It's been a while since I talked about mascara here, eh? This time I want you to meet Revlon's newest called the Grow Luscious Plumping Mascara (price TBA). It will be available starting next month, so this is sort of like a first look for all you mascara fans out there.

I really liked its predecessor, the Revlon Grow Luscious Fabulash so naturally I was curious about what this mascara can do! To start off, the main difference between the two is the wand. The Plumping Mascara has a smaller wand with an edge that tapers off, making it easier to maneuver around the lashes compared to Fabulash.

Formula-wise, they're very similar, except that Fabulash adds a bit more length.

Finish and texture. The Plumping Mascara delivers thick, black lashes in one coat. The formula is goopy so you don't have to layer so much to get vavoom lashes, but if you want something really dramatic, two coats will do the job.

Mascara for your bottom lashes? Why not! It's an awesome idea, actually. I've poked my eyes many times with a normal mascara wand, trying to coax those itty bitty bottom lash hairs into existence. For someone like me with sparse, short lower lashes, a mascara specifically designed for them is heaven sent! It's perfect for getting that clean, wide, doll-eyed look or just generally younger-looking peepers. Lush fringe of lashes = illusion of younger, less tired eyes.

The Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara (P1,150) is exactly as it is called: a mascara for your lower lashes. It has a small, conical wand that can easily coat fine lashes without messing up the skin around it. The wand is a breeze to maneuver and could actually also be used as a mascara for those hard-to-reach upper lashes near the inner corner of the eyes.

It's pretty awesome. Here's why!

What I love about the product

• Volumizes and lengthens in one coat. One coat is usually enough to bring the lower lashes out; two coats give a little too much va-voom for me.
• Doesn't smudge. Very valuable since the mascara is precariously used in the smudge zone - the lower lid.

The truth is, mascaras mainly differ from each other through their wands. A winning formula plays a role but it's really the wand that seals the deal (in my experience anyway). So a mascara that has two wands is like buying, well, two mascaras!

The Revlon CustomEyes Mascara (P750) promises to deliver two lash looks: one that has length and definition, and another that has length and drama. It's possible via a wand that has swiveling bristles controlled by a twist mechanism built in the cap. So, is there a difference between two settings? There is.

Length and Definition delivers sharper lashes while Length and Drama volumizes. It's best to use them together!

Available in three shades: Blackest Black, Black and Blackened Brown

What I like about the product

• Washes off easily with room temp water, at least, the non-waterproof version. Saves me a lot of hassle whenever I take off my makeup.
• The CustomEyes mascara is all about options. You can pick from two settings, two fomulas (waterproof and non-waterproof) and three shades.

Are you loving the name or what? The VMV Hypoallergenics Ooh-La-Lash! Volumizing Mascara (P1,000) has been around for quite some time now. As with many products that have stood the test of time, it has some distinctive qualities that other mainstream mascaras (with similar price points) cannot claim to have.

The first time I tried this, I wore it to an out-of-town day trip with Marco's family the other week. The weather was extra hot and humid so the rest of my makeup has melted by the end of the day - except this mascara! The Ooh-La-Lash stayed put with zero smudging, even after all the sweat and oil and grime of the day. But get this - unlike other no-smudge, sweat-proof mascaras, this one came off easily with warm water.

So yes, I'm impressed!

What I love about the product

• Stays put all day. As in zero-smudging.
• Hypoallergenic. It's fragrance and dye-free, made of 100% mineral pigments. This is perfect for sensitive eyes.

While randomly browsing the Interwebs today, guess what I saw! A mega cute video of the Majolica Majorca Sugary Trap press launch! It was held at Bizu in Greenbelt, where we were surrounded with colorful macarons and cakes. Guests were also given icing, candy sprinkles, and sugar dust to use in designing our own cookies and cupcakes. It was the perfect setting for such a sweet collection from Majo.

Watch the video to see pictures of that beautiful Thursday afternoon.

Everyone also got personalized macarons with their name on it. Of course, we also received products from the latest collection. I've been using these delectable cosmetics lately and oh boy, they are such a treat.

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Pam, the Marketing Coordinator for VMV Hypoallergenics. I must confess that I was pretty excited about the casual meeting because I've always been curious about the brand. I've heard so many good things about their Armada sunblocks and line of foundations, and of course, their claim about being completely hypoallergenic.

Did you know that VMV is a proudly Pinoy brand? I was really surprised when I first heard about that a couple of years ago. VMV is so well-packaged, so well-branded, that many of us are not aware that it started right here back in 1979. It's local, but it has a global mindset. Currently, VMV can also be found in New York, UAE, and Hong Kong among others.

It's among the first brands in Asia to formulate a hypoallergenic line, going as far as creating its own rating system for each product.

