Mascara trial and error

Do you buy department store or drugstore products? I tend to only buy higher end stuff but when it comes to mascaras I do like to try different things. Years ago as a student I loved 2000 Calorie mascara by Max Factor. At the moment I love False Lash Effect. I think their mascaras are still some of the best.

I also used to have a favourite from Rimmel that had a comb brush (I can't remember what it was called, though). I've also quite liked Bourjois. 

I've hated all the Maybelline mascaras, though, including the famous Great Lash. I've tried a lot of the L'Oréal ones, too, but when I discovered that they really sting when they get in the eyes (I cried wearing one), I chucked them all out. 

Here are the mascaras I currently have in my drawer - only two are drugstore at the moment.

From left to right:

Max Factor False Lash Effect

L'Oréal Voluminous

Estée Lauder TurboLash

Chanel Exceptionnel

MAC Prep and Prime

MAC Pro Lash

MAC Zoom Lash

MAC Studio Fix Lash

MAC Dazzle Lash

MAC Fibre Rich Lash

Diorshow Black Out

Bobbi Brown Everything / Lash Glamour

Bobbi Brown Party

Max Factor's False Lash Effect has a plastic brush that I like. It lengthens and defines very well, with absolutely no clumping. I prefer it to L'Oréal's Voluminous, which I find clumpy. I had to try it, though, because a friend of mine swears by this.

Estée Lauder's Turbolash is battery operated so it kept on moving around as I photographed this! It's EL's best mascara but it's only okaaaay (because the others are all crap). The vibrating wand doesn't do anything a normal wand wouldn't do. If I had to buy another vibrating mascara I would go for Lancôme, as they generally do much better mascaras.

Exceptionnel de Chanel has an 'innovative six-sided application brush' that is part plastic comb and part normal brush. This means you have to rotate the brush as you apply it and this can be a bit tricky. I wasn't impressed at first but the more I use it, the more I like it. Here is a close up of the brush:

Of the MAC mascaras:
Prep and Prime doesn't really count because it's only a primer and a crap one, too (hate the corkscrew wand), but to be fair I'm not a fan of primers (you can always still see the white).
Pro Lash defines and separates. It's nothing special but good, if that makes sense. The brush is an odd shape, though.
Zoom Lash really combs your lashes, it feels a lot harder than most other brushes, and it's quick - it's not a mascara that you can re-apply and layer. I like it.
Studio Fix Lash is one of the newer ones from MAC. I like it because it has a plastic brush, which usually works well on me. It's a lot like the Max Factor False Lash Effect.
Dazzle Lash has a brush that is way too small, I find, so I only use it on my lower lashes.
Fibre Rich Lash is my least favourite.

Diorshow Blackout has a huge brush and it's for volume, volume, volume. A bit too much for my liking.

The two-in-one from Bobbi Brown was a limited edition from ages ago (yeah I still have it and it's still fine!) but they are sold separately in their permanent line.
Everything is quite good, it's supposed to do everything (volume, length, definition), hence the name, but as with anything Bobbi, it's understated. You'll never get the same kind of volume as with the Dior one.
Lash Glamour is waterproof and has a corkscrew brush that I don't like at all.
Party mascara is their newest one and it's supposed to add incredible volume... but still not like the Dior one. I don't really see a huge difference between this and Everything but maybe that's just me.

Today I used Exceptionnel de Chanel, added Max Factor's False Lash Effect over it, and applied MAC's Dazzle Lash to the lower lashes.

Mascara is one of those things that you just have to try yourself. What one person likes could be the worst mascara you've ever tried...

What's your favourite?