Lashes that make his lipstick wanna play

The Husbo was a good lil' guy yesterday...  He came home with 2 dozen roses; a dozen for each Valentine's Day we've been married - This could become expensive after V-Day #3, but I'll take it.

Smart Men buy Flowers

We then went to Benjy's (one of my favourite restaurants in Houston) for a glutinous and seriously fabulous dinner.  We got an EXCELLENT surprise later in the evening when our best friends, Erinn and Brett, told us that they had booked a ticket to come and play with us for a week in March!!  There's a lot of Houston good times we have to show them...  We are Canadian...  The big, bad US of A has some things to show us Northerners:  Nordstroms, Advil PM, Target, Country Flags on lawns, Chik-Fil-A, Private Medical Care...  The list could go on.  We're going to be busy little bees, and you can bet I will be doing some more makeover magic on Erinn, as she always let's me play with her look.  Speaking of makeovers, I have a hair stylist that I've discovered here in Houston who should change her name to "Guru of all things hair".  Uff, this woman is LIFE-CHANGING.  I'm pimping her out to everyone that visits me here, including my sister who is coming down next weekend (SQUEEEE!!!) - we have a girly day of hair makeovers and cocktails planned for Saturday, which I will be sure to blog about; Erinn will most probably be forced into the same treatment.

So, I'm in a good mood:  I have 2 visits to look forward to from some of my favourite people on the planet, I have 2 dozen roses staring at me, and Dugg has made a full recovery - he was back to humping dogs twice his size at the dog park yesterday...  don't worry, his "lipstick" didn't come out.

Let's talk beauty:  I'm gearing up to make a video on my Double Layer Magic technique, but first I want to chat about mascara.  Sigh, mascara, what a love affair we've had.  From the age of 6, when I wore mascara and heinous pink lipstick in my little dance performances (ummm those performances are a pedophiles dream??  Not to mention "Toddlers and Tiaras", but I can't get into that right now...), it's intrigued me, and has grown into my number one beauty-must-wear.  If I were only allowed to wear one product on my face, it would hands down be mascara.  Actually when I play sports, I wear mascara (don't judge me...  I get mistaken for a freakishly tall boy - with great hair - sans black mascara), and am rarely without it on my lashes.  I've tried everything from tinting my eyelashes (average...  it doesn't give me the thickness I want), to eyelash extensions (breathtaking, but ridiculously expensive, and they have to be maintained - or "filled" - every 10 days), but nothing beats a FABULOUS mascara that thickens and lengthens to fluttery eye perfection.

Since my favourite mascara in the world died (Maybelline Lash Stylist, may you RIP), I have been forced to go on a hunt for a replacement lash-lover.  This has lead me to fall into the traps of false promises (Cover Girl), heart break (Maybelline why???), and wasted funds (Lancôme, Almay:  Eff you).  There was even a minor domestic with the Husbo when he dared question my buying another mascara.  Incredulous at his audacity, I asked him if he knew anything about the search for the perfect mascara; that it involved patience, diligence, and attention to detail; one always had to be on their toes - open to new brands, wands, and proclamations...  At seeing my not-so perfectly-mascara'd eyes nearly pop out of my head with rage, he backed off, and suggested I buy three that day.  Smart man.

Anywho, I've discovered a few favourites based on a war of effort and a truck-load of wasted funds.  Keep in mind that I'm a fan of big, bold lashes -  I want flirty, fan-people-in-the-face-when-you-blink- lashes; so, for the naturalists, this is not the recommendation list for you, but I urge you to change your technique and give the bold lash a try.  It's a good move.  Let's begin:

1. MAC Haute & Naughty Lash:  It's a double whammy!!  This mascara comes with two wands and two tubes...  It's actually quite genius in its design, and gives GREAT volume and length.  However, it does requires some skill mastering:  You can't let the coats dry between layering, or it will clump.  My method is to apply the thickening mascara wand with two coats that are about 30 seconds to a minute apart;  before letting the coats dry, I use the lengthening wand/mascara tube to extend and separate the lashes, and take them to Bambi length.  It's my go-to at the moment.  It takes a little longer, but the results are worth it.  It's also slightly pricier ($18) than what I normally spend on mascara (I'm a fan of Drug Store mascara... It's almost always better than the expensive stuff), but again, worth it.
2. L'Oréal Voluminous Original:  This mascara has been in and out of my lash-lover life for over a decade.  It's great for building volume, and doesn't smudge or flake off your lashes.  It's a great staple, and always reliable for fun, flirty lashes.  It can clump if it's not applied carefully, and I feel like it dries up faster than other brands, but it's effects (and price of about $7) are good enough to keep me coming back to it. 
3. Revlon CustomEyes:  A new mascara from Revlon, this mascara is another two-in-one type of deal (and at about $9 it's a steal).  The mascara wand twists to give you two different "teeth sets" in the brush - one better for thickening, and one better for lengthening.  I like this concept a lot as it makes the application more customizable (hence the name), and it gives great volume, and length.  It can be a little goopy, but I love mascara goop...  It gives me some product to work with.  Others however, don't share my love for goop, so in that case, I would recommend using the lengthening "teeth set" only. 

Bat your lashes and slap them asses (a la Texas).  

xo T