CoverGirl LashBlast Clump Crusher Mascara

Heck yes, it's another mascara review!! I swear, I go through mascaras faster than I go through eyelashes...

Let me start off by saying this - I thought this mascara was going to be a dud. Sure, bend the wand a little bit and throw it in a green tube with a different name, and you've got... the exact same thing as the original CoverGirl LashBlast! I mean, the original version wasn't clumpy to begin with - so how different could this version be?!

I must admit, I got sucked in by the pretty green tube and the curvy wand. I'm so shallow. I mean, I loved the original LashBlast way back in the day, but now it doesn't seem to meet my wants/needs as far as mascara goes. I don't know why I thought Clump Crusher would be any different...

I paid about $8 CDN for a tube of this mascara (non-waterproof version), but I'm sure I've seen it average anywhere between $7-$10 CDN. Like I mentioned previously, it comes in a delicious green tube with one of those flexible silicone wands. The wand on the Clump Crusher is a lot slimmer and bendy than the wand on the Original LashBlast. The bristles are curved as well, which makes this noticeably different from the original version.

Photo credit: www.allure.com

CoverGirl claims that this mascara will give you "200% more volume" without clumps, not to mention the "beautifully separated lashes" that you will have after you sweep this across them. The brush is described as having a "lash-loading" and "clump-combing" zones. 

This mascara is... in one word... amazing. 

It's also exceptionally buildable. In fact, I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of working with a mascara that I can build quite like I can build the CoverGirl Clump Crusher. I can apply one coat, which gives me a very natural but voluminous finish, or I can apply four coats which gives me intense volume, curl, and separation. I have no fear about putting on several coats, as I don't feel like this mascara gives me the "spider lashes" look, regardless of how many layers of mascara I've piled on. In fact, I'd love to try 5, even 6 coats, sometime, just to see what the end result would be.

Top left: (left eye) 2 coats, (right eye) 1 coat
Top right: (left eye) 3 coats, (right eye) 1 coat
Bottom left: (left eye) 4 coats, (right eye) 1 coat
Bottom right: (both eyes) 4 coats

Both (top) sets of lashes with 4 coats of the Clump Crusher mascara

As for lengthening, it's not anything mind-blowing. My lashes do seem longer, but they aren't sky high like they were when I tried L'Oreal's Voluminous Million Lashes mascara. I feel like it's a respectable and noticeable length, but there's certainly room for improvement.

This mascara isn't heavy or crusty or flakey on my lashes, it's soft and flexible. I have ZERO problems with flaking or smudging or transferring (unless I go crazy and start pawing at my lashes intermittently throughout the day...). I have the non-waterproof version, and if you get water or tears on your lashes, you're going to see some bleeding. I'm wondering what the waterproof version is like...? Probably super h-core. I'm guessing it would be an excellent alternative for days when you need exceptional wear from your mascara (i.e., weddings, funerals, graduation, prom, girls' night out, breaking up with your boyfriend, watching a romantic tragedy, etc.)

For my every day purpose, this mascara is wonderful. The longevity is stellar - my eyelashes look almost exactly the same as they did in the morning when I first applied my mascara. 

I do feel like this mascara holds a curl reasonably well - I even used it with and without a lash curler to see, and I feel like it's respectable in the curl-holding-department. Nothing mind-blowing, mind you, but I think it's suitable for day-to-day wear. I may notice that the curl has fallen just the slightest bit, but it's nothing to complain about.

The formula is on the drier side of a wet mascara. It's not too liquidy, but it's not like piling paste onto your lashes either. I think the drier formula is what gives you that buildable quality and enhances the volume of your lashes as well.

And who in the heck wouldn't love this brilliant green tube, I ask you!? I love to leave this out on my vanity, just to catch my attention and make me smile in the mornings - no joke. I mean, you can have your elegant, sleek, expensive-looking tubes, leave me with the simple lime green tube, and I'll be a happy camper for life.

