Unless you’ve been living in the jungle, I’m sure you’ve seen the ad (either in magazines or on TV) for L’oreal Volume Shocking mascara. Yes, the one with Aishwara Rai. While I for one second never buy the idea that my lashes will look like Miss Rai’s after using the mascara (they are so obviously retouched), I am quite curious to try it anyway. Maybelline, L’oreal’s sister brand, makes great mascaras so I thought L’oreal will not disappoint either.Volume Shocking Mascara comes with a lash primer/base on one end and a mascara on the other. The primer is applied using regular mascara brush and it’s pretty simple to use – just put one or two coats and make sure you cover every single lash entirely. The big ‘shock’ was the mascara brush. Instead of a regular brush, it’s using a sort of little comb that in my opinion, makes it tricky to apply the formula correctly. It made my lashes clump horribly and created a mess on my lids. But the formula itself is actually great. It really does thicken my lashes and it did not smudge one bit even after I had them on for 6 hours! In fact, it’s so waterproof that you’ll have a hard time removing it thoroughly (tips : use oil-based cleanser).
After trying it on my own, I finally brought it to my makeup artist friend and asked for his opinion on the product and application. He played with it for a while and concluded that the little comb is actually what’s supposed to give the ‘shocking’ result IF I know how to use it correctly. He then showed me how :
1. In front of a mirror, tilt your head slightly upwards
2. Look down
3. Lift the skin below your browbone slightly with one hand
4. With the other hand, comb the mascara starting right at the roots of your lashes, then slowly move the comb upwards in a zigzag motion
5. Practice, practice, practice!
After he applied it on me, I looked at the mirror and wow! I must say, my lashes look fantastic! It looks as if I’m wearing false lashes, it’s so thick you can see it from miles!
So the verdict? This is a great mascara once you get the hang of using the little comb. I am actually tempted to try using a regular brush with it just to see what would happen. Also, this is definitely not a mascara for those who look for a natural-looking result. This is for girls who like ’em thick, super black and a little vampy.
