Review: Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara

I know I’m not the only one who is SUCH a sucker for new mascara.  I think the other artists here at Critical Makeup make it a hobby to buy new ones once a week! I don’t know what it is, but as soon as a new mascara hits the market, I MUST have it to try!  I have a feeling it has to do with the relatively low-ish price point ($7-$30) and the fact that I am always looking for a magical makeup miracle.

My lash situation: I am blessed with long lashes.  This is wonderful and also not so great, as the length makes it very difficult for them to stay up and in place after curling.  I usually do really well with a waterproof, lightweight mascara (like L’oreal Voluminous Million Lashes in Waterproof…SO AMAZE) but waterproof can be harsh to remove.  As I get older, my lashes are not as plentiful, and for some inexplicable reason, they are turning a crazy blonde color!  I have naturally very dark brown hair, and this blonde lash thing is throwing me off lately. So NOW I really need a deep dark blacker than black formula to get the look I really want.  You know, bombshell crazy drag-ish. BOOM.

Which leads me to the point that yes, I bought yet another new mascara last week.  I am a big fan of Bobbi Brown for certain products in my professional kit, like the fabulous Cream Stick Foundations and supercritical Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks, so I thought I would give the new Smokey Eye Mascara a go!  It’s NEW!  I couldn’t resist!

Upon opening my nice new tube, I noticed right away that the formula is very rich and deep black.  It was not goopy or overly wet upon the first stroke of application.  What I really loved right away was the immediate effect of BOOM it gave my lashes.  If you need lash drama and do not want to try to build up the lashes for 15 minutes, this mascara is for you. The brush is of classic spiral wand construction, but with tons and tons of hairs, not a rubber brush.  You will not get advanced lash separation, so if you like a very separated look this mascara is not for you.

I loved the big immediate drama, but I noticed it is not the most buildable mascara on the planet.  It can get a little chunky when too much is applied.  If you want to try a Bobbi Brown mascara like this but one that is much more easy to layer, I highly recommend the Extreme Party Mascara.  According to a Bobbi Brown resource of mine, Smokey Eye is designed to last up to 12 hours and resist flaking and smudging, is very rich black, and adds lots of volume and length.  The Extreme Party mascara has a similar description, but is noted as “buildable,” and does not claim a richer black pigment.

After 10 hours of wear, I did not notice any flaking or smudging, which is fantastic! And surprising!  Because this formula is not waterproof, my lashes weren’t cemented up to a perfect curl all day.  It’s to be expected.  For personal use I think is a great mascara option for every day.  I think the mainstream consumer will love it.  In my kit, however, waterproof mascara is absolutely crucial to my main clients (brides!  And their happy but waterworks prone families!) so I don’t think it’s the best go-to kit mascara option for the professional artist.  If you are a makeup artist who LOVES having many different formulas to choose from, this is a good one to have on hand for deep pigment and quick drama. Alas, as is always our mascara dilemma as artists, we lose the awesomeness of the product due to the use of a fresh, disposable wand for every dip, and we don’t have a TON of disposable options to choose from (unless you really want to buy a brand new mascara for every client.  I wish, but I don’t even have the storage space for that extra inventory!)  On that note, I will still stick to my trusty L’oreal classic Voluminous for the majority of my clients.   You better believe I’ll be buying Smokey Lash Mascara again for myself though. I love the deep rich black pigment, it’s beyond quick and easy to apply, and the formula really stood up to the wear it claimed. Not my Holy Grail mascara, but better than the majority of the prestige and high end mascara options out there, in my opinion.  It’s a good thing it lives up to its claims, this mascara’s retail price is $28!  (Thank you Bobbi Brown for your generous Pro discount, by the way…)

Pretty Penny recommends Bobbi Brown Smokey Lash Mascara if you:

• Often use the words “diva,” “drama queen,” or “luxe” to describe yourself

• Do not have a ton of time in the morning to apply makeup, but you want to look like you did

• Prefer a very rich black mascara

• Prefer a classic mascara wand

• Really just love to try new mascaras!

• Think the term “smokey eye” just applies to your everyday makeup look (<——yep, that’s me!)

Thanks, lovelies!  I would love to hear about your mascara woes, situations, mishaps, faves, duds, experiences.