also be from how many coats I use too. 

DivaDerme Lash Extender Lashes in a Bottle - Lash fibers are an interesting product. What you do is put a coat of mascara or primer on your lashes and then swipe the fibers on your wet lashes (the come with a mascara like brush) then add another layer of mascara for instant false lash drama (layer for even more drama)! I have sensitive eyes but this does not bother me. I would just be careful since they are small fibers and can fall in your eyes and cause irritation. 


Covergirl Clump Crusher Extensions  - Clump Crusher Extensions is not the blackest mascara on the planet but this feathers out and lengthens my lashes beautifully. I love the light texture. My lashes never feel brittle when it dries. It's a mascara that I feel like I need to use a lot of coats to get the desired effect but it is worth it in the end. The brush and formula help prevent clumping. It's a real steal. 

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Here is an interesting article about mascara and how it has changed... The Art of the Lash Advances

Every Friday I plan on talking about a favorite product from my week whether it be an eyeliner, lotion, book, etc. I thought it would be a great way to do a quick share with you guys on products that I find and love that may not fit into another post I am writing.

The star this week was a sample of the Diorshow Extase Mascara. I had a small tube that I received as a sample from Sephora and hadn't tried. One of my goals for this year is to declutter and get rid of things I don't have a use for. That means makeup too... so I cleaned out my sample drawer and grabbed a couple mascaras I found in there to test out before they were old and dried up.

FYI, I do like long, thick, and as some people would say "spidery" lashes. Everybody has their own taste so I know this isn't everyone's thing... but for me it works and it is how I feel comfortable. Mascara is also something that takes priority in my makeup routine. If I only have time to put on one thing it will be mascara no question.

Anyway... I find the formula to be of a velvety texture. It is thick but glides and sticks to my lashes beautifully while building intense volume and length. It is a lovely rich shade of black. The brush is a strange shape that to be honest I would never have thought would have worked like it did. I have attached a picture below so you can see what I mean. It is a twisted shape. I think the twist makes the brush grab every individual lash more than a straight brush because with each swipe it can grab from all different directions.

I like to layer my mascara so this morning when I used it I think I had counted maybe 3-4 coats of this on my lashes. The brush does separate the lashes so as you layer it gives that feathery effect instead of clumping them all together and just forming a muddy mess. The way I apply my mascara is this... I apply to the top lashes on the right eye then move to the left eye and do the top lashes on that one and go back and forth until I am happy with the length, volume, and curl. This gives each layer a little time to set so the next layer can build/stick better.

please excuse my brows and undereye area... I was in a rush.

As the formula dries on my lashes it stays soft and flexible and does not flake off throughout the day. It does also hold a nice curl. I have yet to try it out with an eyelash curler because I seldom use them to begin with. I really want to try and include an eyelash curler in my routine so I can see if it makes a difference in how long my lashes look. I'll keep you posted on that.
This is a luxury mascara so it is on the expensive side (about $30). My thought is if I find a product I really really really like and it lasts etc. then it is worth spending the extra money instead of in the end spending the same amount on 4 tubes of a cheaper brand because it dried out or something quicker then the expensive one.

In my opinion, so far it is worth a splurge and I plan on purchasing the full size when the sample is empty. Time will tell if I decide to repurchase again after that as I like to play with different mascaras all the time and experiment. But I do have a few mascaras that I go back to over and over because they are just amazing.

Here is look #1 of my Halloween series, a Leopard Lady.