YSL Babydoll Mascara...Worth The Hype?!

What does Tim Lincecum have to do with mascara reviews?!
Keep reading to find out =]

Hey Guys! Okay, so YSL is known for having really luxurious products that people really love and cling to. Their lipsticks are a cult favorite and their mascaras are said to be the best. I personally only own one of their Candy Sheer Lipsticks and have never tried their mascara. While part of me wanted to know what I was missing out on, the other [rational] side of me was really unwilling to spend at least $30 on a mascara if it wasn't going to work out for me. With my track record, most mascara's that people love, NEVER work out on me. While everyone is raving about all the Maybelline mascaras, I'm over here trying to separate my lashes and keep my eyes from watering from the awful black mess Maybelline mascara leaves on my face. I was really torn between wanting to try out YSL Babydoll mascara, but not wanting to spend the money.
After my birthday, I got some gift cards to Sephora and I wanted to treat myself to something I wouldn't typically buy for myself. Now was my chance to try the YSL mascara that so many YouTuber's are going crazy about!

The brush is a rubber bristle brush, which I tend to prefer because I can get closer to the root of my lashes while I try to build volume. The issue I ran into with this mascara, is no matter how close I get to the root of my lashes and how much I work to build volume, I cannot get my lashes any thicker or fuller! It drives me crazy because I get amazing length and great separation, I can really maneuver the brush into the inner and outer corners of my eye, and when applied to my lower lash line (which is something I very seldom do), it almost doubles as a liner, but does not smear under my eye and really does open up my eyes and make them look really wide and "babydoll" like. I just cannot get enough volume! The main thing I look for in my mascara is mega volume with some lengthening qualities as well. This is not cutting it. 

I find myself wearing this mascara on days when I want a more "natural" look, and while it is a look I go for often, I do not need a special mascara to achieve a natural lash and especially not one that costs a pretty penny. 

What I do like about this mascara is that it works well with others. I've been wearing it under a heafty coat of my beloved Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes mascara and it makes my lashes look fake! I'm not kidding, the other day I was taking shameless selfies at a San Francisco Giant's game and I was amazed at how full my lashes looked, even in pictures. 

My final consensus on this mascara is that it is a Pass. It is not worth the hype and I would not repurchase it. While it is not horrible, I am most definitely not loving it and the price is just not doing it for me. 

You can actually see that I have eyelashes in the photograph; I was amazed!

PS. HI CHAD!

I told you...shameless selfies.
GO GIANTS!

TARTE Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara Review

Tarte cosmetics is one of my top favorite brands. Whenever I walk into Sephora or Ulta I always make sure to check out their little display. I love that their products are paraben free and are not tested on animals. It makes their steeper price tag totally worth it knowing I'm buying a high quality product. Not to mention, I've yet to be disappointed by any of their products.

One of my all time favorite products by them, and all time favorite mascaras, is their Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara. It is phenomenal and a really difficult formula to beat. They recently released a new mascara from the same line called Lights, Camera, Flashes, and I simply could not wait to get my hands on it 

As usual, their packaging couldn't be more beautiful, I admit it's a little bit extravagant which probably drives the price up but honestly, it looks high end and makes me feel fancy.

The wand on this baby is what makes it so incredible and unique

Although its hard to tell (and even harder to photograph), the brush has two sides. The directions on the box suggest using the dense, soft side of the brush first to build volume, then comb through with the flex-bristles to create length and definition. It also suggests applying two coats, which I always do anyway. 

The formula of the mascara reminds me a lot of  Benefits "they're real" mascara, it's really wet and can be messy. I find that it does have a tendency to clump a little bit but I'm going to work with it and practice so I can avoid that issue. This stuff means business when it comes to holding a curl. My lashes stay curled, thick, and long all day. It's serious stuff. 

Here are some shots of the application process:

Two coats applied to the left side, compared to nothing on the right. 

After mascara was applied to both eyes (natural light). 

This mascara makes some big claims and promises, and although I may not agree with "+752% volume", I would agree that this mascara makes a HUGE difference. I love the false lash effect that it gives, I feel like my lashes are butterflies every time I blink. I love that it's formulated without parabens, phthalates, triclosan, sodium lauryl sulfate, or synthetic fragrance (yuck!). It truly is amazing and very unique. I was not a fan of Benefit "They're Real" and was skeptical that this would disappoint me since they seemed comparable, but I won't lie, I love this stuff!! If you're in the market for a nice high end mascara, Tarte "Lights, Camera,Flashes" retails at about $23. 

PS I found this image online and found it helpful at explaining the brush's technology 

Everyday Full Lashes

I don't think there is a girl out there who doesn't love the look of big full lashes. I know that I am obsessed with full lashes and I work to get my lashes thick and full almost everyday. If I could, I would wear false lashes every single day because I love the lift and flirty look they give my peepers, but as I am always rushing out the door as it is, I really do not have the extra 5 minutes to apply false eye lashes.

Also, false eyelashes can be really harmful to your natural lashes as they may pull them out if the glue or adhesive gets attached (ouch!). They are also expensive and though some people say they are reusable, I never have great luck with cleaning them off; they just never look as nice as they do brand new. 

But alas! I have found a way to make a big lash look without the falsies! The key is layering different mascaras and using multiple coats. I also find that tight-lining the upper waterline really helps as it makes the lashes look fuller and darker. Here are the images I gathered this morning while quickly putting together my eye look:

The first image is before I tight-lined my water line.

The second image is after I tight-lined; I like the darkness it adds to my eye and how it gives the illusion of fuller lashes from the base.  I used Covergirl Ink It! Eyeliner in Black Ink

The third image is after one coat of L'oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions and adding liquid liner to my upper lash line (today I made a winged line). I use Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner

The fourth image is after two coats of L'oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions 

After I let those two coats dry for about a minute I add in a coat of L'oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes (wow, that's a mouth full).

Oh my! Look at the brush! 

I concentrate this product mostly at the base of my lashes. I place the brush on the lashes and roll it back to the base. Then, I wiggle the brush back and forth to be sure it grabs every single little lash. Then, I follow through the the tips of my lashes. 

These are not the only mascaras that work for creating big lashes. I like to use a lengthening product followed by a volumizing product, that way I get both length and thickness. If you are anything like me, you probably already have some mascaras laying around that you could experiment with, although if it is more than 3 months old you may want to toss that sucker out. Mascara collects a ton of bacteria and the last place you want those germs is in your eyes. 

Quick Tip: every mascara is different; some work better after they dry out a bit, some work better fresh. Some look good layered, some clump up, etc.  Work with your mascara before you decide after the first day you don't like it. Sometimes I will leave my mascara tube open for an hour or so to let some air in because I like a dryer mascara texture. My holy grail mascara is the Covergirl Lash Fusion (in a purple tube). I alway keep that in my collection for when I'm in a pinch or to fix any mascara mishaps I encounter when trying out a new product.