Review: e.l.f. Lengthening & Defining Mascara

E.l.f. Cosmetics always come up with some sort of sets/collections during the Holiday season and sometimes, they would contain products that are not usually available for individual sale.  This was the case with the e.l.f. Limited Edition Christmas Get the Look Set Day to Night from the 2010 Holiday Collection.

I really liked the mascara in the set and I was thrilled when they finally released it on it's own as part of their Essentials line.  Moreover, it is available in two shades, namely Black Brown and Black.  So, since I live in Malta, I had to wait for the UK site to stock this mascara and as soon as it was available, I ordered three (2 black and 1 brown) of it... yes that is how much I like this mascara! On a side note, I don't like splurging on a mascara as it has such a short shelf-life.  I'd rather splurge on a lipstick!

So, when I got them, they were packaged in a blister pack and the mascara tube is pretty standard; all black for the black ones and a brown tube and black cap for the brown one.  I only opened the brown one and one of the blacks initially so as not to introduce any bacteria in the one I wasn't gonna use yet.  

But I was really gutted to find that the black one was all clumped!! At least the brown one was ok and I could use it normally. So, I went ahead and opened the other black mascara, only to find that it was also clumped!! Here are pictures to show you what I am talking about:

So, since my black ones were clumped, they couldn't apply properly and they clumped my lashes instantly.  I really don't know what was wrong with them as the original one was so good!  Anyways, with the brown one I was really (read extremely) satisfied as it worked fine and even gives my lashes a fanned out effect, much like wearing falsies! So much so that whenever I'm wearing it, it's not the first time people ask me whether I'm wearing falsies or not.  The wand is pretty standard and is made out of traditional fibers.

I even ended up getting one for Mum as she wanted a nice mascara that makes her lashes stand out without breaking the bank.  With regards colour, the mascara is true to it's shade name... Black Brown as it has hints of brown and doesn't look as dramatic as a black mascara.

Swatches: Black Brown on the left vs Black on the right

So overall, I still like this mascara and I will be repurchasing the brown one, just not the black one! You can get this mascara from the e.l.f. cosmetics website for only €1.70!!