Can I just spend a moment singing the glories of the wand, as well!? I love how Clump Crusher has a flexible wand that fits the curve of my eye, and bends to accommodate every angle of my lashes. I love how the one side of the brush features some longer bristles that catch less product, so that I can comb through my lashes and dispell any clump-age before it dries. The little 'resevoir' or 'valley' in the brush picks up more product and deposits it at the base of my lashes, where I can easily pull it through to the ends in one smooth sweep. This brush is far more easy to work with than the Original LashBlast, as the wand is more forgiving and accommodating.

I feel like this mascara would be great for layering. If you found a lightweight, but stellar lengthening mascara, you could build up some crazy intense lashes using Clump Crusher as your volumizing and defining layer(s).

All in all, I am thoroughly impressed. While this is no L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara, it's still a fantastic volumizing, separating, and surprisingly buildable mascara. I can see myself using this every day indefinitely. I encourage everyone to give it a chance - especially those who tried Original LashBlast, and didn't find the volume or length they were looking for. It's an affordable mascara to try, even if you're just curious, and you're not going to be out your life savings if you hate it.

I'd definitely recommend this mascara to anyone looking for a buildable, volumizing mascara that gives great separation and definition, while still remaining flexible and weightless on your lashes.

4.5 out of 5 stars - what WHAT!?

Let me know: have you tried the CoverGirl LashBlast Clump Crusher mascara recently!? What did you think of it?!

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes in Carbon Black

I picked this mascara up from Shoppers Drug Mart for about $7 CDN on sale, whoot whoot!

Photo credit: Lorealparis.ca

I did some research on this mascara before I picked it up - knowing full well that about half of the women out there hated it with all their guts, and the other half were madly in love with it. I hoped that I was one of the latter.

This mascara features a flexible silicone wand with spacious bristles. L'Oreal describes the design as a "Clean Sweep System [which] wipes the brush free of clumps" for a clean, defined, voluminous look. It is supposed to be ophthalmologist-tested and allergy-tested. It claims to be clump-free and fragrance-free, as well as safe for contact-lens wearers and those with sensitive eyes.

Oh my, oh my, oh my. How I adored this mascara.

The packaging is tres chic. Who wouldn't want to pull this golden tube of deliciousness out of their makeup bags, I ask you!? This definitely looks more expensive and high-end than any other mascara I've tried. Kudos on the packaging, L'Oreal. I especially love the way the inside of the tube is designed, with the little 'cleaner' feature that pulls excess product off of the brush before you get it out of the tube.

The brush was perfect for getting right in to the base of my lashes, and because of the way the brush was designed, it got just the right amount of product on my lashes - enough to thicken them, but the brush wasn't so gobbed up with product that it couldn't clear away the excess at the same time. This brush is a little bit larger in size - sort of reminiscent of CoverGirl's infamous LashBlast mascara, but with a gentle curve that fits the curve of your natural lashline perfectly. This brush wasn't as torturous as the L'Oreal Clean Definition Telescopic that I loathed with it's razor sharp bristles; still not friendly if you happen to get it too close to your lashline, but not nearly as painful.

The wand also features short bristles mixed in with longer bristles, to lengthen and clear out any clumpage. Ingenious design, I tell you. Brilliant!

The mascara itself has an interesting smell. It's not overwhelming or overpowering, but it's not nice either. Sort of a "peppery-plastic" smell, and yes, you can quote me. I don't know if I notice the scent too much after it's applied, but when you first whip your brush out of the tube, it's sort of a startling discovery - especially when you're not used to smelling anything from your mascara tube.

The formula was thin, but not as thin as other L'Oreal mascaras I've tried. Usually I have to leave my L'Oreal mascaras uncapped for several days before they dry out enough to be usable. Not so with this mascara.

It was pure black. Like the blackest of black mascaras - it made my green eyes pop like you wouldn't imagine.

