PSA

Waterproof Mascara Will Differ

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Waterproof Mascara Will Differ

Months ago, I was trying to decide on a waterproof mascara for use during my wedding. I don’t like getting weepy in front of people, but weddings (especially your own!) make rational people unpredictable, so waterproof mascara wasn’t just a frivolous thing, lest I risk raccoon-ery. Unfortunately, mascara is such a personal preference matter that it is hard to get much from research other than ones that flat-out don’t seem to behave across the board.

I asked a friend who works at Sephora, I spent hours on Reddit and scouring Google, asking others for recommendations – the struggle was real.

Ulta ran a 21 Days of Beauty promotion, though, and one day had bareMinerals’ Flawless Definition mascara on sale for half off – that is, $9 per tube (shoot, some drugstore stuff costs that much). Being as that it is my favorite mascara ever, hands down, I ordered one – and its waterproof sister.

“Surely,” I thought, “it will be just the same – just not susceptible to tears, yes?”

I did open it a few weeks in advance of my wedding day to test it out. It wore just fine, but it did not apply as nicely, easily. It required going back over with the wand several times to even out the coverage. The formula was stiffer straight out the tube. Sometimes, in my experience, mascara needs a few wears before what comes out of the tube is, “just right,” so I did that. I wore it a few times anticipating this.

And it never happened.

It was just as stubborn about applying on my wedding day, to my chagrin. By then, I was familiar with how it behaved so it wasn’t a shock, but it still was a bit of a disappointment. I didn’t get the same definition and fullness from it as I did with the original formula; a bummer since I did not use false lashes.

So this is me giving you a PSA – if you have a mascara you love, do not assume the waterproof mascara version will behave the same. It likely won’t. If you’re set on the look a specific product gives you, I’d advise looking into a waterproof mascara top-coat – bareMinerals actually makes one now, as does Anastasia Beverly Hills. I have not used either product, but they have good ratings. In retrospect, I really wish I would have gone this route, but hindsight is 20/20.

Disclosure: Hey! Some of the links in this post are affiliate links – this means I may get a very small percentage of the sale if you decide to buy something. I only recommend products I’ve tried and verified as awesome. Ethical blogging FTW.

Protein Hair Treatments – Too Much of a Good Thing

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I feel like a broken record bringing it up, but my hair is long, more or less straight (due to its length), wavy-ish if it is feeling sassy (or actually wavy when it is shorter). Except for a couple misguided decisions, I have always worn it that way. Currently, I am growing out some crazy layers that a scissor-happy stylist gave me over a year ago. They’re almost gone! To keep my hair awesome, I was using what I was quite convinced was the best shampoo and conditioner of life, Moisture Maniac from Bed Head by Tigi – I didn’t have problems, but the products say, “A rich, creamy lather takes shine and softness over the edge,” and, “Ends your fight with snarls and tangles. Stop your struggle with dull, drab hair.”

Protein Hair Treatments - Too Much of a Good Thing

To maintain my length, which is to the top of my waist at its longest layer, I do all of the common-sense things that you know you should – I do not regularly blow-dry, flat iron, or use other heat on my hair – when I do, I use an adequate heat-protecting product. I deep condition, I nip away wild splits myself, so on and so forth. Despite my efforts, and despite the shampoo not stripping too much and the conditioner being rich and thick and awesome, after about a year and a half of use, my hair started breaking left and right.

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