Estée Lauder’s Sumptuous Extreme Mascara: Brings on the Volume!

I have always been extremely picky about mascara. It has been my experience that most mascaras are clumpy, cakey, smudgy nightmares that make your eyelashes look like furry spider legs. My dreams of smooth, dark brown, defined lashes did not come true until earlier this year when I started using Cover Girl Lash Blast Length Mascara. If you are looking for a mascara that adds a little color, doesn't clump, and looks very natural, I would highly recommend it.

No two mascaras are the same though. Shine asked me to try Estée Lauder's Sumptuous Extreme Mascara. A mascara that promises volume beyond belief and zero clumping. If these claims were true, it would indeed be the "Holy Grail of Mascaras." As with most beauty products, I found their claims to be about 50-75% true.

The first time I used the mascara, I was impressed. It went on smoothly with nary a clump to be found and the volume was beautiful! My thin lashes looked thicker and darker (I was using the Extreme Black color) and I thought, "Va-va-va-voom!"

The second time, I was less impressed. The volume was still unbelievable, but there was definite clumping. The brush is a typical mascara brush that gets goopier with repeated use. It wasn't a horrible amount of clumping, but it was not clump-free! The third time, I used the old "wipe some of the excess off before applying" trick and the mascara was, once again, clump-free.

If I had to rate it on a scale of one to five, with five being the "Holy Grail of Mascaras," I would give it a three or a four. It was definitely a good product that delivered a lot of volume and it wasn't without merit. In fact, I think I prefer it to my usual mascara for going out in the evenings, because it packs a lot more impact. My Cover Girl mascara looks great for daytime and is clump-free, but it doesn't make my eyes pop the way that Estée Lauder's Sumptuous Extreme Mascara does.

So, chime on in. What are you looking for in the perfect mascara?