| Product: |
Estée Lauder Illusionist Intense |
| Date: |
08.10.07 (186 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Hmmm, it is not horrible?
Disadvantages: Expensive and it doesn't even work!
First of all I must admit that the only reason I bought this mascara is because I read a mascara test in a magazine where some sort of C-list celebrity (I believe it may have been Adele Silva) tried out different mascaras and then scored them according to different criteria. The Illusionist was the hands down winner and I completely fell for the picture as it seemed to make Miss C-list’s eyelashes both longer and thicker while it also gave them a nice curl. This is something that many mascaras claim to do but do not generally deliver.
If that hadn’t been enough to convince me the fact that the Estée Lauder website offered me 2 free samples of moisturisers if I ordered this one thing had me scrambling for my credit card in no time. I ended up paying £17.99 + £4.95 standard delivery charge. Expensive? Yes, but if this is the magic mascara that will beat all other mascaras then obviously it’s totally worth it!
A couple of days later the package from Estée Lauder arrived and I hurried home from work to have a look. The first thing that struck me was the amount of packaging apparently required for 1 mascara and 2 small sample sizes of moisturiser. I did entertain the idea that I should send an email to Esteé Lauder to complain about this absolute waste and recommend they should get an environmental policy in place but I haven’t got that far yet. Never mind, back to the mascara. The tube is pretty ordinary looking, nothing to suggest that this mascara is very much different from any other product. However, I wasn’t fooled but decided to try it out straight away.
The website had suggested that the mascara may give eyelashes 160% more curl but I decided to take no chances but use my eye lash curler first. After the first coat I was less than impressed. The special applicator which is wider in the middle and gradually narrower towards the end did make my eye lashes look a bit longer and a little thicker but there was no noticeable curl. I decided to add a second coat and whereas this made them look a little thicker and slightly more dramatic it also made them clump a little. The mascara did stay on for most of the day without crumbling but some came off under the eye during the 9 hour day. It is very easy to remove, in fact it can be done with plain water if you wish, although I tend to use a water based eye make-up remover.
I have only had the product or about a month so cannot say how long it will last, however, it’s probably sensible to go with the general 3-month mascara rule. If it’s not finished within this time span be very careful to smell it to ensure it hasn’t gone off.
I still use this mascara every now and again as it is good enough. Sadly it was not the miracle that I had hoped for and there are plenty of cheaper mascaras out there that offer the same, or better, result for half the price of the Illusionist.
In all I was disappointed as it did not do what it promised but hopefully it might teach me once and for all to stop falling for advertising, tests and suggestions.
Summary: Save your money!
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