5 Super Affordable Mascaras Tested
Mascaras can range anywhere from cheap to extremely expensive, but for this set of product reviews, we had budget in mind and a low budget at that! All of the mascaras we selected to try out don't cost any more than $10. Are you loving this already? We thought so! So, we set out to find if these wallet-friendly mascaras live up to their hype. We even got our hands on AVON's SuperMagnify Mascara, which doesn't come out till next Friday. Have you also wanted to try out the Revlon mascara Jessica Biel has been touting on TV? We review that too. In fact, let's start with that one ...
1. New! Revlon Grow Luscious by FABULASH
Tested by: AOL Shopping Editorial Director, Clare Valudes
About the Mascara: You may have seen Jessica Biel's recent commercial that showcases Revlon's new mascara and lash enhancer which they say is "The first Revlon mascara that helps lashes grow stronger while visibly adding length and volume."
Clare's Ratings (1 out of 5):
Clare's Review: Overall, I am a fan of this mascara. It really made my eyes pop and drew compliments from coworkers to my four year old daughter who out of the blue said she liked my eyelashes (strong endorsement!). I must admit the applicator brush is larger and thicker than I'm used to and my first attempt resulted in clumps (which seemed to be a con in some of the reviews I read) but after washing it off, starting over and really applying at the base of my lashes out, I got great results. I wore it the whole day with zero flaking and only had to use my normal face soap and just a little extra attention to remove. My color of choice was black shimmer and although I would normally overlook it for a plain "black" and leave the shimmer for a fancy night out, I wore it to work and through my normal daily routine confidently. You can't see the shimmer except when washing off, and I think it really plays off the color of your eyes and the light for that desired "pop." I will continue to use my new favorite mascara, and if my lashes continue to grow and strengthen as it claims, all the better!
Get Revlon Grow Luscious by FABULASH ($8.99, drugstore.com)See more Revlon Mascaras: Double Twist | 3D Extreme
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2. Coming out soon! AVON SuperMagnify Mascara Tested by: AOL Shopping Editor, Veronica Harley
About the Mascara: Reese Witherspoon is the face of Avon SuperMagnify Mascara. The claim: "SuperMagnify Mascara multiplies and magnifies lashes. Leaves no lash behind...and leaves no clumps."
Veronica's Ratings (1 out of 5):
Veronica's Review: The small bristles took me by surprise. The smaller size actually made it easier to get to the corners of my lashes without leaving behind annoying clumps (AVON gets two thumbs up for this!). I think AVON SuperMagnify works best for a daytime look. I'd have to say that I wish that it provided more volume. Yes, it lengthened my lashes, but it gave them a more nature look. If you're going for a dramatic look and you have thin lashes like me, keep in mind you'll have to apply a few layers.
Stay tuned! AVON SuperMagnify Mascara is coming out 9/24!See more AVON Mascaras: SuperSHOCK | New! Heated Eyelash Curler
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3. New! CoverGirl Last Blast Fusion Tested by: AOL Shopping Editor, Gina Nguyen
About the Mascara: Cover Girl taps Drew Barrymore once more to show off the lastest Lash Blast mascara brand -- LashBlast Fusion. No longer do we have to choose between volume or length because "the fiberstretch formula and oversized brush make every little lash bigger, fuller, longer-looking and more dramatic."
Gina's Ratings (1 out of 5):
Gina's Review: The thing I love most about this mascara is the humongous brush. It's huge! But, the length of the brush is just right, and so is the taper. The brush allows me to coat individual lashes with a generous coat the first time, and even allows me to target those harder-to-reach corner lashes without getting mascara all over the corner of my eye and eyelid. While one coat would be good enough for most people, I always like to do several to help my otherwise pathetic lashes. And even after 3-4 coats, there is still not one clump in sight. More coats also means more volume. Other mascaras have given me more volume before (Colossal), but never have I had such defined volume. As far as lengthening, Lash Blast Fusion does a decent job (considering it multi-tasks), but I prefer Lash Stiletto for length. All in all, it's a great day/night mascara that I will definitely be using for the next three months!
Get CoverGirl Lash Blast Fusion ($8.99, drugstore.com)See more CoverGirl Mascaras: Exact Eyelights | Volume Exact
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4. Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Mascara by Physician's Formula
Tested by: AOL Shopping Editor, Genevieve Cruz
About the Mascara: This mascara is part of Physician's Formula's Organic Wear line, which is the 1st ECOCERT® certified organic line of makeup it the U.S. It's advertised as having a "revolutionary 100% Natural Origin formula that contains the harsh chemicals" and giving your lashes a "5x boost for lash length, volume and definition naturally." Its recyclable brush is also eco-friendly.
