Shine Beauty Gurus review: Estee Lauder’s Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara

Ask most ladies which three cosmetics they could simply could not live without, and one of them is definitely mascara. Long, luscious lashes are high up on the beauty wish list, as evidenced by the rise in falsies, eyelash tinting, and extensions. Hunting for the perfect mascara is often like finding great jeans. You search and search and once you find a great out, you could stay loyal for life. This month, our Shine Beauty Gurus were provided with tubes of Estee Lauder's Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara to see how well it stacked up against their usual brands. Let's see how well it performed.

The design
"Packaging is uber-important especially for a beauty consumer like me, and Estee Lauder's packaging always sings of luxury; in particular this product draped with navy and gold and cursive inscription," says Mrs. Kim. "Housed in a beautiful gold tube with black script, it's definitely the prettiest tube of mascara I've seen," says M.J.. "I think the brush made a world of difference, separating my lashes evenly making application a breeze!" Speaking of the brush, many Gurus fell in love with it's massive size. CarolB says "the brush holds more mascara thus covering the eyelashes from the base to the tip in one easy stroke. The tip of the applicator however is still small enough to do inside lashes and lower lashes." *H felt "The wide-spaced brush provides each lash with an equal amount of mascara coverage while eliminating any globs or clumps getting stuck to an eyelash." But Miss Love had some trouble manuvering a larger size. "I didn't like the big brush and felt that it was hard to coat the outer corner of my eye with out applying it to the side of my face."

The formula
"After my first coat, I immediately saw BANG! BOOM! POW-WOW! 3-D Graphics as if I were in an old episode of Batman," says Mrs. Kim (at right). Even though the formula was strong, M.J. says it doesn't weigh down lashes. "The formula is very lightweight, and gives me the right amount of color on the first application," she reports." CarolB feels the texture was perfect. "I must say the application was flawless and in just a couple of coats it really brought out volume and length to my eyelashes." Jude agrees noting, "it goes on with just the right amount of mascara which is not normal from the other brands I have tried as usually when it's a new bottle, it applies too heavy." Sarah Y noticed the problem she's had with other mascaras in that the wand gets gunked up with repeated use. "I used the old 'wipe some of the excess off before applying' trick and the mascara was, once again, clump-free," she explains. Christina agrees that the products is thick, but feels it goes on smooth. "There is no wait for it to dry, no need to curl lashes, no spider legs around the eyes and no appearance of being weighed down and heavy." Haha! We know exactly what she means about those creepy spider legs!

Benefits

"Can you say hubba hubba with a deep sultry voice?" Christina asks. "You will, and others will too when they see you wearing Estee Lauder's Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara." JRose-Style submitted a great before and after photo (at left). "Examining my lashes after applying the mascara I noticed that they did look plumper and longer," she says. "There were some clumps, but this was easily remedied by combing through the lashes before they dried. It created an incredible amount of lift, really opening up the appearance of my eyes." Many Gurus commented that mascara often bothers their sensitive eyes, but that this formula does not do so. CarolB read the fine print for more info. "This mascara is fragrance free; ophthalmologist tested and can be used on those people who have sensitive skin and those that wear contacts," she says. CarolB also noted that "it did not leave my eyelashes really stiff as some mascara does; this is probably due to the Vitamin B complex and Rosemary which actually nourish and protect the lashes." *H felt the mascara elongated her lashes but was left desiring more volume. "I have to say I didn't experience a totally fake mascara effect," she says. Megan also had to pile it on. It still took me 6-7 swipes per eye to get the volume I was hoping to achieve, which is no better than any "regular" mascara," says Megan. "You do get a ton of mascara [in the tube], so depending on how much you use daily it would last a while." until others react. Sometimes, however, you don't know how well a product is working. Mrs. Kim says she received many compliments every day on how long and gorgeous her lashes look. "I was even asked where I got them done," she says, adding that the look of faux lashes on real ones is quite an achievement.

Wear and removal

Elizabeth was delighted with the mascara's longevity. "It didn't smudge, even through a long day at the office and a long run (I know, I shouldn't wear makeup at the gym), and washed off easily before bed," she says. "There was virtually no clumping, which I find is usually the downfall of volumizing mascaras." JRose-Style said the mascara stayed put for eight hours without flaking off, and Jude said there was no smudging at all. "In fact," says Jude, "I went swimming and I still didn't have any blackening under my eyes." Miss Love, however, was concerned about its staying power. "It was easy to remove-almost too easy, as it ran down my face on my rainy walk to work. In Portland waterproof is a must," she says. Apple also may need a more waterproof formula. "For some reason during the testing of this product, I watched a lot of sad movies," she says. "I wound up looking like Taylor Momsen, the punk rocker girl from 'Gossip Girl.' Uh oh! Apple did feel that the product made her lashes look longer, but no more than her usual mascara. Christina did spot one itty bitty flaw. "Sorry Estee Lauder, but there is some clumping! However the clumping is so minimal, it won't be noticeable to anyone but you! Does that count as a complaint? I don't know, but I had to let it out."

Recommendations
"If you would like to enhance the way your eyes look by creating a beautiful lash line with definition and dimension, I do recommend purchasing Estee Lauder's Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara," says Christina. She sounds ready to do a commercial! M.J. says she rarely splurges on mascara, but "the $23.50 price tag on this one is totally worth it!" CarolB says she too doesn't normally spend that amount, but feels she would definitely shell out the dough for this product. Jude says, "I think it's worth the money since it stays, creates volume, and doesn't irritate my sensitive eyes as other brands do." Sarah Y says, "I think I prefer it to my usual mascara for going out in the evenings, because it packs a lot more impact. My CoverGirl 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." Elizabeth is also considering a switch. ""Will I leave my favorite tube for Estée Lauder? The jury's still out. For now, the two are living side-by-side in my make up bag, ready to multiply, lengthen, and volumize at a moment's notice." And last but not least, JRose-Style provides the best excuse for purchasing this mascara. "It's dramatic, bold, and plays up my eyes. It makes me feel like batting my lashes or winking more." Love it!

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