I used to consider mascara as an unnecessary part of my makeup routine. It’s a hassle to wear and a hassle to remove, plus they keep hitting my glasses whenever I blink! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice extra to wear for special events, but I don’t use them every time I go out. That is, until I started wearing contacts recently.

A lot of things changed since I started wearing contacts. I’m now more meticulous about my eye makeup since every mistake is easily seen. I’m more careful about the junk I put near my eyes too, since I can’t risk irritation or worse, infection. I also started going crazy over mascara - I rarely go out now without at least one layer of it. 

So, I’d like to share my current favorite mascara: the Colour Collection Triple Effect Mascara (P499). I didn’t like it at first, but when I got the hang of it, this mascara and I have become inseparable! 

What I love about the product

• Looks very natural, close to real lashes. I haven’t tried mascara like this before! Although one layer doesn’t do much, it’s in the second coat where the magic happens. It makes my lashes look like a thick fringe, thanks to the small fibers in the formula.

Remember my post last February? Majolica Majorca is now available in the Philippines! You can already find it in SM Makati's Beauty By SM area. There was supposed to be a big launch at Opus yesterday, but due to the unforeseen disasters in Japan, it was only right that the event was moved as a sign of respect and mourning for the country's losses.

Moving on, I was so delighted when I received a gift from Majolica Majorca last Sunday. It was hanging by the door knob when I got home from my vacation - cute, but thank goodness it wasn't stolen! Haha. Here's what I got:

Ok, I've found my current favorite mascara: the L'Oreal Curl Impact Collagene Mascara (P795) which was released just this month. I admit I didn't like it as much when I first started using it. It was so stubborn to remove (automatic major minus points), and I actually lost more than a few eyelashes in the process! I had to rub and wipe with at least two different makeup removers before it finally came off. That was stupid of me. I should have just read the instructions: it washes off with warm water.

Yep, you got that right. I've tried other mascaras that wash off with warm water, but this is the easiest one to take off. It almost melts on contact with the water plus there isn't that much residue left to wipe off. Winner!

The L'Oreal Curl Impact Collagene promises to deliver curl and volume - and it does. It may have something to do with the special spiral wand. There is a noticeable curl even without using an eyelash curler, but if you want something more dramatic, I suggest using that tool. As for the volume, this mascara fattens up and blackens my lashes quite nicely that I can skip eyeliner when using it.

Let's run through the pros and cons!

Another item I got from the We Have It 43 store is this well-raved mascara called the Majolica Majorca Lash Expander (P750). Majolica Majorca is a Japanese brand, a low-end line of Shiseido (the way Kate is the drugstore line of Kanebo). I've been reading about this mascara for years, but since Majolica Majorca isn't available in the Philippines, I can only wonder! Good thing the We Have It 43 store, well, has it.

I find this mascara deserving of all the rave reviews - it does bring my pudgy lashes to such great heights, never before known! Check out the Makeupalley rating at 4.3/5. It has one major caveat for me, however: it's extremely difficult to remove.

What I love about the product

• Majorly lengthens and volumizes lashes with only one coat. Two coats and you'll look like you're wearing falsies. It's because the formula has these tiny fiber hairs that helps thicken and bridge your natural lash hairs.
• Zero smudging. It's also waterproof, tear-proof, and sweat-proof. 

One coat

Grow Luscious by Fabulash is Revlon's latest mascara offering. It just came out last month! The kind folks at Revlon sent it to me for review. It's supposed to lengthen and strengthen lashes overtime, but I can't vouch for that because I reckon it will take at least a month of regular use to see any difference. What I can talk about though is its formula, texture, packaging, and overall performance.

Grow Luscious has three shades: Black Noir, Black Shimmer, and Blackened Brown. They come in two formulas, Regular and Waterproof.

What I like about this mascara

• Minimal clumping. Take note to work quickly while coating your lashes to avoid clumping.
• Didn't smudge or budge on me. I used it the whole day, but I was mostly in cabs and airconditioned rooms. I didn't sweat much.
• No flaking that I noticed.

The only mascara I've been using in the past year is the Clinique High Impact Mascara. You can glean from the review that I didn't like it that much, but that was only at first! As soon as I figured out how to get the dramatic lash I want, this mascara and I have been inseparable. Even more so when I discovered that it's so easy to remove - wet with water, wipe a bit, and voila! All gone! I like it so much that I bought a tube.

That said, I had high expectations of the newest Clinique mascara called the Lash Power Volumizing Mascara. The Clinique counter assistant tried it on me during my visit and I was impressed by the volume and length that it gave my lashes - with only one coat. Two coats and I get lashes that look like I'm wearing falsies, and that's an achievement for sparse and thin lashes like mine.

The best way to go about this it to just show you!