Powerful lashes for twenty four hours! (Clinique Lash Power Mascara Long-Wearing Formula)

Member Name: melcat25

Product:	Clinique Lash Power Mascara Long-Wearing Formula
Date:	26/01/09 (275 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lengthens and curls. Stays put all day - lashes won't droop!

Disadvantages: Won't give you an all out mega lash look.

Mascaras are an essential item of any girl's make-up bag, a tube full of creamy black (or colourful) stuff that you apply with a wand to your lashes. Hey Presto! Magically you have longer/prettier/curlier lashes with lots of volume - depending of course on the mascara you have chosen, the promises it makes and whether or not it lives up to those claims.

**What does it claim to do?**
This is one of Clinique's latest formulas. I used to work in a department store and thus kept up to date with all the latest products. This one passed me by, as I had left, and no money to spend on such luxuries (sob sob). Luckily for me a friend (who works for Clinique) bought me this one for my birthday last year. I have used Clinique mascaras before and been impressed, so I was only too happy to try this one out.
The promise is that it will last twenty four hours without smudging or smearing, through rain, sweat and tears (that will be a typical day then!) and yet somehow washes off with warm water! There is no promise of a curl, or ultra volume, but this mascara vows to lengthen your lashes, reaching even the itty bitty tiny ones.

**The Packaging**
The product comes boxed in the reassuring staple Clinique style boxing, with product name in silver on a background of peach and green flowers. The mascara itself is pretty standard. A green tube, again with silver writing and a silver lid, attached to which is the mascara brush. The tube did look smaller than the other mascaras I have had. It was, this contains only 6g, when other standard Clinique mascaras are 8g. I cannot find out why, but it didn't seem to run out any sooner than I would have expected, so not a big problem. The packaging is classy and elegant. It shows that this is definitely a high end product, but it isn't flashy, but then Clinique are all about the science, not the glamour.

**Application**
On unscrewing the sturdy wand and hearing the satisfying 'pop' that all mascaras should give, I found a shorter wand with a smaller than expected brush. The brush looked to be made entirely of plastic, without any 'brush' bristles, just small plastic ones. I can only describe it as a stretched out egg in shape, tapering at each end and wider in the middle. The brush does not curve and does not have a lash comb. I was very shocked at first, this does seem to be a completely new approach to mascara design.
This didn't make the product difficult to apply, in fact it was very easy. You do need to put on a few coats, and because the brush is small, move it around the eyelash to cover all. If you do this, then as Clinique promise, you can cover even the smallest lash. It is a very we formula, but it dries solid (just don't sneeze too soon), doesn't clump and goes on very smoothly.

**Look**
This isn't a WOW factor mascara, but it is very effective at what it does. It builds up nicely, adds a little bit of volume, curls the lashes and lengthens. Of course, you can always keep adding more layers - I didn't try this but it could work. The overall effect is pretty, curled lashes, that open out your eyes and make you look very fresh and awake. The genius of this product is that once you have these lashes, you get to keep them all day long! This really does do what it sets out to. I have used the big impact mascaras before and they never last on my lashes. I either end up with black eyes or straight lashes by lunchtime/end of the night. This mascara makes a noticeable difference to my eyelashes and by the time I get home, they look the same they did when I first applied the product, bigger, longer and curlier. No more lash-droop! I guess the choice is yours - huge lashes for half an hour, or nearly huge lashes for the whole night? I know what I would choose!

**Removal**
This is the beauty of the product - it doesn't come off! Even with eye make-up remover this stuff won't brush. You need apply warm water to your lashes - I used a cotton pad, patted on the lashes - and then a cotton pad (the same one will do) to wipe off. This has the effect of melting the formula, and makes any residue easy to remove with a standard cleanser. It doesn't smudge or streak off, it is like nothing you have used before. You will find that the mascara has set hard on your lashes and comes off in small black chunks. If you are a bit weird like me, you may find yourself actually picking it off your eyelashes when you get home - that is possible - it just comes off in little bits. This is slightly odd, but rest assured, it won't budge till you want it to!

**Price**
This mascara is currently available for £12.23 on the Clinique website and at debenhams.com (post-VAT cut price). Clinique is generally the same price wherever you buy, but you might find it cheaper on ebay, although there is no way to tell if it has been used or not, so I'm not sure if I would risk it. My tip is to look out for the department store discount days, when you can usually get 10% off cosmetics or wait for Clinique 'Bonus Time' when you can buy two products and receive a free gift of sample products and usually a small cosmetic bag too. Failing that the website offers two free samples of your choice with every order, which is very good as the counter girls can get narky if you ask for freebies (I have worked with them) and they won't always give you what you want either. Having said that delivery is £3.95, whatever you spend (although at the moment they have a lipgloss offer when you buy two products, which also looks very good). My advice is simply to check out the offers they have on the website, before going into a store. (www.clinique.co.uk)
If you are not used to paying this much for a mascara then I can assure you that this one is worth it. A high end mascara can cost £18 plus, indeed the ones sold alongside Clinique (Dior, Lancome etc) are this much, so for a premium product it is good value. If you still aren't convinced, pop into a department store and ask if someone will try it out on you. They will be only too happy, and if you want to feel how it applies, you can put it on yourself, they won't mind, but make sure you ask first as they will give you the appropriate trial wand for hygiene reasons (it will be like the one the product uses). Then go home, walk in the rain, have a cry, sweat it out - test it for yourself!

**Verdict**
This is a great product and I would definitely buy it for myself. Even though the tube is smaller, it still lasts the recommended six months, and after that you should replace your mascaras anyway. In fact, having spent the last few months using up samples (the pennies won't save themselves), writing this review, I am convincing myself I need some more of this. I've just taken up swimming and it has struck me that it might keep me looking beautiful in the pool a little bit longer than I am used to - think black streaks down each cheek!
Clinique here I come!

Summary: This is a very different kind of mascara, but lives up to it's promises - give it a go!