the flutter wars, phase 2 - Rimmel Lycra Lash Extender

It has been a long time, my friends, in which this perfumista has embarked on many adventures. I've seen people kayaking in cardboard scullers; I've photographed people painting themselves blue; I've watched half-naked women who had bejeweled their shaved heads; and I've received numerous job offers that make my heart pound in gratitude.

But I still need to finish the flutter wars, so let me move on:

Rimmel Lycra Lash Extender

This is a very interesting product – Lycra Lash has a lot to recommend it. It's an easy-on product, with very little smudge. I can put on multiple coats and clumping isn't usually a problem; oddly enough, due to its lengthening properties this is the only product I tried that had the potential to make my eyelashes look spidery. But if you use a medium amount, it's a very pretty look with very little fuss, and it's so lightweight you never feel it after application.

There was only one problem I encountered with it, and I have to admit it's a serious one. This is the only product I tried that flaked and got in my eyes. Now, I'm fairly sure that if you have dry or combination skin, this wouldn't occur. However, I have very oily skin, and so my eye makeup always tends to wander. Most of the time mascara is heavy enough that its migration isn't something that gets in my actual eyes, but with Lycra Lash, three quarters of the way through the day I'd feel grit in my eyes and need to go fish it out. Because of this, I also couldn't do the dreaded sleep test – after about fifteen minutes of lying down I could feel it in my eyes and had to go remove it. I tested it with some pressed powder dabbed on my lids, which did help significantly, but I don't like putting a great deal of effort into makeup so this isn't a solution I will use or recommend. Several endurance points were taken off for this, but I'll bet that if you use a lash primer, you'd never experience the flaking problem.

So its ELFF score is:

Endurance – 6
Look – 8
Feel – 7
Flutter Factor – 9

All told, I've worn this on numerous occasions where I need to look pretty in a hurry, but I wouldn't buy the tube again.

Next up: Rimmel Lash Maxx!