Tube Your Lashes!

Every girl has stories about her first experiments with makeup. I remember a classmate in high school who was known for constantly adding layers to her mascara throughout the day. It was like she only had five eyelashes by the end of the day. She was a bit obsessed with it I think! When I met her my freshman year, I had never worn mascara. She took one look at my lashes and begged me to let her put a little on me. I agreed (to just one coat). I was a bit nervous, but one look in the mirror, seeing how my eyes just popped...I loved my new look. Now I just had to convince my mom!

Have dark circles under your eyes? Well, it might not be just lack of sleep. The pigment used in some mascaras can bleed and deposit right into your skin. Years ago, I heard that cosmetic companies use coal tar in mascara. Yuck! I started looking for a natural formula. I have since done some research and I cannot seem to get a clear answer. Is there tar in mascara? Some sources say that the tar myth is simply that, a myth. Others report differently. Well, I will have to continue in my research and report back to you later. For now, I will recommend a great product I've found that definitely does not contain coal tar, and does not run!

If you know me well, you know that I have been accused of wearing false lashes, on more than one occasion. It is a blessed genetic gift bestowed by my dad. Ah, but don't worry. The scales were evened out, as I also inherited his feet! With this burden of long lashes to bear, I am a bit picky about choosing a mascara. I have tried lots of different brands through the years, and when I went all-na-tu-ral with my makeup, the natural mascaras did not do much to impress me. They were okay, but just did not have the performance of some of the more popular brands. I've gone back and forth between different brands, trying to find one that looked great and didn't contain all the chemicals.

In my search for natural mascaras, I have found most of them just don't seem to have the stay power a girl is lookin' for! Now I am using blinc (formerly Kiss Me) mascara. This is such a cool product! You put the mascara on and it forms little tiny tubes around your lashes. To remove, you just use warm water and apply a little pressure. No makeup remover needed. No rubbing your eyes and no irritation.

What I love about this product is that it really stays put. While I don't purposely wear makeup for workouts, I sometimes exercise in the evening when makeup is already on from the day. I can be dripping with sweat and my mascara does not run. And the ultimate test for us ladies...a good cry-yes, it passed that test as well. I'm not talking about a few tears here either. I have had a total sobbing fit and this mascara stayed in tact.

But when it comes time to take it off? Piece of cake. Just use warm water, apply a little pressure and the tubes come off. It is a little strange at first...almost looks like you are pulling your lashes out. Oh, and best of all, I never get those yucky glops of mascara sleep gunk in the corner of my eyes. Ladies, you know what I'm talking about!

Okay, so I wish I could say that this product is absolutely natural. It does NOT contain tar, but it does have a couple ingredients that are on my no-no list. Despite this, I am giving it a pass, because once this mascara dries, it is DRY, and the product does not continuously get deposited into your skin. The mascara is a little tricky to work with at first. If you are picky like me, you want your lashes to look just so. When using blinc mascara, just have your eyelash comb ready to go to get the look you want. If you want to apply more than one coat, it needs to be done before it dries, not after. When it dries, it is set. While the packaging says it does not flake, I have had a tiny flake here and there (very tiny) during hot and humid weather. But this is by far, the best performing mascara I have tried.

Although this is a healthy-living blog, this post was more about sharing a favorite exception to the rule. While I live my life looking for the healthiest products out there, once in a while I find a happy compromise, and this is the case with blinc mascara.

So, here's to fabulous lashes!