On the left, 2 coats of the L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara.
On the right, my naked lashes.

It volumized my lashes fantastically. But it wasn't clumpy and it didn't make my lashes spidery. I got separation and definition, yet the base of my lashes was dark and thick. Somehow this mascara did exactly what I wanted every mascara in the history of ever to do for my eyeballs.

A comparison of my naked lashes to my lashes with
2 coats of the mascara.

On the top - Left: 2 coats of the mascara, Right: naked lashes
On the bottom: Left: 3 coats of the mascara, Right: 1 coat of the mascara

I never tried curling my lashes with this mascara, but I have no doubt that it would've rocked it up in that category also. I've heard a lot of complaints about this mascara flaking and such, but I never experienced a problem with flaking or transferring. This mascara stayed put on my eyeballses.

BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.... there's always a but... haha, I said "butt"...

This mascara was no comprendo with my eyeballs. Every night after taking my mascara off, my eyes would itch and water and burn so bad. Sometimes they even itched during the day if so much as a little flake got into my eye... It was maddening, I tell you. I considered that maybe it was just environmental allergies, but as soon as I stopped using this mascara the problem went away. So unfortunate.

And the price is sort of a con as well. If you're buying this mascara full price, expect to pay at least $9 CDN. Depending on where you purchase it, you might be looking as much as $11 or $12 CDN dollars. Ouch. My wallet is crying...

Needless to say, I'm really disappointed. I wanted this to be my holy grail mascara - now it's just taking up space in my drawer, and I'm not really sure what to do with it. Maybe my sister would like to take it for a test drive...

3 out of 5 stars.
A huge part of me wants to give this 5 or 6 stars, just because it is that amazing. But I knocked it down to a 3 because the price I pay in pain and agony just isn't worth any delicious lashes.

Sigh de la sigh. What mascara duds have you tried? I want to know.

Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara

I picked up this mascara for $11.49 CDN (before GST) from Shoppers Drug Mart, though it is available wherever Annabelle cosmetics are sold. Next time I'd probably pick this up from WalMart to take advantage of the reduced prices, but in this case I was desperate for a new tube of mascara. The tube itself contains 0.38 oz (10 ml) of product. As far as I'm aware, it is only available in one shade: Black.

The package claims that the mascara will give you "mega volume from the first stroke [of the brush]," while "[separating] lashes easily without clumping" and finally, "[adding] tons of length for show-stopping lashes." It is ophthalmologist tested, so it's safe for contact-lens wearers and those with sensitive eyeballses. According to AnnabelleCosmetics.com, this mascara is supposed to be smudge-proof, resistant to running, and flake-free.


As far as the packaging goes, it's fairly simple. No fancy handles or crazy eye-catching exterior. The tube is black with pink splatter marks all around, with the name of the mascara and the brand name on it. It's one of the more heavy mascaras (as far as packaging goes) that I have ever owned, which I appreciate. The shade name is not located on the immediate product packaging, probably because only one shade is available for retail. The brush is the old-school fiber-type  wand. I'm not the hugest fan of this kind of nylon-bristled brush - I tend to gravitate towards the silicone, bendable brushes. No bells, whistles, or grandiose marketing gimmicks here.

Left to Right: Maybelline Volum'Express One by One mascara,
Annabelle Le Big Show mascara

After first opening the tube (straight from the packaging), the formula of the mascara itself is fairly wet. Not as wet as L'Oreal mascaras tend to be, but wetter than I was expecting. If I'm not careful the mascara will transfer from my lashes to my eyelid after application. For this reason I think I'm going to start applying my eyeshadow after applying my mascara... or trying the infamous 'card' trick.


The only shade available is Black, but this is one of the best blacks I've had the pleasure of trying. 


