Review: Essence Lash Mania Reloaded False Lash Mascara

Purchased by Me 

I don't think that I have ever, in the five-year-history of this blog, made the following statement: This mascara will probably work for everyone.

But I think I've found the most universally-appealing, budget-friendly mascara that I've come across to date. Unless you require a waterproof formula (sorry, this one's washable), you might want to hear me out on this one. Meet Essence Lash Mania Reloaded False Lash Mascara:

Essence Lash Mania Reloaded False Lash Mascara

(retail: $4.99 at Ulta and select Walgreens locations, 0.33 oz)

If you're looking for a mascara that defines, separates, lifts, volumizes and lengthens, but doesn't do TOO much of any of those things, I think you might fall in love with this one. It does everything I listed above, but not in an extreme way. To me, it's the perfect everyday mascara that gives me everything I need in just a coat or two. 

As I've said many times, mascara is the THE MOST subjective makeup product on the planet. Whenever a mascara gets rave reviews, there's always a group of people who simultaneously despise it.  That's why I'm freaking out about THIS  mascara--I can really see this working for just about everyone (aside from those who require a waterproof formula). Keep reading to find out why!

This brush has short, plastic bristles and the brush itself has a "springiness" to it which almost makes it lightly "bounce" during application (more on this later). Here's a picture to illustrate how pliable this brush is:

It's bendy!

My eye, no mascara.

Notice that have I have stick-straight, fine, short, sparse lashes. 

My eye after two coats of 

Essence Lash Mania Reloaded False Lash Mascara

Same eye, another angle...

Same eye, from farther away...

The lowdown: Looking at the photos above, you can see this mascara delivers lift, separation, definition, volume and length, but not too much of any of them. It's not a "Wow, look at me!" type of mascara, but two coats gives me everything I need, with no clumping, flaking, or smudging throughout the day. I can apply two coats and at the end of the day, my lashes still look fabulous (even given my super-oily skin, which tends to "eat" mascaras). Plus, it removes easily using just my regular facial cleanser, no eye makeup remover required. There is no strong fragrance to this mascara--I don't notice anything at all unless I hold the wand right up to my nose (and then it just has a typical "mascara" scent to it).

Application: I mentioned before that this brush is "springy". The part that connects the wand to the brush is very pliable, so there's little to no resistance when you're applying this mascara to your lashes. At first I thought this was going to be a bad thing (I like a firm wand) but because of the construction of the brush and how the bristles are made, THIS WORKS. I can't quite explain it, but the "springiness" of the brush enables me to get to each little lash and deposit just enough mascara to avoid clumping.

Why I think this will work for just about everyone: Every time I use this mascara (and I've used it many, many times to date), I keep thinking, "This would be lovely if you already had long lashes and just needed definition and a little volume." And then I think, "Wow, this would also work if you already had thick lashes and just needed a little bit of length and separation." And then I think, "Heck, this works for ME and I need all of the above!" I'm tell you, this mascara doesn't give extreme volume or extreme length, but it gives just the right amount of EVERYTHING. I love that it even gives me lift/curl, which means I don't have to use a lash curler (not like I ever do anyway). Every time I use it, I envision how it would work if I had long, thick lashes, and I just have this strong feeling that it would provide me the perfect amount of lift, definition and separation. And if your lashes are long and/or thick, I'm betting you'll only need one coat (but I need two, of course, since I have sad, sad lashes).

FINAL VERDICT: For lack of a better term, this mascara has got it going on. I honestly can't think of a person who wouldn't love this (or at least like it) aside from those who require a waterproof formula. I'm so confident that I'm going to go ahead and say it: This is the most universally-appealing drugstore mascara I've ever used. It's not going to give you crazy volume, length or curl, but I think it will give you just the right amount of everything. It's one of those go-to daily mascaras that you can reach for and feel confident about every time. If you don't believe me, give it whirl and see for yourself. But because I know there are bound to be SOME people who don't like it (which I can't wrap my mind around at this time but it's bound to happen!), just keep your receipt so you can return/exchange it. Ulta and Walgreens accept returns on used beauty products, on the off chance that you don't love it as much as I do. But I'm betting you will. Seriously, I think you will.

Essence Lash Mania Reloaded False Lash Mascara is available at Ulta (in-store and online) and select Walgreens locations nationwide (click here to see if your Walgreens carries Essence). I know that you can also purchase Essence at HEB (Texas) and Fred Meyer (Pacific Northwest) but since I don't live in either region, I don't know if those retailers carry this particular mascara.

Do you already own this mascara? Because if you do, you KNOW I want to hear from you!

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.