Wooly Willy

I know I have blogged about my undying devotion to YSL's, "Volume Effet Faux Cils" Mascara, but, when I recently saw Linda Evangelista, hawking Loreal's new, "Double Extend" Mascara, (with Beauty Tubes Technology), I knew, I had to try it.

What intrigued me, besides the promise of lashes, that were 80% longer, was how that gets achieved...The tips of lashes, allegedly, get engorged with tiny tubes, that, "wash off easily". I am all over the concept...

The first step, (as with traditional Double Extend), is a white ceramide formula, that preps the lashes. I like any lash prep phase, because it really acts like a first coat, and since it is white, you can apply it recklessly, without having to do Q-tip duty. The "tube" phase was hugely disappointing. My lashes looked thin and spidery, nothing like the little bird beaks I had conjured up in my head...good thing I dutifully saved the packaging, as well, as my CVS receipt.

The real shock game at removal time...One of my favorite make up removers, is Dermalogica's Pre Cleanse. This unusual oil based cleanser, foams slightly, and on it's own, will gently remove 98% of makeup, including mascara and liner. What I was not prepared for, was what happened to the tubes...rather than ending up on my cotton balls, large black flecks, like iron filings were scattered all over, my face!!! Too add insult to injury, they weren't easy to remove, and I contemplated plucking them off with my Tweezerman...HOW BIZARRE...

Who, exactly was this stranger staring back at me in the mirror??? It was on the tip of my childhood, when suddenly it came back to me...I looked like Wooly Willy. Do you remember Willy??? He had a bald head and a red bulbous nose. He came tucked under a seal of plastic, that was pre loaded with black filings. Willy was available widely and was inexpensive, so if he had to be replaced, along your car trip to the Grand Tetons, it was no big whoop. With the red magic magnetic wand, that was supplied, you could render Willy with a goatee, nose hair and a unibrow. It never ceased to amuse!!!

So here I was, a human version, Wooly Wilma---now if only, I still had that red wand, I probably would be giving Double Extend another try. Oh well, Maybelline's "Stilletto" is waiting in the wings anyhow...

xox,
Dd