Genevieve's Ratings (1 out of 5): 
Genevieve's Review: Let me preface this is by saying that I'm not the type of gal that only searches for natural ingredients in her makeup, but I wanted to give this a try and see if it would work to give me the lashes I crave. I'm a girl that likes a mascara that has a deep pigmentation and of course, would prefer just one stroke to do it. It took me more than 3 strokes to get the more in-your-face, noticeable lashes I wanted, but alas, my lashes were black as night. And despite my multiple coats, the mascara did not feel heavy at all (a big win in my book!) and the good news too is that you can get the best of both worlds here. Apply one or two coatings for a lighter, natural look and do more for more drama. The mascara gets my praise most for its bristles which really defined and separated my lashes and look at the curl it created! What about complaints? I'd prefer a regular-looking wand/applicator. I get that they wanted to come up with creative packaging, but the top part of the wand (the "leaf") is harder to hold. Also if I'm not careful, the mascara can get on my eyelids and smudge. The mascara was hard to remove even with my eye-makeup remover, but at least it did not hurt my eyes (thank you chemical-free mascara!). My final word: If you're looking for organic, this is a good choice especially because it's so affordable. I was really surprised by that actually!
Get Physician's Formula Organic Mascara ($9.99, drugstore.com)See more Physician's Formula Mascaras: Shimmer Strips | Plentifull Thickening
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5. Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara Tested by: AOL Shopping Editor, Veronica Harley
About the Mascara: Maybelline Colossal is supposed to give you "9x the volume in one coat, instantly." It's got a patented MegaBrush and Collagen Formula that plumps lashes one by one.
Veronica's Ratings (1 out of 5):
Veronica's Review: I used Maybelline's My Color Advisor (the online personal shade & product guide) to find the mascara color that would look best, based on my skin tone and eye color. It recommended four shades: Glam Black, Classic Black, Glam Brown and Classic Brown. I decided to try something different and went with Classic Brown. The applicator brush is larger than other mascaras that I've used. The larger size made it super easy to apply on my top lashes. Applying it on my lower lashes was another story. I noticed a few tiny clumps and it took a few tries to get the right look. At the end of the day, I was expecting it to be difficult to remove but was pleasantly surprised that this wasn't the case. I just had to apply a little more eye makeup remover than usual and it was all gone. I don't think it provided "9x the volume," but I could definitely tell that my lashes had more volume. I think that 2-3x the volume is a little more accurate. Colossal is worth a try though.
Get Maybelline The Colossal Mascara ($6.79, Soap.com)See more Maybelline Mascaras: Lash Stiletto | Pulse Perfection
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Have you tried any of these mascaras? If so, what's your review? And if you enjoyed this article, share it with friends via email, Facebook or Twitter! If you want more mascara reviews, we asked real women for their favorite mascara. Read the story
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Comments page 1 of 2
Lowest Ranked
pamasa said 9-18-2010 @2:45PM
Sorry, I cannot get past the grammar and/or spelling errors in each of your "editors'" comments to pay much attention to their content.
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Sammy said 9-18-2010 @3:21PM
Seems like there is always one "Little Miss Perfect" that makes a comment about peoples spelling. Get a life!
Highest Rank
Kathleen said 9-18-2010 @2:44PM
A good pair of false eyelashes will do the trick. Also while I'm on the subject - ever notice that all the models in mascara commercials are wearing false eyelashes. Do they think we are all stupid?
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John F.C. Taylor said 9-18-2010 @3:57PM
Whgat's with all the mascara commercials? Do any of them actually use the product in the commercials? It looks like every single one uses false eyelashes. If those are the real eyelashes, they must spend a heck of a lot of time picking apart the individual lashes before the close ups. I can't conceive of any of theses products not sticking the lashes together.
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Victory said 9-18-2010 @3:59PM
Having used make-up for over 30 years, I have my sure fired favorites. The best mascara on the market is Lancomes-waterproof, black, of course. My lashes become long and thick with a few strokes.
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Jim said 9-18-2010 @4:02PM
I had very agressive chemotherapy for cancer about 2 years ago; although most of my hair came back, it came back very fine and thin, and my eyelashes have fared the worst of all. i started experimenting with mascara, but being a guy, it absolutely HAS to be the most natural-looking of all. I had found the perfect product-Revlon Colorstay's "Lash Tint", which worked the best, but it was discontinued. All the other ones I've tried have smudged, smeared, etc. which is very embarrassing! I used to be known for my long, thick eyelashes, and women used to compliment me about them all the time. I just recently tried Maybelline's new "Falsies" (WATERPROOF VERSION!) and it is the closest thing to that Revlon stuff yet, but it MUST be combed while wet with a lash comb to make it appear totally natural. I definitely do NOT use it to build the lashes up, because then it would be obvious that I'm wearing it. Any suggestions out there? I never thought I'd ever wear makeup, let alone mascara, but cancer changes lots of things, let me tell you!
