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I’m not a super huge fan of makeup. I honestly don’t know how to use half of it. However, there is- I believe- to be some mystique associated with makeup that is a bit hard to understand. For those not well-acquainted with the world of makeup, looking upon products seems to be a steep task. What’s the difference between concealer and foundation? What does it mean to “let your makeup bake”? I surely don’t have these answers. What I do have is a review of a mascara that I had never heard of before.
Tarte’s “Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara has amassed over 4,000 reviews on the Ulta Beauty website. It totals in at a whopping $23.00. Now, when you think of 3-in-1 soap that is shampoo, conditioner and body wash, don’t you feel suspicious? How does something that strips moisture also moisturize? It’s suspicious. Tarte’s 4-in-1 mascara touts with claims to be “a lengthening, curling, volumizing, and conditioning mascara infused with olive esters to condition, treat, and protect lashes.” I was skeptical. I didn’t even know what olive esters were. According to The Herbarie, Olive esters are naturally-occurring fats that aid in “emolliency and conditioning” in virtually any product they are applied to. In the description, there is a claim that it is clinically proven to increase lash volume by 330%.
Now on to the review. 1972 people on the Ulta site reviewed that the product was easy to apply. I’d agree, but I found it difficult to reach the small eyelashes on the inner lid. I smudged mascara all over that part (thank God for Q-tips). 1702 people said it was long lasting. Again, I would agree. My day began around 8 am and I didn’t have to reapply or fix any smudges throughout the day. I even accidentally rubbed my eye a couple of times and I only had to remove a few flakes. I removed it around ten that evening. I used castor oil for removal and I didn’t find it more difficult to remove than any other mascara I’ve tried. Contrary to my doubts, it did lengthen and volumize my lashes. There was a slight curling effect, but I still used a lash curler so that I could better see the difference between my lashes with and without the mascara.
I’m not sure the mascara was conditioning. When it dried, it dried hard. It was funny because I could feel my lashes brushing against the lens of my glasses which was uncomfortable, yet oddly satisfying. My lashes actually looked like fake lashes. They were dramatic and I felt they were really making a statement. They were darker and the mascara built well to make them appear longer. I didn’t wear any other makeup, but just the mascara made me feel ready to blow them all away with my lashes. I received three compliments about my lashes throughout the day and four mentions of something different about my look. Three of the seven people who mentioned it thought I was wearing other makeup in addition to the mascara. When I told them I was only wearing mascara, they were surprised. Just goes to show the power of mascara.
Overall, I’d rate this product a solid 9/10. It is a little too dramatic for my daily look, but if I wanted to slay the game one day, I would throw some of this mascara on and bat my eyes at anyone who stood in my way.
Photo Credit: Cover. All other photos taken by Tiyra McLaughlin