smashbox bionic mascara review

Continuing my mascara review from the Sephora lash sampler, next up is Smashbox's Bionic Mascara. According to the Sephora website, these are the claims for this mascara:

Smashbox Bionic is the first ionic mascara—it will leave you with longer, stronger, and more voluminous lashes! The specially-engineered brush coats lashes with our revolutionary long-wearing, water-resistant formula for a dramatic full lash. Aloe, silk, and wheat protein strengthen and condition.

It comes in the color jet black and costs $19, just like the Bare Escentuals Buxom Mascara. I only have the sample size, but here is what the full sized version would look like.

photo credit: http://www.sephora.com

As you can see in the picture, the wand is pretty standard. Compared to the Buxom mascara, the wand looks miniature- but then again, I think most mascara wands would. As I said in the Buxom review, I don't think the mascara wands create the lashes, but rather the formula. My lash type is also in that review, so I'll link that review to the bottom of this one if anyone is interested.

Now, on to my thoughts about the mascara...I was not impressed. For my lashes, the formula was way too thick and I really had to control myself in order to not have a huge clump of eyelashes. You have to be precise and take your time putting the mascara on to not end up with one eyelash. If the formula was a bit more wet, it could definitely work a lot better. I do think someone with thick lashes would put this mascara to great use! It did give me the length I was looking for and seemed to dry rather quickly- not ideal for layering with other mascaras, but amazing if you plan on using it on its own.

However, if you did receive the lash sampler and use the Buxom mascara in conjunction with this one, you could get a nice effect. I feel like this mascara lacks what Buxom has and vice versa. But I would definitely not pay the full price for this mascara on its own. For layering, it can make a good base coat for a formula and wand that are more separating, but that defeats the purpose of its claims.

Overall, I haven't been feeling the high end mascaras lately. I get the feeling that they think they are being innovative with these "special" wands and that gives them a reason to charge an astronomical amount for a product that we can find cheaper and better in the drugstore. For now I'll keep on sticking to my CoverGirl LashBlast.

Stay happy and healthy :)

Tschüss, Katharina

other posts mentioned in this review:

• http://madaboutmascara.blogspot.com/2012/07/buxom-buxom-lash-mascara.html

bun with upside down braid

Although Germany has not had a comparable heat wave to the US, it does get unbearably humid on certain days here. On some days, wearing my hair down is just not worth it and totally out of question. I've been wearing my hair up a lot (okay, I admit, not only because of the weather but also to minimize hair wash days) but get bored of the plain old ponytail or bun sometimes. I needed something to spruce up my updo! 


Braids have been hot this year in general and I have seen lots of posts about doing a braid from the nape of your neck up to where your ponytail starts...so I decided to give it a shot. This was the first time I ever tried it and I was sort of in a rush, so it came out pretty loose. But, I like the messy look and wasn't too concerned about everything looking perfect. Plus I think messy braids look really cool with highlighted hair!


Basically, in order to get this look you need to do a normal french braid but instead you are starting from the nape of your neck. As you move up your head, just grab more hair- a normal french braid. In order to make the ponytail/bun, I just grabbed a bobby pin to hold the braid in place, made my bun and then took the bobby pin out. I also loosened the bun a bit, which ended up loosening up the braid. You definitely need to practice a bit in order to get the braid tight- or have someone else do it.


I think this adds a cool flair to the boring bun or ponytail and helps keep those baby/broken hairs off of your neck. It's a perfect look for hot days, going to the gym or just a day when you don't feel like styling your hair!


Let me know of other ideas, y'all have for sprucing up a boring ponytail. Stay happy and healthy :)


Tschüss, Katharina

bare escentuals buxom lash mascara review

I was very excited to try this mascara as it promises to give "bigger, fuller lashes," and I am always on the quest to finding the most volumizing and lengthening mascara! I just absolutely love the look of clumpy, full lashes- the thicker, the better! So, according to the Sephora website, this mascara should do the following: 

"This vitamin-enriched formula deepens, darkens, and thickens from root to tip. The curvy hourglass-shaped brush holds the ideal amount of mascara to ensure every lash is coated evenly with our silky, clump-free formula."

I received this mascara, along with a few others, as a Christmas present from my sister in the Sephora lash sampler. I only received the small sample, but the usual mascara looks like this

                                    photo credit: http://www.sephora.com/buxom-lash-P228204

It costs $19 and comes in blue and black. Obviously I used the black one. Before I discuss the results, I want to add my lash type. I have decently long lashes that are very thin. I do have a lot of lashes, but they are light and can sometimes clump together with the wrong formula. I do not have a wand preference, I think the perfect formula is key to getting the right lashes. And now on to the results...


I must admit that I was disappointed. Maybe I had too high hopes for it because of its name, I'm not sure, but I just expected much more. The wand is a large, rubber wand with tiny bristles that seem like they would coat each of your lashes, but I felt like the formula was not thick or wet enough to really coat all your lashes. With one coat of mascara (very generous coat), I got some length but absolutely no volume- I thought my lashes looked better without the mascara.

I have tried this mascara with a primer and it does not make much of a difference. The formula just isn't wet enough to really make a nice thick coat. It makes a nice complement to a mascara that has too thick of a formula to separate your lashes, but it definitely does not live up to its claims. Layered with other mascaras this can do pretty well, however I personally would not go out and spend that much money on a mascara that performs this way. You are better off sticking with your current favorite.

I hope this helped in your quest to find the perfect mascara! Stay happy and healthy :)

Tschüss, Katharina