Up until last week, coloured mascara [1] was a hard no for me. I always thought blue mascara was the stuff of magazines, YouTube videos, and Instagram tutorials, but I'd never in a million years be caught wearing it in my everyday life.
Then one day, I picked up a navy blue [2] tube of mascara and wondered why I was so afraid of it (and every other colour outside of jet black). I thought, "Logically speaking, beauty companies wouldn't be churning these out like wildfire if they weren't pretty." So, I decided to put it to the test — and step outside of my comfort zone by wearing coloured mascara for an entire work week. What happened next changed my perspective of the product completely: one gave my everyday look the dimension it needed, one got me a ton of compliments [3], and one was just flat-out fun.
Read on for my experience.
Maybelline Snapscara Washable Mascara in Deja Blue
I kicked off my week of coloured mascara with Maybelline Snapscara Washable Mascara in Deja Blue [4] ($6). This mascara made it look as though I was born with dark blue lashes. . . which I'm totally into after wearing this for an entire day. The deep navy colour was pretty faint (my editor Kelsey didn't even noticed I had it on until she was a foot in front of me), but added more dimension to my signature cat-eye look.
Maybelline Snapscara Washable Mascara in Deja Blue
Maybelline Snapscara Washable Mascara in Deja Blue [5] ($6)
Christian Louboutin Goldomania Les Yeux Noirs Lash Amplifying Lacquer
The Christian Louboutin Goldomania Les Yeux Noirs Lash Amplifying Lacquer [6] ($70) added gold, glittery accents to my lashes. The shade complimented my tan skin tone well, and was perfect for the party I attended the evening I wore it.
Christian Louboutin Goldomania Les Yeux Noirs Lash Amplifying Lacquer
Christian Louboutin Goldomania Les Yeux Noirs Lash Amplifying Lacquer [7] ($70)
Urban Decay Cosmetics Double Team Special Effect Coloured Mascara in Deep End
Urban Decay Cosmetics Double Team Special Effect Coloured Mascara in Deep End [8] ($25) is a sea green mascara that is by no means subtle. It's vibrant, it's daring — and it got me a ton of compliments. The mascara is also long-wearing (so much so I had to break out a very special microfibre cloth [9]) so you can count on its opacity to last you through work and everything you have planned in the evening.
Urban Decay Cosmetics Double Team Special Effect Coloured Mascara in Deep End
Urban Decay Cosmetics Double Team Special Effect Coloured Mascara in Deep End [10] ($25)
Tom Ford Lash and Brow Tint in Magenta
Tom Ford Lash and Brow Tint in Magenta [11] ($49) had a creamy, buildable texture that made it easy to take my lashes from a slight purple tint to a bright magenta.
Tom Ford Lash and Brow Tint in Magenta
Tom Ford Lash and Brow Tint in Magenta [12] ($49)
L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Volume Building Mascara in Deep Burgundy
Forewarning: I tried my best to photograph this one, but for better or worse, it didn't show up in pictures. Which is a shame, because the L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Volume Building Mascara in Deep Burgundy [13] ($6) was my favourite of the bunch. This lengthening mascara leaves lashes slightly reddish-brown, and my roommate mentioned that the shade actually brought out the brown of my eyes.