My first experience with this mascara was right after I bought it - I had my first night class of the spring semester at University, and my lashes needed a pick-me-up, so I opened this baby up and applied it over top of my Maybelline Volum'Express One by One mascara applied earlier that morning. My lashes did not clump up or get that 'spider' look, in fact they felt incredibly flexible (as compared to other mascaras I've used).

This mascara doesn't flake or smudge off, giving me 'raccoon' or 'panda' eyes throughout the day. It removes easily with my Cetaphil Gentle Daily Skin cleanser, water, and a wash cloth at night. When I've broken into bouts of tears, I haven't noticed that this particular mascara runs as easily as some of my non-waterproof mascaras (Maybelline Volum'Express One by One, for example). The wear-time is really respectable. If I'm rubbing at my eyes a lot or if I were to (regrettably) fall asleep with this mascara on, it lasts well. I can sometimes notice a bit of wear at the very ends of my lashes as the day goes on, but it's not enough to be detectably noticeable.


I feel that as far as this mascara goes, I'm really happy to be purchasing something from a Canadian brand. It's no surprise to those who follow my blog that I adore Annabelle Cosmetics, so I'm not really surprised that this mascara turned out to be another one of their 'show-stopping' products in addition to their Smoothliners, and mono eyeshadows.


I love how this gives my lashes volume and length, how the mascara doesn't irritate my eyes, how it removes easily yet lasts throughout the day. It really is quite fantastic. I wish that they did sell it in a brown or brownish-black version though. I'd love to have it for a more subtle, natural everyday looks... but as far as the mascara itself goes, the lack of color selection isn't enough to deter me from re-purchasing.

Thanks to Tracy @BeautyReflections for recommending it to me. It definitely has been a hit thus far, and is my new favorite mascara to date :)


4 out of 5 stars
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What's your favorite drugstore mascara of the moment?!

L'Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara

This mascara retails for approximately $8-$11 CDN, depending where you're buying it from. It can be purchased anywhere L'Oreal Paris cosmetics are sold. It is only sold in the shades Black and Blackest Black. 

According to L'Oreal Paris, this mascara is supposed to build lashes up to 5 times their natural thickness. It's supposed to be a flake-free, smudge-free, and clump-free formula that leaves lashes soft instead of crunchy.


This product comes packaged in a sleek, matte gray tube with a shiny gold handle. The brush is your typical old-school fiber bristled brush. It has a long wand, which was a shocking contrast to the more recent releases from mascara companies with shorter wands to allow for more precision. Overall, the packaging isn't stunning, but it most certainly is not hideous. It wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

The actual mascara itself is very black and very wet upon first opening. Not the greatest combination with a fiber-bristle brush, if you ask me.


When I first purchased it, I really really hated this mascara. It was incredibly wet and clumped on my lashes terribly, as well as transferring to my upper lid and ruining my eyeshadow... every time. I gave it several chances to cooperate, but nothing - I couldn't keep using it, so I put it away.


A few days ago, I did a makeup look that required some pretty serious volume in the lash department. I hesitantly reached for this one, thinking that maybe my opinion would've changed. And surprisingly, it did.


I have heard more recently that L'Oreal mascaras typically need a few weeks to dry out before being considered 'usable.' I would definitely agree with this statement. My mascara is significantly 'drier' - creating intense volume instead of spidery wet clumps. If you're looking for a lengthening mascara, you are not going to find it here. While I do have long lashes, this mascara does not do anything to add length or definition to my lashes. This is strictly a volumizing mascara - the intense thickness at your lash line creates the illusion of oodles of lashes. It is, hands down, the best volumizing mascara I've ever used. 

Naked lashes.

Note: I am not wearing false lashes.
But I do have Annabelle Smoothliner in Brownie, and
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Zero smudged on my upper lash line.

Pigmentation has never been an issue in my mascara endeavours - I don't really care if it's brown-black or black. So long as it makes my lashes show up on my eyeball. But as far as black mascaras go, this one does not disappoint.