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Elexxsis Jennings said 9-18-2010 @4:21PM
Jim,
Have you tried googling?... I found this when I googled it... http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&q=eyelash+tricks+for+cancer+patients&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=7b3e9e0669ddb0a1
Neutral
ashleigh said 9-18-2010 @4:17PM
Yes, Jim -- I would suggest you stop using any mascara at all! I am so glad for you that you're cancer free, and I'm sorry you've had hair loss as a result of all the treatments, but clearly you DO have eyelashes, or you wouldn't have anything to put the mascara on in the first place, so just enjoy your natural lashes, fully mascara-free!!
Neutral
lizzy1017 said 9-19-2010 @9:08PM
HEY GLAD YOUR STILL HERE, thats far and most important, the second unless your really upset about your lashes , i say leave them alone , if your a single guy any normal girl will like/love you for you, if your married well hey need i say more, good but i would use the short falsies revlon, or brown water proof by revlon, GOOD LUCK.....
Lowest Rank
Janet Caruana said 9-18-2010 @4:15PM
Order Avon's new Super Magnify mascara at my website today: www/myavon.com/jcaruana
replyHighest Rank
Thomas said 9-18-2010 @4:19PM
Can anyone recommend a really natural-looking mascara for men? One that doesn't scream "look at my clumpy lashes I'm wearing makeup" or "I want to be a rock star?" My girlfriends at work keep telling me that I should start wearing mascara because my lashes are so blond and fine that it looks like I don't have any. My boss even got in on the action, saying that she believed my eyes "wouldn't look so beady" if I wore manscara.
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T said 9-18-2010 @4:22PM
I have to say first that I could hardly tell a difference in the before and after pictures of these different test mascaras so I'm not sure if these women have really small lashes, the pictures were poor, or these are really crummy mascaras. I have long lashes btu like ot have mor evolume and difinition. I read one comment about Lancome and let me say I have tried it and it is not worth the money. Revlon ro Loreal give you jstu as good a product for a lot less. I like Loreal Voluminous for my volume. I don't get smudging and I wipe the wand before use with a kleenex to avoid any clumps. Cindy Crawford once descibed that as the way to avoid clumping with any type of mascara you use and it has alwasy worked for me since then.
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TEG said 9-18-2010 @4:35PM
What about MERCURY that is a known toxic ingredient? Most NAMED BRANDS do not care about our safety, just their profits.
replyMERCURY should NOT be in anything! Isn't mercury linked to AUTISM in children? MERCURY fillings linked to toxins in our body?
Do the research on MERCURY in cosmetics and take the risk. There ARE MERCURY FREE mascara's out there.
Remember, the commercials that show the lashes have 'fillers' on the lids. Don't trust any of them!
Highest Rank
Bev said 9-18-2010 @4:51PM
Hi Teg, I am really concerned about my health and use natural cosmetics. Do you know what the chemical name for Mercury would be in an ingredient list? It probably wouldn't say Mercery. Thanks Bev
Lowest Rank
kenny said 9-18-2010 @5:16PM
Some of us are begining to wonder what real women look like, we are scared of painted up clowns from the circus
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maRYANNE said 9-26-2010 @12:33PM
married kenny???? i think not -you don't even have a girlfriend do you or maybe a boyfriend???
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Terry said 9-18-2010 @5:18PM
I actually use and have settled on (as my default mascara) Lancome's Definicils. I've never paid that much for a cosmetic, but when I tried it as a sample, I loved it so much, that I buy it as MY mascara. It lasts in the tube a long time so at $28 a pop, it's not too bad. Love it.
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Jessica said 9-18-2010 @5:32PM
I think the best Mascara so far that I've tried is the Lo'Real Volume Mascara. It's only $5.00. Really cheap. I tried the Collosal and the Lash Blast, but the one im using now, does it really well. i love it.
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Anala said 9-18-2010 @5:42PM
I ama mascara addict! I have the Falsie's Mascara and Colossal Mascara by Maybelline. To me, they are the best out there! I also have Covergirl fusion, and lash blast and they are a close second. The Stiletto by Maybelline, revlon, or whoever makes it is okay but not worth the hype. I recommend the Falsies or the basic Colossal.
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Lola said 9-18-2010 @5:57PM
I clicked on the link at the end of the story for a "related article" on the top 10 anti-aging picks for 2010 and I was shocked when I was taken for an advertisement for a product that clearly bought its position as one of the top 10 anti-aging picks. Have you no shame, AOL? In the good old days, there was a difference between editorial and ads. It's repugnant that you're selling your editorial space. What's the point of reading your opinions when they've been bought? Who cares?
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