XL Lashes

It's been a while since I've written about a mascara, I think my last one was Lancôme Grandiôse Extrême which was almost a year ago. I finally ran out of the stash of mascaras I had built up and was on the look out for something new to try. I came across the new L'Oréal Miss Baby Roll Mascara (that name is ridiculous!) in Boots after seeing a few other bloggers mention being interested in trying it, so on a whim I decided to just buy it and give it a whirl myself. 

I went with the waterproof version because I bought it just before going to New York and I wanted to bring a mascara with me that I knew would last throughout the day and I find that in general waterproof mascaras tend to last better on me than the standard formula. The first time I used it I loved it. It did exactly what I want a mascara to do for my lashes. It gave them volume, length and definition and the formula is easily buildable. 

Just Miss Baby Roll Mascara

As you can see the wand is quite unusual. It has a plastic brush which I'm not usually a fan of, I tend to prefer mascara wands with a bristle brush but I think because of the size and shape of this one and the way in which the bristles are twisted it just works really well on my lashes and isn't too big for my eye shape.

The formula lasts all day without smudging or flaking and holds a curl which is a must for me. As I mentioned already it's waterproof so you'll need an oil based make up remover, but it also comes in a non waterproof formula as well as in lilac, teal and indigo which all looked like they'd be really pretty for the Summer. The colourful shade range combined with the packaging and name make me think that this mascara is being marketed towards a younger consumer, but don't let that put you off, it's an excellent mascara and for the price point of €10.49 is definitely worth trying out the next time you're in the market for a new mascara. 

Top-bottom- bare lashes, Miss Baby Roll, Lancôme Cils Booster XL under Miss Baby Roll

The next lash product I wanted to tell you about is the Lancôme Cils Booster XL Super Enhancing Mascara Base. I had heard a few people mention this recently and I never looked into it or paid it much attention until I saw a photo on Instagram of the makeup look Fiona Stiles created on Lily Collins for the Met Gala. Her eyelashes looked incredible and I waited impatiently for her to list the products she used to create the look. As soon as I saw that she had used the Cils Booster XL to prime Lily's eyelashes I made a mental list to try it out as soon as possible. So when I was in Sephora in New York, I was browsing the miniatures aisle and to my absolute joy I saw that they had a mini version of the Cils Booster XL for $13 and without a further thought it went straight into my basket.

Cils Booster XL with Miss Baby Roll on top (just one coat of each)

I had used a lash primer once before, it was a double ended mascara with a primer on one end and a black mascara on the other, I can't remember the brand but I wasn't overly impressed. Not enough to continue to add that extra step into my daily makeup routine. However this had me hooked straight away. As you can see in the photos above my natural lashes aren't amazing, but they do tend to look quite good once I apply mascara. When I use Cils Booster XL, they are on another level. I obviously don't layer it up as much as Fiona Stiles did on Lily Collins but I'm sure you could if you wanted even more dramatic lashes. The formula is thin enough that you could definitely apply two coats with ease. I love that it doesn't make your lashes clump but instead it just enhances everything- volume, definition and in particular length.

The formula contains micro-fibers that are supposed to both protect and volumise your lashes and the white colour means that any shade of mascara applied over it is intensified. Yes, it's pricey for a product that you don't necessarily "need" at approximately €26, but you can use a less expensive drugstore mascara with it like I've done and it seriously improves how your lashes look (even with an already great mascara like Miss Baby Roll). If you have short, thin lashes I feel like this will change your life. I'm aware that I'm making quite a big statement there, but I honestly don't think anyone could not think this is an incredible product. I don't have super long lashes but they aren't the worst and I am blown away by the difference every time I use this. I'm trying to save it for weekends but I'm so obsessed with how my lashes look with this on now that I can't help wanting to use it every day. It's also suitable for sensitive eyes which is an added bonus. I'll definitely be buying the full size once I've used up my mini one.

Cils Booster XL is available in Brown Thomas and Boots, or at any Lancôme counter.

What mascara are you using at the moment? Have you ever tried a lash primer?

Emma x