I have had no issues with smudging or flaking - which is a definite plus. Of course, this does remove easily with makeup remover and a wash cloth, but throughout a regular day of wear-and-tear, it doesn't budge.


On the one hand, I really love this mascara for its volumizing properties. It gives me the illusion of false lashes without making them feel heavy or crunchy. I don't know that I get 5 times the volume - in fact, I'm not sure at all how you'd be able to measure that or tell, nevertheless, I find myself reaching more and more for this tube over my Maybelline Volum'Express One by One recently; however, some elements of this product get me down.

The price tag. Other brands sell cheaper mascaras.
The fact that I can't use it right when I buy it. It's a pain to have to wait a few weeks before getting the result you want with your mascara. I can buy a Maybelline mascara and use it five minutes after I buy it and get the effect I want - who wants to buy their mascara only to wait to use it?
It's only available in black shades. While black is a great color for a more sultry 'night' look, it's not necessarily the color I want on my lashes every day. I'd probably get over my other two gripes if this was available in brown-black.


Overall, this is a better-than-mediocre mascara. It's not so amazing that you have to drop everything and run out and get it now... but it's not one that you should entirely pass over, especially if you love volumizing black mascaras. Or if you're a L'Oreal junkie.


I will give this a 3 out of 5 - only because I despise having to wait for my mascara to decide to work.
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What's your favorite L'Oreal mascara? Do you have any good alternative volumizing mascaras that you'd recommend??

Maybelline Volum'Express One by One (Washable) Mascara

Retails for approximately $7-$9 CDN. It comes in a 0.3 fl oz tube.

I have mine in the washable format, in the color Very Black. This mascara is also available in 'washable' form in the colors Brown Black and Blackest Black. It comes in a waterproof formula too, but only in the shades Very Black and Blackest Black.

Maybelline boasts: "Finally, bold without the bulk! Instant clump-free volume." The site claims that there are 3 bristles per lash on the patented 'Lash Catcher' brush to "catch, coat, and de-clump" and "make every lash count." Each lash is supposed to be "fatter and flirtier" as a result.

It is contact lens safe and ophthalmologist-tested. They claim that it rinses clean with soap and water (or makeup remover, what have you...).

Maybelline's site encourages you to sweep the brush upwards from the lash root to the tip to add volume. You can add as many coats of mascara as you'd like, though they recommend you do not let the mascara dry between applications.

I bought this on a whim one day - not having done my usual extensive research and perusing of blogs and reviews to see if it was really worth my money. The packaging and theory of it all grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go.

Being a CoverGirl LashBlast addict, I appreciated the idea behind the large silicone brush with oodles of bristles to coat each lash and add volume, while separating to create definition and length. The unfortunate downside of LashBlast is that while it is... perfect in every other respect, it dries out far too quickly for my liking. I'm constantly replacing my tube every two or three weeks, and at $8-$9 a pop, I was searching for my new Holy Grail mascara.

So I picked this up in Very Black, which is rather unusual for me as I am a "Brownish Black" kind of girl, and went to pay.

The brush is one of those bendy silicone ones with a crap-ton of bristles on a shorter wand. The shorter wand allows me more control and precision when applying the mascara, as opposed to mascaras with longer wands that make this process awkward. The brush is larger, and tapers at each end - forming an oblong oval shape. The tapered ends really help to get in to the inner corners, and for creating that winged-out effect on the outer lashes. The bristles are bendy, and don't stab my lash line or eyeball like the wand for the L'Oreal Clean Definition Telescopic does. The bristles work WITH my lashes, not against them, to pull through for a clean, clump-free look. The brush does not come out of the tube with excessive amounts of mascara gobbed up on it, which is a definite bonus.

The formula is VERY smooth. And wet. I would almost say that it might be 'too wet' for some. While it is a wetter mascara, however, it does dry more quickly than other 'wet' mascaras I've tried. It coats every lash, while the plethora of bristles separates to give definition. It is easy to build up the formula with coats of mascara to get an intense volumized appearance - without looking like you have four eyelashes.

