Non-Clumping Mascara is so Hard to Find...

Face it ladies...there are a few things that we always look for. The perfect foundation color, the perfect shampoo and a mascara that really does what the package says it does...and we all know that those searches can be close to endless. I can't say I have found the perfect shampoo or even foundation (although I am close), but I think I may have found a near perfect mascara.

I always trust Neutrogena for face care (I tried Clinique's "oh-so popular" Three Step System and I ended up breaking out like I was a teenager on the verge of puberty) so I figured that I would give their new Healthy Volume Mascara a whirl. As you all may remember, I was very faithful to Maybelline's Full and Soft Mascara, so this switch was a leap of faith (and honestly a result of an ad I saw in a magazine...I was seduced by good advertising!)

First thing you need to know is that the brush is HUGE...for real, I have never seen a mascara wand like this. I can almost do all my lashes at one time in one sweep...and that is something. I bought the black brown color and tried it out. Surprisingly, it goes on quite smooth with very little (as in almost no) clumping. I am not going to say that it is 100% clump free because I would be lying. But, I can say with confidence that it takes quite a few uses for the clumping to begin to appear. It seems that the closer you get to the end of the tube, the more likely it is to clump. Maybe that is Neutrogena's "you need more mascara" alarm or something.

This stuff has olive oil in it, so it plumps your lashes from the inside out. If you have tiny lashes (like me) you know that is a good thing. Neutrogena claims that it makes your lashes 400% thicker. Considering I can't measure my minuscule lashes, I can't say for certain how accurate that is, but I can tell you that your lashes will look fuller and they stay soft...another plus for me. I HATE stiff feeling lashes. This stuff gives you volume and doesn't make your lashes look like little spider legs. Yippy!

The negatives are these: it is a little pricey for a common cosmetic brand (runs about $6.50 here) and it is a little hard to get used to the huge wand. It also takes a little more to get it off your eyes than other mascaras. I use Neutrogena's Eye Make-Up Remover and I still have mascara residue after washing my face. I may need a stronger make-up remover, but I hesitate to switch. I just think it could be because this mascara is so potent that I need more remover.

Overall: I don't feel that the negatives outweigh the positives on this product. I am pleased with the volume it gives my lashes and the length (I know that isn't one of the features this product pushes, but my lashes do look longer to me). I love the fact it is virtually clump free and my lashes stay soft. I have tried numerous other mascaras to achieve the no clump look (including Cover Girl's Lash Exact Mascara and Maybelline's Lash Discovery Mascara) and they all failed miserably (in fact, the Lash Discovery is one of the worst I have ever tried...that tiny brush does not work for me at all.) This one, however, rose to the challenge.

So, ladies, if you are looking for a new mascara, I highly recommend at least trying this one. You may be pleasantly surprised by this product. I am happy to see that Neutrogena puts as much into their cosmetics as they do their face are products.

If you have tried this product, what did you think? I would like to know if you had the same success as I did or if you found it less than stellar.

Now, if you'll excuse me...I have mascara to put on ;-)