Graphic created by Katie at Scentzilla! One of my longtime close friends is a MAC freak. When I got married in 2001, she took me to the MAC counter for a makeover. I bought everything the MAC SA used on me, save for the foundation (that was back when I moved between Prescriptives Traceless and StudioFix) and the mascara, because at the time, I was fiercely loyal to the brand I was wearing. It was some of the best mascara I’ve ever used. Lashes like you wouldn’t believe. In fact it was so good that not long after the wedding these two men showed up at my house and wanted to take a picture of my lashes. Nice looking fellows in black suits and designer sunglasses. I think they were fashion photographers from Europe. They had the tiniest camera, with a really bright flash. And that mascara, it was…it was…Why can’t I remember the name?
What was I talking about again?
Anyway, the makeover. I didn’t buy the MAC mascara. But just about a week ago I was having my picture taken for something here at work, and for some reason when the flash went off I thought: MAC ProLash!
Gloss.com says this about ProLash: “Lengthening, thickening, non-flaking, non-smudging…totally hard-wearing. Sassy and lush. Works on the catwalk, soups up the sidewalk.” Soups up the sidewalk? You mean, like when I’m hanging out waiting for customers to drive by? They are using Pamela Anderson in their ad campaigns, after all. I was a little worried that I might end up with a look that said not, “Don’t I have lush, beautiful eyelashes?” but more, “Just leave the money on the dresser, mister, and then we can get started.”No matter my fears, I went for the Coal Black. The tube is standard, no frills MAC. The brush is a little shorter than on the other mascaras I’ve tried for these reviews, maybe a little over three-quarters of an inch long. The bristles form a widely spaced spiral, and the mascara itself is thick and somewhat dry. Usual routine: comb, curl, comb, apply mascara. The MAC went on beautifully, and I only needed one coat. (On Gloss, it recommends applying this mascara to the top of your lashes first, for volume. I did not try this, but I know this works well with…with…what the heck is the name of that mascara? This trick can also help hold curl with curling mascaras.) My lashes looked dark and quite lush. Because the formula is so dry, my left eye wonkiness did not have time to occur. The final effect was a little sooty, but all in all quite pleasing.
Quite pleasing until after lunch when I went to the restroom to check my mascara and discovered the black smudges beneath both eyes. Hrm. And no allergy eyes for me yesterday, either. I wiped off as much of it as I could (it wasn’t easy) and went back to my desk. By the time I went home last night, I had even worse smudges under my eyes. I looked sort of strung out, like I had big circles under my eyes. I looked, you know, like I had been working hard, souping up the sidewalk.
And after all of the mascara that had worn off onto my face, and even though I had applied only one coat, it took me two-and-a-half cotton balls full of Neutrogena remover to get this stuff off my eyelashes. And when I woke up this morning, I had a little smudge right in the corner of my right eye! Where did it come from? Ppffffftt.
I’m so disappointed. Really, I love MAC’s stuff. I think their eye shadows are just about the best, I love their powder blush (so silky, really nice), I love their lipsticks and glosses. But today, I’m wearing the Sonia Kashuk again. I just love how this black looks on my lashes, and I had no trouble with application this morning at all. My lashes look so pretty…
I’m sorry. I have to go now. Some men are here, and they want to take my picture!
Product Rating: 4
*photo from gloss.com
