Mascara Archives - 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic

Lash Serum 101: Things No One Tells You

Christine — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 15:00:44 +0000

So, you’ve finally decided to try a lash serum. Maybe you’ve always wanted super long lashes. Or you’re tired of using false lashes every time you go out with friends. Or maybe you’ve just seen way too many before and after shots of lashes from a certain skincare brand in your Facebook feed. But there are a few things you should know before you start using a lash serum. Or maybe a few things you should know about lash serum even if you’ve been using one for years. Prostaglandins and analogues Almost all lash serums work with a combination of vitamins, peptides and prostaglandin analogues. You can learn more about how prostaglandin analogues work in this post. Lash serums aren’t pregnancy safe So, because of various effects on both mom and baby, we don’t recommend prostaglandins during pregnancy. And while your lash serum has a very small amount and you use a very small amount, you likely won’t find a doctor who says it’s 100% safe. The study of lash serum safety would require a huge number of pregnant women, would be incredibly expensive, and likely would be unethical to perform. Personally, I stopped using my lash serum while pregnant…

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Lash Serum 101: How do Prostaglandins Work?

Christine — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 15:00:41 +0000

It’s no secret that the lash serums out there really do work. All you need to do is look at your Facebook feed, chances are some high school friend is showcasing before and after pictures of Lash Boost, hoping you’ll buy lash serum from her. But, how do those lash serums work? The main active ingredient is from the prostaglandin family. Latanoprost was being used to treat glaucoma, but it was noticed that patients’ lashes grew longer, darker and thicker. How do Prostaglandins Work in Lash Serums? First go and check out this post on the normal hair growth cycle. Prostaglandins appear to take follicles that are currently in telogen (resting) phase and induce anagen (growing) phase, as the percentage of follicles in telogen is higher with prostaglandin treatment. Prostaglandins also induce growth in the size of the dermal papilla and hair bulb (resulting in thicker individual lashes) and increased melanin production (darker lashes). Which Prostaglandin in the Best? The main active ingredient in most lash serums now are over the counter versions of prostaglandins, and while they work they are not quite as effective as the prescription version. The initial reports of lash growth were with Latanoprost, but Bimatoprost…

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My Favorite Splurge Mascaras

Christine — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 00:43:00 +0000

As obsessed as I am with mascara, I don’t mention my favorites on the site often enough! I have a serious mascara buying issue. I have a drawer full of mascara. For reals. And recently I’ve been buying more and more splurge mascaras. Some of which won’t get worn more than once. Sad, but true. For whatever reason I can’t use those mascaras again. But, today I want to share the best of the best! These are mascaras that I have repurchased (or even hoard) and have more than lived up to my expectations. I was a bit surprised how many there were once I counted them out, but really… these are my favorites! Overall Great Volume and Length 1. My Go-To is Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara (buy it from Sephora, Nordstrom or Bobbi Brown): I go through so much of this mascara! It grabs every lash, makes it look like 10, adds length and doesn’t smudge or clump. I stock up on the rare occasion that it goes on sale as well. 2. Even more Dramatic is Bobbi’s Eye Opening Mascara (from Sephora, Nordstrom or Bobbi Brown): Pretty similar to Smokey Eye, but with even more length and…

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Layering Mascaras: Which Ones Work?

Christine — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 20:00:00 +0000

Last week I shared with you how I layer two mascaras for amazing results. In truth, it isn’t terribly different from using a lash primer and a mascara, except that you’re using a mascara (black or brown) instead of a primer (usually white. Why?? Why??) Layering mascaras is one of my favorite lash tips. When I first started layering mascaras, I mentioned it in my Faking Falsies: The Ultimate Guide to Amazing (and Real) Lashes! Post. I think I mentioned that it didn’t really matter very much which mascaras you picked to layer. Since that post, a few years have gone by and after a lot of mascara experimentation and testing (which hasn’t always been mentioned on the site), I have a few guidelines for layering mascaras. 1. Use two different formulas If you’re layering two mascaras, you should get the best of both worlds! Go for a lengthening and a volumizing formula. Using two lengthening formulations doesn’t really make your lashes extra long, unfortunately. 2. The first mascara should be volumizing You want to grab every little lash, and in general a volumizing formulation will be better at that. To really make sure I’m getting every last lash, I…

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Beauty Editor Mascara Tips: You Beauty’s Amy Marturana

Christine — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 19:00:00 +0000

IMAXtree Amy Marturana has written for Huffington Post, and Prevention Magazine. She’s currently a writer and managing editor at You Beauty. I was able to ask her about her favorite beauty products, she has tried more than even me! She has some great Beauty Editor Mascara Tips! What’s Your Favorite Mascara? Benefit They’re Real– The comb makes it so easy to add volume and length to lashes without any clumps. Too Faced Better Than Sex– Best volumizing mascara. The sturdy, fibrous brush allows you to get a lot of product in one swipe, and the hourglass-shaped brush helps balance out the application. Best drugstore is L’Oreal Butterfly Intenza. The brush, similarly to Benefit’s, is like a mini comb that keeps lashes long, separated, and clump-free. Do you have any advice about how to prevent your mascara from flaking or smudging? Don’t use old mascara! If it’s at all dried up, there’s a good chance it will flake. Always replace your mascara once it starts to get dry—it’ll apply much nicer, and will be safer for your eyes, too. What is your favorite advice for mascara application? Lengthening first, volumizing second. If you want lashes long, piecey, and voluminous, use a…