This is about 2-3 coats of mascara. Looks like fake lashes... *squee*

While the website recommends that you don't let the mascara dry between coats, it is very easy and manageable to go back later in the day and re-apply mascara without it clumping up and looking gnarly.

As I said earlier, I am not a "black mascara" type of girl, though I do enjoy this black. It's not 'TOO' black, but dark enough to add some drama. I can only assume that Blackest Black is the richer, more pigmented sister to Very Black (but don't quote me...).

I do not notice any flaking or smudging throughout the day; however, I have fallen asleep with this mascara on, and the mascara on the tips of your lashes will rub off into little flakeys on your face. But, if you no-touchy your eyeballs, your mascara should be fine.

This mascara withstands tears pretty well, also. So long as you don't rub your eyes as the lashes are wet with rain, tears, etc. the mascara will hold up pretty well... as soon as you touch it, though, it will transfer. Food for thought.

This would have to be my NEW Holy Grail mascara (sorry, LashBlast!!). For every day, it provides clean definition, volume and length. It gives me the coveted "fake lash" look I am always on the lookout for, yet still remains wearable for school and the office. It lasts EONS without drying out, unlike the CoverGirl LashBlast. There aren't flakeys on my face or smudges below my eyes, AND at the price, it's not about to break the bank... Plus, who doesn't love the gorgeous hot pink and turquoise tube??

I am eager to try the Waterproof version of this mascara, to see if it lives up to my expectations, having tried the washable formula and being thoroughly impressed.

Definitely 5 out of 5 stars.
* * * * *

L'Oreal Telescopic Clean Definition Mascara

I have the L'Oreal Telescopic Clean Definition Mascara in Brown Black. I purchased it from WalMart for approximately $9-$10 CDN.

**Note: Just because this mascara does/does not work for me, doesn't mean that's the way it's going to work for you...it's a game of trial-and-error for everyone, but these are just my thoughts and opinions on a product that did/did not work for me**



I was in the market for a new mascara - not necessarily a lengthening or volumizing formula, but I wanted a mascara that didn't dry out especially quickly, like my holy grail of mascaras, the CoverGirl LashBlast volume. I remembered having watched a review for the L'Oreal Clean Definition by pinkiecharm on YouTube, and trusting her high recommendations, splurged and picked up a tube.

The brush wand is not a fiber brush, like old school mascaras (back in the day), but rather a flexible silicone/plastic brush. The mascara claims to be 100% clump free, and to show 60% more length in your lashes. It is a lengthening formula that provides a natural look.

Upon trying the product, I was immediately disappointed.
The brush was extremely spikey, and hurt my lash line with each application - on my first application, I managed to stab myself in the eye with the wand - and let me tell you...the pain was indescribable. I mean, I've stabbed myself in the eye with the CoverGirl LashBlast wand, and countless other mascara wands (clutz that I am...) but this one hurt like you wouldn't believe.

In addition, I found the formula exceptionally clumpy - the prongs on the wand seemed to be too far apart on the brush to separate my lashes completely, and just applied too much product. I also found this mascara not to add any significant length to my eyelashes...now, my eyelashes are long...but this mascara did not make them look crazy long...

I did enjoy the smooth, 'liquid-y' formula though...it was not drying, and didn't make my eyelashes feel heavy or weighed down. After the mascara dried, my lashes (to the touch) were extremely soft and flexible, not crunchy and flakey. The color of the formula was unbelievable - very pigmented.

Overall...I don't like it. I don't appreciate the killer brush, and I don't appreciate the massive clumpage. If we could put the same formula in a different tube with a better brush - I would be ALL game. But since it's not, I will stick with my CoverGirl LashBlast Volume and keep my eyes peeled for the next best thing.

But for now, I give it 2 out of 5 stars.
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