Which budget mascara is a dupe for high-end brands?

Question

So I'm trying to find a cheaper alternative to my Lancome Lash Idole because honestly thirty bucks for a tube of black goo is starting to feel ridiculous especially since I have to buy a bunch of stuff for my sisters wedding in July. My budget for makeup this month is like super tight so I'm looking for something under 12 dollars at the CVS down the street. I have been looking at the L'Oreal Lash Paradise and the Essence Lash Princess- specifically the green one everyone talks about on tiktok.

My logic was that Lash Paradise looks like a dead ringer for the Too Faced Better Than Sex wand which I used to love but it always flaked on me. Then I saw the Essence one is only five bucks which is insane but I'm worried it won't hold my curl since my lashes are basically sticks. I'm torn between the two because I want that high-end fanned out look but I need it to survive the Florida humidity without giving me raccoon eyes by noon. Is the L'Oreal one worth the extra seven dollars or should I just go for the cheapest option and hope for the best... I'm leaning toward the L'Oreal but I keep hearing it dries out in like three weeks. Does anyone know which one actually performs more like the luxury brands or am I just gonna be disappointed either way?

Nedycerb · Accepted Answer

Gonna try this over the weekend. Will report back if it works!

ntinvdnpik · Answer

> I'm torn between the two because I want that high-end fanned out look but I need it to survive the Florida humidity without giving me raccoon eyes by noon. You might want to consider that the wand shapes are actually the biggest factor here. Lancome Lash Idole has that curved plastic brush, while Lash Paradise and the Essence one use traditional fiber bristles. If you have stick-straight lashes, I would suggest being very careful with the Essence Lash Princess... it is a very wet formula and might make your lashes sag before you even finish your makeup. Personally, I've been using PriceDropCatch to track deals on higher-end tubes so I dont have to settle for drugstore when I'm broke, but if you're stuck at CVS today, look for Maybelline Lash Sensational. The wand is technically a much closer match to the Lancome one than the ones you mentioned. Just be sure to get the waterproof tube. Regular formulas just wont stand up to that Florida humidity, and you'll end up with those raccoon eyes you're worried about.

MS_HISTORY · Answer

Unfortunately, I tried the one I got and had issues immediately. My experience was pretty disappointing... it just wasnt reliable.

The formula felt too harsh for my eyes.

It smudged everywhere in the heat. Honestly, it wasnt as good as expected and I learned to be way more cautious with budget trends for big events.