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The Best Mascara Tips: Getting the Lashes You Crave Without Falsies

Christine — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 05:20:00 +0000

One of my must have, desert island beauty products is mascara. Really. I know it is strange, but I just feel like my eyes are naked without it! It’s the last thing I put on during my makeup routine, and I feel like it just makes me look much more pulled together and complete. Over the years I’ve found that there are tricks to putting on mascara and getting the long, lush lashes we all want. And while you can definitely just use false eye lashes, I don’t think that’s a great option for normal, every day use. Have you ever seen someone at the grocery store with false lashes? Yeah… it can be a bit out of place. So, I like to make the most out of my mascara! I shared a lot of mascara tips in my Faking Falsies: The Ultimate Guide to Amazing (and Real) Lashes! Post, but I thought I’d go through step by step exactly how I apply mascara, and show you a few new tips that I’ve picked up along the way. First, I always curl my lashes first. Mascara looks much better and my lashes longer if my lashes start out curled. I’ve…

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The Best Drugstore Mascaras According to Beauty Bloggers

Christine — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 19:00:00 +0000

Mascara is mascara? Right? Well, not so much. There are good, bad and great mascaras. And while there are some makeup items that you should pretty much always splurge on (foundation, concealer…) Mascara is not one of them! Many of the best mascaras out there are found for under $10 at your local drugstore. I asked some of my favorite makeup obsessed beauty blogging friends about their favorite mascaras, and their answers were amazing! Here are 13 drugstore mascaras that you should try out if you haven’t already! Note that if the bloggers have posted about the mascara, I’ve linked to their post as well! 1. CoverGirl Super Sizer Buy it from ULTA, Amazon or Target “This new mascara has a unique brush that fans out toward the end. It grasps my lashes and coats them producing long luscious lashes. People actually ask me what mascara I’m wearing when I use this one.” – Stacie from Makeup Obsessed Mom “CoverGirl The Super Sizer is truly phenomenal. This mascara gives an almost false lash appearance and it’s easy to remove.” – Sheila from The Painted Ladies “The innovative wand coupled with the formula effortlessly gives my lashes length and volume. My…

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Stila HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara and Lash Stunner Extreme Lash Primer Review

Christine — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 00:44:00 +0000

I’ve made no secret of my love of all things lashes. I’m a big fan of long and lush lashes, but I hate, hate, hate falsies. I think they are a major pain and I refuse to use them. So, I’m always on the hunt for new and exciting mascaras! When Stila released their HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara and Lash Stunner Extreme Lash Primer, I was pretty excited! I love Stila, and with product names like that, you know that I was all over these products. The primer is unlike any lash primer that I’ve used before! First, it is brown. I’m not sure why, but almost all lash primers are white, so to have a primer that is a darker color is very refreshing! It contains 2 different shapes of fibers, and applies just like a regular mascara. The fibers do make it a bit prone to clumping, so you’ll want to keep a lash comb handy. Once applied, my lashes don’t look fuzzy, instead they’re thicker and longer, and… brownish-tan. The shape of the mascara wand is designed to grab each and every lash, applying mascara to all of them for a fuller look. When applied over the…

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The Best Lash Curler Ever? Surratt Beauty Relevée Lash Curler Review

Christine — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 01:40:00 +0000

About 6 months ago, an article from Refinery 29 popped up into my feed, declaring the Surratt Beauty Relevée Lash curler the best ever (check out the article here). I’m a huge beauty junkie obviously, and I’m even more of an eyelash/mascara girl. I thought I had tried it all, but I hadn’t even heard of this curler! I had seen the products over on a few websites, but the lash curler didn’t look like anything special to me. But that article sucked me in. I HAD TO TRY IT. Had to. No choice. Especially once I tried to order it, and for months it was out of stock online. Surely Refinery 29 must be right, and there are special powers in this eye lash curler. Finally, about 6 weeks ago, after many attempts at ordering from various websites, I managed to successfully order this lash curler from Sephora. Success! My lashes were going to be revolutionized, right? Well…. First, looking at this lash curler, it does not look any different from any of my other curlers. The metal goes in the same pattern. The curler itself has the exact same length and curve as my other favorite curler (which…

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What Is that Mascara?? Yves Saint Laurent Beaute Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara Review

Christine — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 19:00:00 +0000

Have you ever gotten a sample of something, and loved it so much that you hoarded that sample like you were Gollum? My Preciousss…. Yes, that’s definitely me and Yves Saint Laurent Beaute Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara. In fact, I’ve gone through 3 samples of this mascara (it seems to pop up in my Nordstrom orders?) and I have treated all of the mascara samples the same way. I had a hard time justifying $32 for a tube of mascara when I had a lot of other (also expensive) mascaras that I haven’t reviewed yet. I seem to have just stopped all of my mascara reviews for a while, in large part because when I was pregnant, I had to give up my lash serum. And then it took a while for the Revitalash (Revitalash review here) to kick in. And then I went on one big old mascara buying spree (wheee!!!! I have lashes again!) so be on the look out for a lot of upcoming full mascara reviews. With before and after pics even. Why the obsession? Yes, my lashes are currently long because of the Revitalash, but this mascara definitely adds length. It separates my lashes…

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