Splurge/Save: Mascara

Every now and then, a girl deserves a treat. And I treat myself on a regular basis, whether it’s buying lunch one day or picking up a makeup product I’ve been eyeing for awhile. I keep treats affordable so it’s a no-stress decision.

So as a little feature I wanted to put on here, I’ll occasionally feature products you can splurge on along with more affordable versions of the same products. And because mascara is one of my must-have make up products, I thought this would be a perfect item to start with.

“Splurge” mascara: Diorshow BlackOut

• How much it costs: $24
• Where you can buy it: Sephora, Nordstrom
• What I like about it: It definitely thickens and elongates your lashes. My lashes are short so I love that this makes the lashes look lengthy and attention-getting. Plus, the “kohl black” color is really rich so you may only need one coat. As a note, have a lash separator on hand because the thickness of the mascara can clump, but after I gave the wand a little wipe to get some of the excess mascara off, it was no problem
• What I don’t like about it: Well, it is thick and it took several days to really get comfortable with it and how to best apply it to my lashes. So if you get it, don’t return it right away, give it a week to figure out how to work with you

“Save” mascara: Maybelline Define-A-Lash Washable Lengthening

• How much it costs: $8 (prices vary based on retailer)
• Where you can buy it: Target, Walgreens, CVS, etc.
• What I like about it: This slightly scary wand really hits every lash. I was really happy with the way it applies the mascara to every lash, big or small. I could really see that this lengthened the lashes too. I actually really loved applying it :) I know, that sounds silly! It also was very light on the lashes too and didn’t feel heavy. And in my cluttered make up case, the green packaging was always easy to find. I’ve used Maybelline products before and I’ve always been happy with the results
• What I don’t like about it: The wand is great at applying mascara to the lashes, the little spiky edges can be a little painful to apply, especially if your eyes are sensitive. Or maybe I’m just applying it too hard :) That could be too. I also noticed I had to replace this product earlier than other mascaras too. I had to apply this just about every month as opposed to every few months, which I’ve read is the case for other products.

So that’s the first splurge/save post! What mascara do you currently use?