I’ve said it before and I’ll proudly say it again — when it comes to mascara (whether drugstore, premium or luxury) Essence’s Lash Princess formula, is hands down my favorite of all time. When I found out the drugstore beauty brand was launching a new member to the Lash Princess collection, I knew I had to get my hands on it STAT. While I love the original Lash Princess Falsies Effect Mascara and have been using it for over five years (I always use the waterproof version), I simply had to give the new Lash Princess Curl Mascara a review.
Essence decided to launch this new addition to the Lash Princess lineup because fans had been requesting a curling formula for years — the collection already includes False Lash Effect (my tried and true holy grail), Sculpted Volume, and Volume formulas — each designed with different formulas and brush shapes to help create the desired result. The Lash Princess Curl Mascara is designed with a peanut-shaped wand, which allows you to get from root to tip and build volume while maximizing the curl factor. Best of all, this formula doesn’t flake or clump — sure, sometimes I do like that look, but on the daily — not so much.
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Courtesy of Essence.
Buy: Essence Lash Princess Curl Mascara $4.99
Compared to the other mascaras in the Lash Princess line, the Lash Princess Curl Mascara definitely adds more of a lift and curve, but the difference is subtle. With that being said, the formula is still stellar and it wears all day without smudging, smearing, or transferring — and yes, I did try the non-waterproof version and it held up like a dream. For reference, I applied this mascara at eight in the morning in ultra-humid Austin Texas weather before boarding a flight back home to Los Angeles, which made for about a twelve-hour day, so I’d say it passed the long-wear-friendly test without a doubt.
Courtesy of Mia Maguire.
Above see the difference between my bare lashes (left) and two thin coats of Lash Princess Curl Mascara (right).
Buy: Essence Lash Princess Curl Mascara $4.99
Full disclosure: my best pandemic beauty habit was being consistent with my brow and eyelash serum (I swear by both the GrandeLASH and GrandeBROW formulas, BTW), so my lashes are already in good shape, but this mascara really did tighten the curl without having to use an eyelash curler. In comparison to its fellow Lash Princess counterparts, the Curl a drier, thicker consistency, which I personally think helps add more volume to the lashes as opposed to solely length.
Unlike the Sculpted Volume formula, however, the Curl doesn’t allow you to build up as many layers without clumping, but that’s the price you pay for that extra curl. Overall, while the Lash Princess Falsies Effect will remain my ride-or-die, the new Curl Mascara has definitely made its way into my go-to mascaras drawers and you best believe I’ll be taking it with me the next time I travel.
