Lancome's New Grandiose Mascara; Does it Live Up to the Hype?

Lancome Grandiose Mascara
$32

Lancome Cil XL Booster
$24.50

It is said that we spend 33% of our lives sleeping...I would venture I will spend another 33%, in pursuit of a fabulous, cheap and cheerful mascara. Somehow it always eludes...

The marketing guru's over at L'Oreal have done a masterful job of tantalizing us for the last month or so, with the debut of the latest "swan" in their mascara menagerie, Lancome Grandiose Mascara.

What particularly differentiates it is the patented, "revolutionary Swan Neck Wand , that provides exceptional lift and volume to all lashes."  The wand was designed to work with, "the shape of the face, for the easiest application".

What else???

"The specially designed, elastomer-molded brush perfectly deposits formula on each lash, while smaller bristles effortlessly coat even short lashes from root to tip for ultimate volume. The ultra-black, smudge-free formula features Lancôme’s rose cell extract, which nourishes and smooths lashes while providing infinite buildability. This high-gloss, clump-free mascara leaves lashes fanned out with maximum length, and it is designed with long-wearing, flexible polymers, which allow for easy removal."

There is no way on the planet I wasn't going to buy try  Lancome Grandiose Mascara. Sephora graciously accepts returns, and in my case as a "Rouge VIB" client, they know they are still light years  ahead of the game, even with my occasional backsies.

Not this time...

While I was there, I also picked up a full size Lancome Cil XL Booster, as my sample of their amazing lash primer is dwindling.  This stuff is an absolute game changer, as I blogged earlier. Perhaps my favorite thing about a good primer is that it really acts as your first coat, except one that you can simply dash on with hapless abandon.  Lancome Cil XL Booster also contains tiny fibers that really do super charge the length and volume of the lash.

I will never be without this...

Now onto Grandiose Mascara.  That "Swan Neck Wand" truly was a stroke of genius.  It may be patented, but for sure the folks at baby sis L'Oreal and Maybelline are busy coming up with their own bird...say a crane, because it truly makes application so much easier.

The brush itself is a dream, handily coating the middle lashes from root to tip.  The more stubborn ones at either corner are easily coaxed out with tip of the wand. This morning was my first outing and I am a tad curious as to what it would look like without the primer. This was the result with one coat of primer and one coat of Grandiose Mascara  It was so much fun to use. I think with practice, I will get an even better result:

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So, there you have it...While it irks me to spend over $30 on a mascara, I'm beginning to think the, "windows of the soul" might just be worth it...

How about you???

xox,
DD