So I've decided to do a series of posts on various mascaras I've tried and either loved, hated, or been ambivalent on. I know that most of are on a never-ending quest for that perfect, holy grail mascara and so hopefully this guide will help you decide what to try, or at least what to avoid!
The first mascara I'm reviewing is Majolica Majorca's Lash Expander. Majolica Majorca is a Japanese brand of inexpensive cosmetics owned by Shiseido.
The claim: This mascara promises to expand your lashes 15x.
The wand: Lash Expander has a comb applicator, which I've always tried to avoid as I've found them to be horribly clumpy in general, but this one's definitely a winner! It separates and defines each lash and should you happen to get a clump, it's amazing for smoothing it right out.
The formula: Lash Expander is a smooth glossy formula that's unbeatable for curl. It holds a curl like no other mascara I've ever seen, and once on you never have to worry about smudges as this mascara isn't going anywhere although it can flake every now and then. This mascara makes my eyelashes look long, curled, glossy and black. A few coats of this and the compliments really roll in!
The good: Amazing curl, good length, very black color. Lasts all day and all night.
The bad: This mascara is a PIA to get off! No matter what type of eye makeup remover you use, it seems that there are always bits of this still clinging to your lashes. In addition, it's a bit of a pain to apply as there are sometimes globs of mascara on the wand that need to be combed out and too much combing sometimes makes my lashes look a bit spidery and crunchy. Also, I've had problems with this flaking into my eyes and irritating my contacts horribly.
And a final caveat-Lash Expander doesn't smudge, but that also means you have to be careful in your application. I tend to get tiny bits of mascara on my upper or lower lid while applying, and those smudges are virtually impossible to get off if they've had a chance to dry.
Conclusion: I really like the way this mascara makes my lashes look, but don't really reach for it anymore since it's rather time-consuming for me to apply and remove.
To see a few more shots of what the Majolica Majorca mascara looks like on me, click here.
To read Part 2 of this series, click here.
The good: Amazing curl, good length, very black color. Lasts all day and all night.
The bad: This mascara is a PIA to get off! No matter what type of eye makeup remover you use, it seems that there are always bits of this still clinging to your lashes. In addition, it's a bit of a pain to apply as there are sometimes globs of mascara on the wand that need to be combed out and too much combing sometimes makes my lashes look a bit spidery and crunchy. Also, I've had problems with this flaking into my eyes and irritating my contacts horribly.
And a final caveat-Lash Expander doesn't smudge, but that also means you have to be careful in your application. I tend to get tiny bits of mascara on my upper or lower lid while applying, and those smudges are virtually impossible to get off if they've had a chance to dry.
Conclusion: I really like the way this mascara makes my lashes look, but don't really reach for it anymore since it's rather time-consuming for me to apply and remove.
To see a few more shots of what the Majolica Majorca mascara looks like on me, click here.
RATING: 3.75/5
To read Part 2 of this series, click here.
20 comments:
agreed too difficult to remove at times sigh! but definately my HG mascara.
I normally use an oil base remover than I comb through with a Japanese remover brush (like Heroine makes) and that seems to get all the flakey bits out!
hey izzy!
i use the sk-ii oil cleanser to get this off, but i usually also end up getting some in my eye which means i'm blind for a good few minutes!
i think i've seen you mention the japanese mascara remover brush on your blog-i'll definitely have to check it out!
heya,...theres an mascara remover sold in sasa.com
its called andrea eye q's. its a bloody god send. it removes even majolica in a swipe....
i think it retails for USD5? for a box of 60
go buy!!
thanks so much for the information! i'm definitely going to have to try this, since i LOVE the majolica but really can't deal with the PIA removal process.
anything that removes the majolica in one swipe is a miracle product!
i use this mascara...
and i use olive oil to remove it.
it works really well.
hey kiyomix!
thanks so much for visiting! i'm going to have to try your olive oil solution. my sk-ii cleansing oil does a decent job of removing the mascara, but it's still more difficult than i would like.
do you use olive oil to remove all of your face makeup, or just the mascara? i've always been curious about olive oil as a cleanser or light moisturizer!
thanks again and i hope to see you around more!
This mascara looks smashing on you! Such a bummer about the removal process.
Seriously Steph! I find myself never reaching for it because I know that at the end of the day it's going to be an nightmare to remove, and I'm usually exhausted enough as it is most nights.
I'm determined to give it another try in the coming weeks though, in particular using the methods some of the readers above have suggested!
Looks great!!! :D Were you able to get your lashes nice and separated with an eyelash comb or did the brush do that??
Hey Mel!
This is all thanks to the brush, since the only eyelash comb I have is one of those cheapo plastic ones with the not-so-good bristles that do more harm than good.
I actually never use an eyelash comb simply because I refuse to use a mascara that would require one! =D
i agree its sometimes hard to remove too! but anyways found an easy and cheap way of removing it! Use hot water, put the cotton in hot water and its so easily removed!
thanks for the advice carmen i need to try that!
majolica lash expander was hell to remove for me too...i lost some lashes in the process =(
me too k_an! i'm actually going to give this another try today or tomorrow because i got a new makeup remover that's supposed to be amazing. we'll have to see how it does!
where would you be able to buy this product in new york city?
Karen I don't think that there are many (if any) retailers that carry this in the US, at least in stores. Your best bet is to order it online and have it shipped overseas unfortunately.
hi! i'm thinking of getting a new mascara, so would you say the majolica majorca lash expander is better or bourjois liner effect is better?
hi anonymous!
well that all depends on what you're looking for. lash expander is great for holding a curl, defining each and every lash and fanning them out, and gives nice length and volume. liner effect is more for definition and the cool brush which lets you get at each and every lower lash. they're both good mascaras, but keep in mind that the MM is ridiculously hard to remove and once on isn't going anywhere, so if you're prone to errors it might get a little messy :)
hi,
the mascara looks great! did u curl your lashes prior to applying the mascara? coz i haf really short lashes and curling the inner lash has always been a big problem for me. so if there's a mascara that curls without needing a curler, that would be awesome! (:
Hey seahpr!
I did indeed curl my lashes pre-application. There aren't really any mascaras that can give you this kind of curl without a curler, but there are a few that give you some pretty great natural lift without a curler. Two I'd recommend are Lancome's Oscillation and L'Oreal's Telescopic Explosion.
I'd be more than happy to answer any other questions you might have!
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