.I’m a sucker for a good mascara. Whether I’m getting ready for a night out or going for a neutral look for work, the one part of my makeup routine I’ll never miss is mascara. Your eyes are the most prominent feature of your face and who doesn’t want to accentuate their assets? The point of mascara is to outline the shape of the eye and enhance eyelashes. If you want to easily and swiftly get rid of the I-just-rolled-out-of-bed look, then a quick swipe of a good mascara is the way forward.

The problem is that it’s hard to know where to start when it comes to choosing the right one. Walking through your local CVS you’ll find more mascaras than you could wear in a year. The options are endless. As Thom Browne famously said, “When people have too many choices, they make bad choices.” The number of times I’ve ‘expertly’ picked out a mascara based off packaging alone is not something I’m proud of. The truth is that I recently purchased an aesthetically-packed mascara and was truly disappointed with the results. This led me to look into what makes a ‘good’ mascara. It turns out that it’s all down to preference! Do you want a curl? Length? Volume? Separation? Make Up For Ever’s Mascara Forever covers you in all of these departments.

Make Up For Ever Mascara Line Overview

The brand Make Up For Ever is well-known for its ability to ‘dumb-down’ professional makeup. Founder and Artistic Director of Make Up For Ever, Danny Sanz, aims to create makeup for professionals that the ‘everyday woman’ isn’t afraid to use. The formulas create makeup that is theatrical, air-brushed and dramatic enough for the stage. Sanz was originally a fine art student painting theatre sets. Her love of the stage evolved into providing makeup for a professional performance. The best part is that you don’t have to be a ‘professional’ to purchase these promising products.

When it comes to the mascara line it’s evident that ‘dramatic flair’ is an ongoing theme. When the name of the products includes words like “Excessive”, “Extravagant” and “Smoky”, you know you’re guaranteed to get results. (Or at least that’s the naïve habit I usually have when it comes to choosing a mascara). You use mascara to intensify your natural eye features and Make Up For Ever’s mascara vows to do just that. The brand recognizes that makeup is a means of self-expression and that’s evident through the over-the-top results their products offer.  

Despite the promising results, you can’t overlook the ingredients used in this mascara line. I was disappointed to see that Cera Alba (otherwise known as beeswax) was the main ingredient rendering their products non-vegan. Also, substances like iron oxides which are inorganic colorants and paraffin (derived from petroleum) were common features on the ingredients label. I guess good results do come with a price. Personally, I prefer my cosmetics to not only be vegan but to also contain natural products so that my face is nourished rather than attacked. That being said if you religiously remove your mascara ever night the effects of these harmful chemicals should be minimal.

Make Up For Ever Excessive Lash Mascara Review

There’s no smudging with Make Up For Ever Excessive Lash Mascara.

If you’re looking for that fanned out, dramatic eyelash look then Make Up For Ever’s Excessive Lash Mascara is the one for you. It’s a no-smudge formula that gives you an intensely full eye. The slim double-fiber brush coats your eyelashes from root to tip for “an eye-opening effect” according to Make Up For Ever.

I think a hugely overlooked (and confusing) aspect of choosing a mascara is the variety of brushes. The Make Up For Ever Excessive Lash mascara contains a pointed brush which is best for lengthening. It’s kind of like a 2-in-1 in the sense that you use it as a normal wand and then use the tip to really lengthen that eyelash ends. This style of wand is best for volume and a lengthening boost.

With this in mind, it’s no surprise that the Excessive Lash mascara really grips your lashes from the root making it feel like your dragging the brush up. The dragging motion lengthens, and the thin brush means you can easily get to hard to reach lashes. I will say though that the dragging motion comes with the drawback that some lashes stick together but it’s nothing like clump-city – just some thickness. A pro-tip for enhancing that separation of lashes is to apply a lighter eyeshadow to intensify the blackness. This mascara is a classic case of ‘size doesn’t matter’ – it’s a tiny brush but it gives you the results you’re looking for.

Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch Mascara Review

Volume with length.

When I think of the word ‘smoky’ in relation to makeup I think of eyeshadows. The truth is, if you’re looking to get the perfect smoky eye, you’re going to need the official mascara to go with it. Make Up For Ever’s Smoky Stretch mascara will give you the sultry look you want. Your eyelashes should have added volume as well as length. In this vein, Make Up For Ever promises to “Stretch your lashes to infinity.”

The cone-shaped wand is used here to help you reach those corner lashes with a tapered brush. The rubberized bristles don’t leave your lashes feeling brittle or crunchy which is a huge bonus and not to be taken for granted from most mascaras. The specialized bristles also mean that they manage to grip your lashes without tugging, really coating each individual eyelash.

The formula in this mascara contains an exclusive Flex Control complex which essentially allows mascara to glide on smoothly, defining your lash length. I was glad to learn that this formula is also Ophthalmologist tested. This isn’t always guaranteed with some mascaras but means that the mascara itself is more likely to be weightless and provide a flexible hold on the lashes.

Is Make Up For Ever Mascara Waterproof?

Waterproof mascara.

The Aqua range of mascaras in the Make Up For Ever mascara collection is waterproof. Admittedly this ‘range’ only contains two mascaras, but we’ll take what we can get. Personally, that’s quite a small variety of waterproof products. Considering that if I’m buying a mascara I almost expect it to not smudge all over my face. Can you tell I’m a regular crier? Nonetheless, there’s something to be said for mascaras that don’t require the removal of layers of skin in order to fully come off your eyelashes. My general rule is: if it takes more than 3 cotton pads to remove it then it must be doing more harm than good. Anything that’s indestructible cannot be safe for the skin.

Waterproof mascaras are great for the occasional emotional wedding or watching movies like The Notebook (again). They definitely shouldn’t be an everyday go-to as these heavy-duty mascaras tend to dry and bind lashes – two things I like to avoid. Non-waterproof options often have a little more give on your delicate eyelashes. That’s why I’m not too bothered by the lack of water resistance of the Excessive Lash and Smoky Stretch mascaras in Make Up For Ever’s range. What’s more, is they didn’t run or bleed despite their lack of heavy formula. Win-win if you ask me.

Make Up For Ever HD Foundation Review

Conclusion

I have to admit that I’m far from finding the ‘perfect mascara’ for my eyelashes. I tend to switch up my mascara brand every time I run out. It’s important to understand what exactly is in your product. I go through phases where I want volume and other times when I want length and separation. As well as ingredients, the type of wand used makes a big difference. The fact the Make Up For Ever takes these factors into account with their mascaras means they must be doing something right.

If you’re looking for an added edge to your daytime look swipe on some of Make Up For Ever’s Excessive Lash mascara. Then to transition for a night-out just apply a layer of Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch mascara to get that perfect smoky eye. Either way, Make Up For Ever has got your eyelash needs covered – with some waterproof options to boot. It’s a shame about the ingredients list. Their conscious attempts to reduce their waste volume and packaging suggests they’re starting somewhere. It may not be natural, but Make Up For Ever’s mascara will have your eye’s looking fierce in no time.