Brace yourselves, this is going to be a review of epic lengths… but I promise it’s worth it! And, if you’re lazy, just check out the pictures behind the cut — there are a TON of them — and skip the text ;)
What it is: Imju Fiberwig, easily the most accessible and most popular tubing mascara (or possibly simply the most popular mascara overall) to come out of Asia.
The basics: The thing about mascara is that they’re usually based on one of two properties: cohesion and adhesion. A mascara that emphasises adhesion will adhere to your lashes, for instance, regular mascara. So, a mascara that really really really emphasises adhesion? Waterproof mascara. And then you have cohesion — sticking to itself more than it will adhere to your lashes. That’s what a tubing mascara is: it sticks more to itself than to your lashes, which is why it forms little “tubes” around them!
Why tubing mascaras are great: Those little tubes offer two main advantages: easy removal with just warm water, and no smudges! (Even if you cry.) Fiberwig in particular is a tubing mascara with fibres in it, meaning there are tiny lash-like pieces within the mascara to temporarily lengthen your lashes in a natural-looking manner.
My initial reaction: I expected Fiberwig to be “okay”. I mean, it’s incredibly hyped, and I never expect too much for things that form this sort of cult following. 95% of the time, I’m right: the products are good, but not nearly as good as the hype says they’ll be. So, I tried it… and I wasn’t that impressed.
Turns out I just wasn’t paying enough attention.
What I found out: You can to a lot with Fiberwig, even with wimpy lashes like mine — depending on how you use that enormous brush! Sure, I wasn’t impressed at first with volume and length, but I loved the advantages of using a tubing mascara, as well as the gorgeous, glossy finish. It wasn’t exactly “patent leather,” but then again, what is? (Aside from patent leather, obvi.) This is easily the glossiest black mascara I’ve ever used.
The natural lash: zig-zagged from the base to the tips twice, then combed through thoroughly with a clean spoolie. This is what I usually do; I like a very believable, “feathery” fringe of lashes.
The everyday dramatic lash: for a bit more oomph, you can easily use two coats (drying between applications) and still get clump-free, spider-free lashes…
The party lash: three coats, whoo! Fiberwig starts to clump at this point, but for the volume, some of you may think that it’s worth it, so I photographed it despite the spideryness.
The Clumper: on my left eye, I did a “clumpier” lash — I’ve noticed a lot of people like to wear their mascara this way, and while it’s not my cup of tea, I’m not judging! It does look gorgeously false-lash-esque, no? To get this lash while using Fiberwig, just roll the brush away from your eye as you pull up from the base.
Two last tips:
- Some people find that this may flake a tiny bit right after you apply it, so try this: once Fiberwig is totally dry — and we mean totally dry — re-do that “zig-zag” motion a few times with just your finger! It should make any flakes that are going to fall off fall off right then and there, so you can sweep them away and get on with your morning.
- Don’t try to remove Fiberwig with an oil-based remover. Water really is all you need; I honestly find that oil makes it stick to your lashes even more. If you’ve layered Fiberwig, remove the tubes with warm water first, then feel free to go back with eye makeup remover for the remnants of your other mascara.
The verdict? Well, the makeup junkie in me wants to keep searing, to keep trying out new mascaras. However, my rational half? She knows that we’ve found a holy grail in Fiberwig. It’s honestly a mascara I can dress down for everyday wear or dress up for that “false lash” effect if I’m going out… and hey, if I cry, it’s still all good!
