If you were stranded on a tropical island with George Clooney (or whoever your hunk or hunkstress of choice is) and could take only one beauty item, what would it be? Many of our friends and family members didn’t even bat an eyelash before giving us their answer: mascara. Members of our editorial team reveal which brands they rely upon to lengthen, thicken, and darken their lashes … for maximum island eye-batting flirtation.
Annie Tucker Morgan, Editor
Most of my girlfriends prowl the aisles of Sephora for DiorShow and the like, but I’ve found that Maybelline Full N’ Soft does just as good a job at prettying up my peepers. The gently rounded brush never fails to extend and separate my lashes—no clumping—and it stays put all day. Best of all, it costs only $5.34 at Target—which frees up the extra $15 or so that I would have spent on a designer brand to squander on overpriced eye cream.
Rebecca Brown, Editor-in-Chief
I’ve tried really, really hard to like $6-and-under mascaras. They’re usually fine for about a week—until I end up with what looks like one unicorn horn–like eyelash on each eye. Recently, one of Benefit’s overly enthusiastic salesclerks (is there any other kind there?) sampled some BADgal Lash Mascara on me, and just like that, my mascara life changed. I’m not sure what the hoodoo-voodoo is in Benefit’s mascara that makes my lashes look so long and thick without looking too done up (maybe it’s that oversize wand?), but I’ll take it—and the $19 price tag that accompanies it. Because no one wants to be on the receiving end of one giant batting eyelash.
Shyla Batliwalla, Editorial Coordinator
My best friend is a makeup artist. Whenever I need makeup, I say, “Meghan, I need powder, blush, and something to hide the nasty stuff under my eyes,” and she immediately shows up with a bag of goodies. Considering I know nothing about color palettes and false eyelashes, this is a great thing. Last month I told her I was in desperate need of new mascara. Within days she handed me the Holy Grail of perfect lashes—MAC Zoom Lash mascara. This mascara literally triples the length of my lashes, leaving them perfectly curled and always ready for action. At $13, that’s hot.
