Pop Quiz: Which Mascara Wand Gives You the Most Dramatic Lashes?

If I were to count the number of mascaras I own, I'd say that I have close to a dozen.  Mascara is one of those products that are filled with possibilities.  The ads claim that they can give you the lashes of your dreams. So we buy yet another tube.

Some mascaras actually have given me decent results.  Others, I've regretted purchasing after first use.  After going back and studying the wands of my small collection, I began to notice patterns.  The wands of the non-performers all resembled each other. The ones I enjoyed also looked similar. Then the truth hit me.  It's not about the brand or the packaging.  I've been using the wrong wand!

Whenever I'm in Sephora, I stop to check out their display of the most popular mascara brands.  Some helpful sales associate will stop by and tell me her favorite of the top picks.  A little later, I'll ask another SA the same question and get a different answer.  I remember watching a video of a Youtuber who swore by this drug store mascara.  Then a friend of mine blogged about it and I left my home in search of this amazing miracle mascara with the power to transform lashes on sight.  But, what ended up happening was me sitting in a parking lot of a local Walgreens highly disappointed by another mascara that didn't work for me like the others.

But if I knew then, when I know now, I would have taken one look at the wand, then clicked on another video knowing that no matter how amazing this mascara worked on others, I would never experience the same results.

Below, I've taken the liberty of sharing some highly informative info graphics that describe what outcomes you can expect from various types of mascara wands.

via Popsugar

You see the fat brush at the top made "for natural looking lashes?"  Those are the types of wands that I need to steer clear of.  They do absolutely nothing for a lash-impaired person like me.  If my lashes are barely visible, using a brush that makes them look natural is not the answer.  I've purchased high end brands, with pretty packaging thinking that a designer mascara would be just what I was looking for.  But, alas, my fancy mascara had the wrong wand and I was once again let down.

Turns out that wands with rubber bristles like Benefit's They're Real are my best option.  Any mascara that pays attention to the corner lashes are also my faves.  They're Real mascara has rubber bristles on the end designed to catch those teenie corner lashes, helping create the effect of a winged eye.  Wands that fan out are also good for creating this effect as well. Which is why I appreciate having Make Up Forever's Smokey Extravagant mascara in my lineup.

Maybe your lashes have length and you're looking for a little more volume. Pump your lashes up with an oversized wand like the one featured in Benefit's Better Than Sex Mascara (a cult fave).  Or maybe go back and take a look at your current faves, like I did, and see which wands are working well for you.   Once you understand which wands fit your lashes best, then you can investigate other factors like whether you prefer a wetter or dryer formula, long wearing, water-proof, etc.  For example, MAC's Zoom lash doesn't fall under my ideal brush type but the super-wet formula deposits lots of pigment on my lashes.

I used to be one of those people easily swayed by convincing mascara commercials featuring long-lashed supermodels. But not anymore. Knowledge is power and knowing which mascara gives YOU the most amazing lashes is the best use of that power.


Share your staple mascara and why you love it!