A Review of Rimmel Mascaras

I am blonde with short, light eyelashes, the typical bane of those with my coloring. My eyes are also rather small, so I have tried my entire teen and adult life to find a mascara that would truly highlight my eyes. Any mascara seems to help, but I recently decided to try the Rimmel line to see if I could find a mascara I really liked.

Using an eyelash curler seems to make my lashes stand out better than anything else, so I have been primarily searching through the mascaras that are labeled "curl" or "curve." Rimmel's Sexy Curves seemed to fit the bill. The package claims that the mascara provides triple the curves, 70% curlier lashes. It is supposed to prevent clumping and comes in a waterproof formula. (I have notoriously watery eyes; regular mascaras usually disappear about 3 hours after application.)

Maybe it was just this particular package, but Sexy Curves didn't apply much mascara to the brush. I didn't have to worry about clumping because I had to refill the brush twice for each application. I didn't notice many more curves, either, certainly not 70% curlier. At $7.50 a bottle, I expected more from Sexy Curves.

I didn't want to give up on Rimmel yet, so I decided to try the type my daughter had been using, Lycra Lash Extender. I didn't want to pick it up because I didn't feel I wanted an extender, plus there was no waterproof Lycra Lash Extender. When I read the package, however, I decided it might be worth a shot, after all. It claimed to provide up to 60% more length and up to 50% more curl and last for 14 hours. Well, it said the shape could last 14 hours, but I didn't expect anywhere near that for a non-waterproof mascara.

I can sum up my experience with Lycra Lash Extender in one compound sentence: this is the best mascara I have ever used, and I don't expect to use anything different ever. Lycra Lash Extender applies smoothly and yet with little reapplication to the brush. I do indeed see more curl (although not to the extremes the package says are possible) and find the mascara very easy to use. I can apply it to my lower lashes without having to use the tip of the wand, which usually creates quite a mess. Lycra LashExtender cost me just as much as the Sexy Curves, about $7.50, but I feel it is worth the cost. And it stands up to time. Although it doesn't last me 14 hours, there are many days it will last through an entire workday, which is certainly more than I can say about any other mascara I have tried.

The bottom line is that I love the way my eyes look with the Rimmel Lycra Lash Extender, much more than Rimmel Sexy Curves. It may cost a bit more than other brands, but the ease of use and polished look make it worth the money.