BellaSugar

8 Reasons You'll Love Clear Mascara

Jaime Richards — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:06:43 PST

Clear mascara is one of those makeup products you might not use all that often, but it offers a little bit of something for everyone. At its basic level, clear mascara defines and separates the lashes, adding volume, the illusion of length, and a touch of brightening sparkle to the eyes. It also works to moisturize and condition eyelashes. But did you know that there are other ways you can utilize this multitasking wonder? It will all be crystal clear when you read more.

Which New Mascara Is Right For You?

BellaSugar — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:15:28 PDT

You can get by with only one mascara, but considering the wide array of options available - lengthening, volumizing, curling, and more! - you'd be forgiven for wanting an entire lash library. So we've rounded up a little something for everyone in this group of nine mascaras, including picks for every budget.

Source: Flickr User alyssafilmmaker

Cute Alert: These Mascaras Come With a Sweet Lid Guard

Miriam Lacey — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 06:12:53 PDT

London-based brand Eyeko has always had great packaging, but their new mascara design is truly brilliant (and adorable). The brand's mascaras are all now in tubes that look like old-fashioned lip balm, and each also comes with its own little guitar pick-shaped lid guard so you don't get mascara everywhere when you apply. It's simple and straightforward, but also a great idea that leaves us wondering why every mascara doesn't have an adorable guard in its blister pack. Plus, the mascaras are categorized by brush - another smart idea since most of the difference when it comes to the way mascara looks is in the brush, not the formula. You can't get much more user friendly than that.

What We're Sweet On: A You-Control-It Mascara

Jaime Richards — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:30:06 PDT

You know how we're always told not to pump our mascara wands, else we're just shoving bacteria right into the tube? Well, Jennifer Paulson Lee, a Broadway choreographer and performer, has come up with a clever way to keep mascara applications a bit more sanitary with LashControl mascara ($20).

Lee noticed that many makeup artists in her field were first wiping mascara off on a tissue before application to get the perfect amount of product. So she invented LashControl, which, with a built-in rubberized "sleeve," allows you to internally pinch away excess product before it even comes out of the tube. Clever, no? Available in: Pink Squeeze for lengthening; Purple Squeeze for volumizing; and Clear Squeeze, to be used as a topcoat or for grooming the brows.

What We're Sweet On: A Truly Multitalented Mascara

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:24:00 PDT

There are lots of lash treatments on the market: serums, primers, conditioners, and tints, just to name a few. So it's really surprising that, until now at least, no one had come up with a product that threw everything and the proverbial kitchen sink in together. New It Cosmetics Hello Lashes! ($29 for two) is the last word in lash convenience, a volumizing mascara/primer/serum/lash tint/lash comb/curler in one convenient bottle. It gives you some major lashes, the pigment payoff is great, and as it wears off, the tint in it still keeps your lashes dark. Overall, it's a clever concept, and it's not any more expensive than a run-of-the-mill department store mascara.

We Try Semipermanent, Waterproof Mascara

Jaime Richards — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:39:15 PDT

There are a seemingly endless amount of products available for those of us wanting longer, thicker, and darker eyelashes. But one of the latest launches, pro-only CryBaby mascara, offers up a semipermanent solution. Katherine Goldman of Stript Wax Bar in San Francisco invited me to try it out, so to see what I thought of the custom service, just keep reading.

Great Lash to Launch a Haute New Designer Series

Jaime Richards — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:34:12 PDT

Great Lash lovers, get pumped, because here's some great news. Maybelline's iconic mascara turns 40 this year, and to celebrate, the brand is launching a limited-edition specialty series ($7).

Fashion designers Max Azria, Vivienne Tam, and Tracy Reese (hers is pictured) have each designed their own interpretative packaging for the iconic green and pink mascara. You'll only be able to find these made-over mascaras at Target, so be sure to scoop one up when they hit shelves next month. Don't be surprised if you have competition in the aisles; one Great Lash is sold every 1.7 seconds, after all.

The Mascara Equivalent of Optimus Prime

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 10 May 2011 05:00:00 PDT

Are you endlessly delighted with dial-a-lash type mascaras, rotating wands, vibrating brushes, and other novelty eyelash-enhancing miscellany? Then you should be delighted about the latest in mascara technology: Buxom Amplified Lash Mascara ($22).

"And why should I be making a run on Sephora for this stuff?" you may be asking. Because it transforms. That's right, the wand on this new product gets longer or shorter with a twist of the cap. I tested the wand at different lengths so you can see whether it really does make a difference, so to see the expandable brush in action, just keep reading.

Bella Readers' Best Lash-Enhancing Tips

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 03:15:00 PST

Are you always on the hunt for longer, thicker, curlier lashes? Well then, you're in luck. Over the weekend, I asked BellaSugar readers for their best lash-enhancing tips, and you really came through. Want to see some of your most clever tips? Then just keep reading.

What's Your Favorite Lash-Enhancing Trick?

Miriam Lacey — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 06:00:00 PST

When I want my eyes to look extra dramatic, I always take the mascara wand and tilt it outward as I apply so that my lashes slant out, creating a "fringe" effect. It's just a little trick, but it makes a big difference for me. Another friend of mine swears by applying one coat of mascara, curling her lashes with a heated curler, and then applying a second coat for hold.

Talking with her about our favorite ways to maximize mascara, I realized that most of us probably have a mascara tip or two, and that if we pool our resources, we could come away with some serious (and seriously smart) lash-enhancing hints. So what little things do you do to get your lashes looking great? Respond in the comments, and then I'll put together an article with everyone's advice on Monday.