Louise McSharry: the five best mascaras on the market right now

As a fair-haired, pale-faced Irish gal, my natural lashes were essentially invisible. I couldn’t believe the difference a coat of mascara made. I had gone from bald eagle to actual woman. From the very first time I applied it, I swore I would never again be without it. For years, I literally didn’t leave the house without it. I’m happy to say that I’m a little more relaxed these days, but those years of dedication mean I have tried countless products and count myself as something of a mascara connoisseur.

Of course, not everyone wants the same thing from a mascara. Personally, I’m looking for impact, so I like a lengthening, volumising, totally black, not-going-anywhere, in-your-face mascara. Ideally, it would be so impactful that one coat would do, despite the fact that I will always apply at least three (I can’t stop myself). For this reason, I am never without Maybelline Lash Sensational (€11.99 at mccauley.ie). It is excellent. It does all those things, and absolutely never slides down your face.

While I don’t believe that mascara is a product you need to spend a lot of money on, I do have some higher-end favourites. For a long time YSL Faux Cils (€34 at arnotts.ie) was one I always treated myself to in the airport. It’s a beautiful mascara, giving you glossy, high-impact lashes. However, it dries out too quickly to be justified as a regular purchase, in my opinion.

I also rate  Armani Eyes to Kill Classico Mascara (€36 at brownthomas.ie) but have found it transfers slightly if you are in a sweaty situation, and who among us is not occasionally in a sweaty situation? My favourite high-end mascara at the moment is Lancôme’s Lash Idôle (€28.50 at mccabespharmacy.com). It delivers all of the characteristics above, and doesn’t dry out too quickly. I’m on my third tube since it launched in December of last year and I don’t ever want to be without it. Just take note of the fancy French name — not to be confused with ‘Lashy Doll’, as one of my Instagram followers misheard recently!

If you’re looking for a more natural look when it comes to your lashes, Maybelline Sky High Mascara (€12.95 at lloydspharmacy.ie, and part of the Lash Sensational family) is a good option. It adds length and blackness with one coat but is less volumising than the previously mentioned products. If even that seems like too much, it’s hard to argue with Glossier’s Lash Slick (€16 at glossier.com) as the ultimate ‘your lashes but better’ product. This mascara grabs and coats each lash, adding a little length and some colour, but never giving the lashes a ‘coated’ appearance, meaning they truly look like your own.

Lost in translation

Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and L-ascorbic acid) is huge in skincare right now, which isn’t surprising when you consider all it can do. As a topical ingredient, it’s hydrating, boosts collagen production (great for fine lines), acts as a protective antioxidant through tackling free radicals (the pollutants responsible for sun damage), and evens the skin tone while brightening it through accelerating cell turnover. Basically, you’d be mad not to have a vitamin C product in your skin routine.

Something old...

Urban Decay’s Naked palette range is iconic at this stage. The brand synonymous with brights and glitters has managed to also become a big player in the soft glam game. The Naked Heat palette (€50 at boots.ie) focuses on warm autumnal shades, making any sunset eye easily achievable. If you want to create a classic brown smokey eye, that’s easily done with this mix of matte and shimmery shadows, but those looking to create more of an impact with brighter bronzes and oranges are provided for here too.

... Something new

If it’s autumnal you’re after, then look no further than MAC’s beautiful Tempting Fate Colour Collection. This limited edition range features stunning harvest-themed packaging and a range of products from lipstick to eye kohl. It’s the eight-shade Feast Your Eyes eyeshadow palette (€40 at brownthomas.com) that really got me though. The shades are rich and highly pigmented, but it’s the textures that are most interesting. Three of the shadows are new formulations and these applied best with my finger.