Can a One Dollar Mascara Beat DiorShow?

Hi everybody,

After reviewing DiorShow, I wanted to know if I could find a cheap mascara that could out pass it. Although I love E.L.F very much, I have never tried any of their mascaras. Frankly, the reviews on Makeup Alley put me off and I didn't want to waste my money. After the "Back to School" display at Target was taken down, a lot of E.L.F products were marked 30% off and I decided to grab a smokey eyes kit. Inside, I found this Lengthening and Defining mascara. The sleek design called my name and I decided to give it a try.

e.l.f Lengthening and Defining mascara
(a part of the Essential Eye Combo LE set)

 For some unknown reasons, E.L.F no longer makes it available as a solo item. However, if you search for it on their website, it is available as a part of some certain sets. The Essential Eye Combo contains this mascara and costs only $3.

The mascara at a whole

 It is a rather slim and sleek-looking mascara. The cap is made of metal (probably aluminum) while the body is made of plastic. The brush head is quite small and basic. This is a no-fuss, no-muss mascara.

The brush head

Now, the question is: how well does it work?

Wanna know the answer? Jump!

I took a whole bunch of close-ups of my right eye and grouped them together for your viewing pleasure. Before, I just added one photo at a time and it made my mascara reviews too long. With this new format, things look more put-together and hopefully, we can compare things better.

First up, the bare lashes:

Bare lashes

 I curled my lashes for no reasons other than to see if this mascara can hold the curl. The lashes on my right eye are more abundant than on my left so I tend to use that eye to photograph more on mascara reviews.

First coat of mascara

After 1 coat of e.l.f Lengthening and Defining mascara

 I was surprised at how well this mascara lengthen my lashes. Even after one coat, my lashes look longer. Also, the curling power is still there.

Second coat of mascara

After 2 coats of e.l.f Lengthening and Defining mascara

 No clumps! And the lashes continue looking longer without drooping down at the inner corner.

Third coat of mascara

After 3 coats of e.l.f Lengthening and Defining mascara

What do you think? Good, yeah? Truth be told, I went to the 4th coat and things even got better. No clumping whatsoever, although some of the lashes would stick together slightly. This can be fixed with an eyelash comb.

This mascara does not flake or smudge, despite me wearing it for more than 6 hours. It feels light weight and holds the curl pretty well, too. I wish E.L.F selling it as an individual item again because I know I would stock it up. This is some good stuff. After being an advocate for drugstore mascaras, I've come to a conclusion that we can all look gorgeous on a budget. With products like this, I am sure I am not going to rely on DiorShow anytime soon.

Disclaimer: the above product was purchased by me for my own personal use.

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