The Scoop on Mascaras and Eyelashes

I've had a bit too much of the DD lately and so I thought I'd branch out into (or is that return to?) the living-with-our-illnesses-more-easily field.  As I've always said, we are not just our illnesses, the CFIDS/ME/CFS and/or fibromyalgia. 

And so I thought I'd do a few posts that contain helpful makeup tips. 

The holidays REALLY are the time of the year when we want to shine, as sparkles are all around us.   Furthermore, as we venture out for get-togethers, we run into friends and family we've not seen in a while.  We just want to look human, or presentable, for that matter.  With smartphones and large cameras with zoom lenses, pictures of ourselves will be taken on purpose or surreptitiously, thus further making us want to look our best, knowing the photography of today will show up each and every pore and wrinkle.  (I know: what a dilemma.  Look good and have have everyone say "you look great: you don't look sick," or go out looking like death warmed over!)

With that in mind, I thought that today I'd give a run-down on mascaras.

I'm not sure that there IS any mascara out there that doesn't cause my eyes to become at least a tiny bit red. However, most mascaras make my eyes very red, embarrassingly so since salespeople have actually asked me why my eyes are so red, assuming I'd been crying.   Sweet people, but nonetheless embarrassing.  The redness, of course, is a legacy of the dry eyes (and mouth) we who live with CFIDS/ME/CFS and fibromyalgia are prone to, in spades.

For years and years I've been on a hunt, to find a mascara that doesn't cause red eyes.  I can't say that I've been completely successful, but I do have a few mascaras which I've found to be pretty successful.  From my massive collection (you really don't want to see how big - it HAS been a quest) I've focused on finding mascaras which fit the following criteria:

1.  Easy to apply (hand shakes, eyesight not the most reliable!)
2. The formula must be volumizing - because of the hair scarcity problem those of us with the DD put up with (if your brows are thin, chances are that so too are your eyelashes.)
3. Have good staying power
4. Keep your eyes from turning red!!! (I mean, look at those freaky old pictures with red eyes that look like...well, I shudder to say what!).

I exclude water-proof mascara because they make eyes really red and end up hurting them for days afterwards.

So, here are my favorite five, saving the best for last:

• Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara: shocker, as I thought that the company was only good for the powders. Easy to apply and no red eye.
• Estée Lauder "Sumptuous" Bold Volume Lifting Mascara: A real surprise! There were samples in various makeup deals/collections and I thought that I'd end up throwing the samples away.  Well, I'll be derned... It works REALLY well.
• DiorShow Mascara:  Best in show in many "top lists," this was the first time I realized that you CAN have it all in one mascara!
• Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara: When my hands aren't too steady, for some reason I find I have better control with this mascara designed for your lower lashes. Yes, this mascara works well on the tiny lower lashes but it also works well on the tiny upper lashes.  However, I'll use this mascara on my entire upper lashes if I find that otherwise I'll be poking the mascara into my eyeball.  I also love the little tube - perfect for travel and emergency handbag kits as well.
• Blinc Mascara ("Stop painting your lashes...TUBE them!"): I'm absolutely in love with this mascara. It doesn't budge after putting it on and I usually forget it's there - and isn't that the holy grail? - that you don't feel made up?  Furthermore, Blinc comes off quite easily when you want to wash it off: just a warm washcloth pressed on the eyes for a moment and the little tubes around each lash slide right off onto your washcloth.  Amazing!

There you go. I'll still be on the hunt for the perfect mascara, but these fill my needs pretty well.  Do you have any mascara you swear by?  Have you given up on mascara?  I'll wear eyeliner alone when my eyes/lashes are extra sensitive since the liner IS an improvement on the invisible eyes.  Let us know.

Finally, have you tried going the tinting of eyelashes route?  What do you think of it?  It's my favorite way to go because the tint is fantastic for about four to six weeks.  When I wear mascara and liner after tinting, my eyes pop.  The lashes also seem to get much added volume, having been plumped up by the tinting.  And it's marvelous that with tinting I don't scare little children, nor grown men if I happen to go out without my eyes done.  Now I just need to find someone locally to tint the lashes - it's great not to worry about doing my eyes when I'm in bed, unable to do anything.  We need to hold onto our dignity and self-esteem as much as possible.  Reactions?

At any rate, I hope everyone's doing their best, only better. Ciao and paka!