Lash Paradise: My Honest Review
Almost all beauty junkies recognized the iconic pink tube of mascara with the distinctly sculpted bristles. This new L'Oreal Paris release made all Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara fans either squeal in delight, or squint with skepticism. So many women swear by Too Faced's acclaimed mascara, and now there is a prospect of a dupe that achieves all it's claims BUT at a lower price point ($8); naturally many people would be both excited and some not so ready to commit.
That is why, being the self-proclaimed mascara addict that I am, immediately scooped up one at Target upon it's release into the mass market.
I decided to try it out for myself, and come here to let my fellow beauty lovers know my thoughts and review on this product. I want to let any mascara-obsessed readers know my extremely detailed and picky review on this highly-anticipated product.
WARNING: I will be extremely candid in my opinions on the review of this mascara. But, these are only my opinions, and you can determine for yourself whether or not this product is worth your money and adoration. Do you, boo.
First off, I loved the packaging. L'Oreal kept the aesthetics of the product close to the original-- meaning that they kept the smooth tube a millennial pink that everyone knows and loves. Also, the name of the product was cute. Lash Paradise evokes a sense of lush perfection. By definition, paradise means idyllic. That's a tall order for a beauty product, but I'm excited for it if it lives up to it's name! Aren't we all searching for that one perfect (fill in the blank)? For me, I am always searching for that one perfect mascara.
Once I opened the tube and saw the bristles, I knew they were going after the Too Faced demographic, hard. The shape of the applicator matches exactly. But I wasn't too mad at it, only because that shape of wand is wonderful for grabbing each lash. I also noticed that it grabbed a lot of product each time you retrieve it from the tube. So, make sure to wipe off some of the excess on the lip of the tube or on a tissue. I love a lot of mascara, don't get me wrong, but I like to achieve that through multiple layers, building to the thickness I personally prefer.
*One small detail to note* I did curl my lashes before applying this mascara, because that's a part of my normal makeup routine. If you haven't read my post on my daily makeup routine, you can read it here.
Upon my first swipe, I was ecstatic. The formula was smooth, creamy, and applies well. The bristles coated each lash nicely, leaving them dark and full. It also appeared to lift my lashes, making my eyes look wide and awake. It was all together a great effect. I thought I had reached ~Lash Paradise~ (lol, punny).....
But...
Something happened after I applied the first coat on my other eye. When I went back to my first eye, with the first coat nice and dry, it looked as if my lashes fell. Where they had been voluminous, long, curled and lifted only moments before, they now were drooped down, almost like someone had set a weight on my lashes and were pulling them down towards my cheek.
I was so shocked and confused? I know that I hadn't accidentally rubbed my eye, causing them to fall. My lashes had never done this before. So I tried to quickly apply a second coat to salvage what were some beautifully full and lush lashes. They looked a little better after some fancy handiwork with the applicator. And once I was satisfied, thinking they weren't going to fall once again, I looked at my other eye, and I saw the same thing as before. While that first coat dried on the second eye, my lashes drooped down just like my other eye.
I felt my heart sink. It was like all the air was let out of a balloon, I was deflated. This product had such promise!! I had such high hopes because it had been hyped up so much, by beauty sources I trust so much. They all gave glowing reviews on their early sneak peeks of the product, promoting it's release. But applying it to myself, it let me down.
But, being the wonderful investigator I am, I kept the product, thinking that it was just a one time thing. The first application of a mascara can be really bad, and then as you use it a little more, the formula awakens and performs optimally. So, with that in mind, I let it have some 'me' time to settle and then perform when I gave it another try.
Fast forward to when I am writing this post. I originally had given up on this product. I hated the application and the end result. I was dead-set on writing an honest an negative review for this mascara.
Then I put it on for the photographs...
It went on well, had a smooth finish, and stretched my lashes to incredible lengths with just. One. Swipe.
I waited on baited breath. I was waiting for the inevitable sinking of my eyelashes. And my heat did a backflip.
MY LASHES LOOK AMAZING WITH THIS MASCARA. How could this be?? I had used this product several times, each one ending horribly. But now, weeks later, it is delivering every claim on the package?! My world has turned upside down.
So now, I come to you, the readers, with my tail in between my legs. I officially apologize to L'Oreal Paris for thinking they were selling me nothing in a tube. Because now, I understand why so many beauty editors swear by this mascara. I am now a believer in the Lash Paradise experience. With just two coats, my lashes look amazing. (And this is coming from someone who uses two mascaras at a time, applying two coats of each)
So, in conclusion, my review of L'Oreal Paris Lash Paradise is very positive. It is packaged beautifully, marketed extremely well, BUT you must give the formula time to activate within the tube. Don't judge it by it's initial swipe fresh from the store, because it will not be pretty. Give it some time, and don't throw it away. I would suggest pumping some air into the tube to get the product moving, that should aid in the activation process. I will now be using this stuff all the time. It's unreal, and I can't believe I love it as much as a do, considering the fact I hated it like 24 hours ago. That's the power of beauty, my loves. And the power of a good (albeit, third) impression.
Again, this is just my opinion. I'd love to hear from some of you who have loved this mascara from the start!! Let me know what you think of this new release by L'Oreal, or share with me your all-time favorite mascara! I love hearing recommendations from other beauty lovers!
Thanks for reading!
-Emily
