What it is: 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Ultra Lengthening Mascara, in Black Tea.
The wear: Unfortunately, this was not smudge-free. (But then again, with my lids… almost nothing is. The only mascaras I’ve ever tried that has been truly smudge-free have been my beloved tubing ones!) It holds a curl, but only if said curl was “dried in” — it takes the curl out upon application, like a lot of other soft-and-feathery mascaras. To remedy this, all you have to do is “push” your lashes for 10-20 seconds while they dry, curving them up with your finger. The effect is just lovely, but getting there’s a pain in the arse when you’re in a hurry!
The look: Just as it claims to be, this mascara is definitely more of a lengthener than a volumizer. The formula was a little less wet than I was expecting, though, seeing as lengthening mascaras tend to be quite liquid-y. (In my books, though, this is a good thing — super-wet mascaras tend to take the curl right out of lashes, no matter what measures you go to in order to try and prevent it!)
The finish is soft and not quite glossy, but it’s less sooty than many other mascaras that I’ve tried. (By “sooty,” I don’t mean the colour… I mean that look that most mascaras have. You know the one: ashen and super-matte.) One coat of this mascara produces natural, pretty lashes, and two really gives them some “oomph.” I wouldn’t risk three, though — we’d definitely be encroaching on spider lash territory.
The removal: is easy. Some water, some soap, and you’re done! No need to wash your face and then slather on even more makeup remover to get rid of racoon eyes, which is nice.
The ingredients:
Organic Green Tea, Vitamin E (a-tocopherol), Honey Beeswax, Contains All or some of the following Pigments: Blackberry, Blueberry, Black Tea, Grape Skin, Pomegranate, Acai Berry, Boysenberry, Blackcurrant and Raspberry, Oat Protein, Wheat Protein, Provitamin B5, Seaweed Powder, Coconut Stearic acid, Mica (for shimmer in the Blackberry and Blueberry), Cocoa Butter, Pearl Powder, Rice Powder, Cacao Powder and Powdered Coffee Beans, Lavender Honey, Extracts of Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Lavender and Golden Seal
Try it if…
- You want the prettiest packaging you could possibly find for a mascara
- You’re getting it as a gift (see: above)
- You have sensitive eyes, are going green, or would like a 100% natural mascara for any other reason — no parabens etc to be found here!
- The words “blueberry-scented mascara” are as exciting to you as they are to me ;)
Skip it if…
- You’re looking for a smudge-free mascara
- You like a really voluminous fringe
Availability: on the 100% Pure site, a full tube runs for $18 (here.) However, you can also get a mini size (here) or a trio of minis (here,) which work brilliantly for those abiding by the three-month mascara rule, or for those on the go!
A quick comparison: out of all the mascaras I’ve tried so far, this is most similar to Fresh Supernova (review here.) However, the finish of this one is a bit more glossy, and my lashes clump together more than they do with the other. While the Fresh can’t be beat for a natural-but-better feathery lash, though, I’d pick this one over Supernova — it’s $18 to Fresh’s $25, the packaging is even prettier (!!!) and while both smudge and take the curl out of the lash initially, this one holds the curl a bit better.
A last bit of advice: don’t want to fork over $18 for a mascara? Fret not — this one’s featured in kits pretty often. Like this one (which is available just for the weekend,) or this one, or this one (which contains the tinted moisturizer that I love so much!)
