Emily Has Dimples: Mascara Review #1. L'Oreal Teloscopic and Prestige My Biggest Lash

Although I know I wore it, if I'm completely honest, pre- 16 I couldn't tell you what mascara I used.

I remember being at school and girls layering, and layering, and layering on Maybelline's 'Great Lash'..you know...the pink tube, lime green lid. Garish design and cheap price.

When I was 16 I distinctly remember getting my sister to bid for Benefit's 'Bad Gal Lash' on eBay and I used this for a while. Benefit use the huge, ridiculously huge wand as their USP for this product when infact I think it hinders the use of it and is disappointing. For all I know, the formula of this mascara is great, but the wand made life difficult. I have quite fair lashes, so need a wand that can cover the whole lash (I always apply mascara by closing my lid, and brushing it downwards to begin with, before applying it the 'normal' way!) so Benefit Bad Gal was not for me, though I did love the super dark black it leaves on the lash.

Ever since that time, I used and was completely converted to L'Oreal 'Telescopic' in black, I loved it. I even used it in dark brown at times and the pigmentation is good. The wand, in my opinion, is genius and was the first of it's kind that I can recall in terms that it was a thin comb, instantly adding length, though it didn't add much volume- which to some is a positive, as it means it doesn't clump or thicken the lash. I got so many compliments on my lashes, and lot's of friends and family began using 'Telescopic' because they liked how it had made mine look. I noticed on several occassions, that this mascara doesn't even run in times of teary eyes, and I didn't even buy the waterproof version! Magic!

(Please excuse this awful picture; firstly- have been living out of a suitcase the last month back and forth all over the place it's taken it's toll and rubbed off all of the writing on the mascara, it is now just a gold tube! Secondly, the camera got stolen at South West Four festival that I went to for my birthday at the weekend, so for now I am cameraless...great timing with starting a blog and all...)

After 3 years of using it religiously, I got restless. I thought to myself, 'I change my other makeup and what I use ALL of the time; foundation, different branded and coloured eyeshadows, even different perfumes' (it's no longer common to stick to just one scent, as it was with me mam's generation) 'So why don't I change my mascara?'

MISTAKE!

I tried a Maybelline one, I think it was 'Volum' Express Lift Up' but I cannot be sure, it was in a rounded black tube. It took a long time to dry, and although I have absolutely no history of being sensitive to products in any way, it made my eyes stream with tears every time I stepped outside. Not a good look, unless you're a goth, in which case, go for it!

So a year passed as I went back to my trusted L'Oreal Telescopic, but got itchy feet again and also think it has gone up in price 2 or 3 ££? Plus I was convinced there was something better out there.

This time I opted for Prestige 'My Biggest Lashes' which I think it about £6-7. It's in a pink tube, which isn't to my personal taste (I love pink, but makeup packaging can be so much more appealing than this!)

Mascara is such a personal choice, but I don't really like my eyelashes to look too natural. I want thick lashes, and I also want them lengthened. I like them to be bold. I think this comes from the absolute delight and joy I get in looking at lovely Twiggy from the sixties.

Why else do we search high and low for a great mascara? Why do we want focus on our lashes? Because historically, lashes are a female, seductive thing, so we heighten them to make ourselves appealing to the opposite sex. If eyes are the windows to our souls, then we want them to look pretty, right? Think of the pin up girls of the past, doe eyed with big eyelashes, to now with the pin ups of today, all the glamour girls have their fakies on!

If I am honest, I'm pretty happy wth 'My Biggest Lashes', I think I prefer the formula to 'Telescopic' but it does take longer to dry, and it is quite heavy. However, the brush...I can't use! It's quite big, there's nothing special about it to describe to you as it's a pretty standard mascara wand. I can't get any precision when I use it (this may be my skills, or years of using such a thin and light wand from 'Telescopic') SO what I do now, is I use the Telescopic brush, with the My Biggest Lashes formula.