Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes (Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes)

Member Name: indiego

Product:	Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes
Date:	30/10/09 (18 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gives false lash effect, nice packaging, lasts for ages.

Disadvantages: Expensive!

When shopping in town with a friend, I was pretty surprised to find a minature medieval torture device at the Givenchy counter in Debenhams. However, as I got closer, I realised that it was not, in fact, a tiny replica of a mace, but some new, 'revolutionary' mascara.
In case you couldn't work it out from the picture, the Phenomen'Eyes mascara is very short with a little ball on the end with spikes. Sounds kind of scary to be honest. When I first used it I was terrified of poking my eye out.
Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to buy it, despite the £18.50 price tag - £18.50? For a mascara? It's madness, MADNESS I TELL YOU! -, and used it as soon as I got home.
At first it seemed like any normal mascara; slightly disappointing considering how much money I had spent. But after a few coats I started to notice the difference. The wierd brush shape is actually pretty ingenious - the shape of it gets all the little baby hairs at the bottom which normal mascara doesn't do, so it makes a huge impact on your eyelashes. Also, it doesn't come off! Which is good, I suppose, if you're someone like me who can't be bothered to reapply makeup during the day, but when it comes to the evening and you just want to go to bed, it's a bitch to take off. Seriously. Baby lotion doesn't do it, makeup wipes don't do it. I literally have to pull it off with my fingernails. Or, what I tend to do, is I rub my eyes so it smudges all down my face (lovely imagery there) and then take it off my face with baby lotion, because I swear it is like a glue to your eyelashes.
What I recommend doing is curling your eyeashes beforehand - a ten second squeeze does it - near the roots, and then apply it. You will really see the difference. When I curl my eyelashes and then put it on it actually looks like I'm wearing false eyelashes.
I apply it upwards, which is where the short wand comes in handy as it means much more control.
There is a newish, highstreet version. I think it's called Loreal Telescopic Explosion. I don't have it, but I've heard it is nowhere near as good as the Givenchy. The tip is much bigger and more oval and the wand is longer, and I personally think that the packaging is much more tacky than the Givenchy packaging, which I really like (the Givenchy packaging, I like the Givenchy packaging, not the tackyness of the other one). But I suppose the price tag will be alot smaller!
I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for a new mascara and are prepared to pay the extra! This is, in my view, better than Dior Show which is the same price. If expensive makeup is your thing, this is definitely for you!

Summary: Overall amazing mascara, despite the price, a definite recommendation.