For years, I have used Mary Kay’s Conditioning mascara. In brown, because I’m a fair-skinned redhead. A friend recently became a Mary Kay distributor so that she can get cheap stuff (she uses a lot of their products) and gave me two tubes of their new mascara, “Signature” or some such.
I hate it. It’s clumpy and glumpy and it comes off and gets in my eyes, making it impossible for me to wear my contacts. This is expensive stuff, it shouldn’t be crap.
What I would like is pretty simple. Mascara that is very thin and doesn’t make my eyelashes particularly thick. No clumpy, no flaky, and it has to be available in brown. I don’t like waterproof mascara, either.
My absolute favorite of all time mascara is Stila’s Major Lash. Doesn’t clump or flake or make my lashes feel heavy. It’s great for adding length without thickening much.
Since I have to buy it online (no Stila counter in Omaha), I’m still on the lookout for a favorite drugstore brand.
My favorite mascara is Max Factor’s 2000 Calorie in Auburn, which looks great on redheads and is pretty much the only drugstore auburn. But it’s been discontinued so that’s not much help to you. (I, however, have stockpiled thirty tubes from ebay so I’m set for a while…)
Although I can’t remember right now if it comes in brown, you might want to try Wet 'n Wild. I couldn’t believe it was only $1.99 a tube. I have bought it at Target and at Rite-Aid.
My recommendation is either Max Factor’s Lash Perfection or Cover Girl’s Exact Lash. The mascara formulas are rather thin but the brush is da bomb. The bristles are little silicone spikes which separate your lashes and distribute the mascara evenly. It’s the first mascara I’ve used which makes my lashes look something like the model does in the ad. Hope this helps.
I wear Almay One Coat because it specifically states that it’s suitable for contact lens wearers (even though I don’t wear lenses). At one time the name of it was actually “Almay mascara for contact lens wearers.” And it comes in brown.
I’m a big fan of Lash Architect- one coat will lengthen quite a bit, but you have to do two coats for it to be thick (which you said you were wanting to avoid). That said, LA is a “night” mascara for most people, so it might not be right for you.
MAC has some good mascaras that go on pretty lightly (surprising from MAC, I know) and come in a huge range of colors.
I’ve been trying many, many, many mascaras lately, but most of the ones that I like add “volume,” and since that really isn’t what you’re looking for, I don’t think that will help. But for anyone else interested:
Rimmel’s Volume Flash is surprisingly good for a “cheap” mascara- it does at a lot of volume (with two coats) and also lengthens. Rubs off a bit easy, but it is a non-waterproof, so what else would be expected?
I, along with many of my friends, adore Maybelline’s Lash Stylist. It takes a few uses to get used to, but the comb style applicator helps you get that “doll lash” look. The comb really requires a lot of brushing on application, but it’s worth the time.
I absolutely agree. I have the Cover Girl one (can’t find Max Factor anywhere in my town anymore) and it is great. Doesn’t flake, one coat does the trick and it makes my lashes look wonderful! (I have short, skimpy lashes, so this stuff is quite exciting).
I’ve been using the brown shade from Almay’s ‘eyeNTENSE’ line, and it’s been working well for me. I wear contacts, and haven’t had any problems with it.
I’ve always been a big fan of Maybelline’s Great Lash mascara, in the ugly pink and green tube. I use dark brown, and I’m almost positive they have a regular brown shade. I’ve used it for years and it’s never thick and clumpy and goes on smooth.
Washes off in the shower, too.
I recently some of that new Cover Girl mascara called Lash Exact in the bright lavendar tube that Queen Latifah is pushing. I really like it, too. Goes on nice and smooth.
I’m also a fair skined redhead with almost no lashes of any type, and I find the DD does a great job of making it look like I have lashes, and not flaking all over the damn place, or making me look like Alice Cooper.
The beauty of the new design of the brush is that whatever amount of mascara is on the brush, is directly deposited on the lashes. It’s as if you replaced the mascara brush with one of those lash combs ( you know, the metal fine toothed device we all used to comb out our lashes with) from the get go. It’s never flaked on me at all. It takes several coats to get an acceptable thickness for me is the only flaw I see. I didn’t notice any difference between the Max Factor or the Cover Girl versions. Why don’t you buy both and experiment? They’re about $7.00 each, not too expensive.
so that’s not much help to you. (I, however, have stockpiled thirty tubes from ebay so I’m set for a while…)