Girls... I think we can agree that if you were to pick what make up item you would take to a desert island mascara would be one of those things. I know that a good mascara is actually really hard to find especially if you have sensitive eyes that water at the first sign of wind. Walking down the make up aisle you realise how saturated the mascara market is, each mascara claiming to do wonderous things to your eyelashes, BUT do they actually work?! For years I have been searching for the perfect mascara and I thought I had found it until this product came on the market. L'Oreal are known for their fabulous Telescopic Mascara that increases your lash length however, I was disappointed that it didn't volumise my lashes as much as expected. So, when they brought out the new Paradise range including the Extatic Mascara I was excited to try it, it claims to add intense volume and spectacular length with a soft feathery feel.
If you want to get the low down on my opinions of this mascara vs other higher end mascaras then keep on reading!
Putting it to the test:
To find the perfect mascara for you, you need to first of all identify the issues you have with your natural lashes, for example, my natural lashes are pretty well dispersed and are relatively thick, however, they are very straight and are quite light in colour. When I look for a mascara I will go for something that will add curl and volume as well as a good first coat. I also pay attention to the shape of the wand, I have quite hooded eyelids which means that if my mascara wand is too big or thick it's likely I am going to transfer my mascara onto my eyelids, not great if you've already got eyeshadow on. My absolute go-to mascara is the Benefit Roller Lash, I treated myself to this mascara after hearing great things about it and I have never used another mascara since, which is saying something for someone who is make up obsessed. It curls my eyelashes as if I've used an eyelash curler first, it holds the curl all day long and separates my lashes so well. The only downside of course is it's slightly pricey, I don't mind too much because it lasts for ages but if you are looking for a cheaper alternative I would totally recommend the L'Oreal Paradise Extatic Mascara.
Paradise Extatic vs Roller Lash:
PRICE
The L'Oreal Paradise Mascara comes in at £11.99 which is a slightly higher price than most drugstore mascaras on the shelves and is one of L'Oreal's most expensive mascaras compared to their other £11.99 Double Extension mascara which comes with an added base coat. Benefit Roller Lash is £20.50 which is a mid-range price on the high end mascara range.
BENEFITS
L'Oreal have enriched lash-loving castor oil in the formula of their mascara, this oil is one of the best kept beauty secrets and is the key to longer lashes, fuller eyebrows and lustrous hair. Benefit on the other hand have added in Provitamin B5 and Serin which work to condition the lashes and is found in most shampoo's and conditioners as well as a 12 hour hold on your lash curl.
WAND
One of the main reasons that Benefit Roller Lash is the UK's No2 Mascara next to their 'They're Real Mascara' (the UK's No1 mascara) is the applicator itself. If you've ever used the Roller Lash mascara you'll completely understand what I mean when I say the patent pending rubber wand is amazing, it's lightweight and features a 30 degree curve with tiny hooks on the bristles to help catch every single lash. The Paradise mascara wand is quite different to the Roller Lash, it's much thicker and softer as well as being tapered in the middle to help coat the smaller lashes you have.
OVERALL LOOK
So this is what it all comes down to, exactly how the mascaras perform when you wear them. For me it's really important that a mascara doesn't smudge especially in the awful winter weather we have been having. Roller Lash claims to have a 12 hour hold on the curls it creates and it totally lives up to that, the only downside I've found with this mascara is that it does transfer onto my lids quite easily which can be a bit embarrassing when I've got black smudges everywhere and I dread to think what it would be like if I dipped my face in water. I do find with this mascara it takes 2-3 coats to get my desired look but it is very black and coats the lashes amazingly as well as curling them instantly.
On the other hand the L'Oreal Paradise Mascara does need a lash curler first if you want the curl to hold all day as it's formula is slightly heavier than the Roller Lash and after time your lashes do start to drop, however, it does not smudge what so ever. For someone who has extremely sensitive eyes I absolutely love this mascara, I can wear it when it's raining and it doesn't budge even though it doesn't claim to be 'waterproof'. You do need to be careful with this mascara as the brush is quite a bit thicker than the Roller Lash wand and it's easier to accidentally catch your eyelids especially when using it on your bottom lashes.
Which is best for you?
As always it's really difficult to choose between a drugstore and high end product as we immediately think that if a product is a higher price then surely it must be better than the less expensive one?! After trying numerous products both high end and drugstore I have noticed that quite often this is not the case and in terms of these two mascaras this is certainly right. I have loved my Benefit Roller Lash since the day I purchased it and have since gone through 3 tubes, I am a creature of habit and I will usually stick to using something I love if I know it works however, I have to say since trying the L'Oreal Paradise Mascara I am actually considering switching to save myself a bit of money (who isn't looking to do that?). If you have the choice and budget I would recommend buying the Benefit Roller Lash and the L'Oreal Paradise Mascara, this is because I like to wear both (being overly extra I of course wear two mascaras), this is because I like to use the Roller Lash to firstly curl my lashes and get the style I like and then I pop the Paradise Mascara on top to stop it smudging.. If you can't be bothered to do this and because I'm always into saving money I would totally buy the L'Oreal mascara but if you want to treat yourself and save time (by not having to curl your lashes first) grab the Roller Lash, you won't regret it, I promise!
Share your thoughts with me on which one you prefer!
A xxx