Product Review: L'Oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator

 L'Oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator $10 (prices vary a bit by store)

So you've all seen these commercials with Beyonce looking all fly and her lashes just popping at you? Well I sure have! I've been wondering about the new L'Oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator and checked it out at the store and whatnot, but hadn't bought it yet. Then, PYT Erin at Everything According to Erin did this post and I was sold (she also gave me the heads up on the Zoya polish too). I mean two complete strangers stopped and asked her about her make-up. Hello, she didn't have to tell me more! I usually use nothing but Maybelline Mascara (see my reviews here) since high school, but I'm down to try a new brand.

The mascara comes in four colors; a Black Bronze for Green Eyes, Black Quartz for Brown Eyes, Black Copper for Blue Eyes, and a Black Crystal for All Eyes. The mascara is a two-step process, from the site, Step 1 is a "Black mascara infused with a hint of color adds volume and length to lashes while intensifying eyes" and Step 2 "The illuminating top coat infused with light-reflecting pearls highlights your eye color...". As you can see in the top pic, the end of the mascara is a regular full mascara brush and the illuminating side's bush is a round ball with the bristles going up the shaft.

Ok, here we go....

In the second picture, you can see more of the illuminator and it's much more pronounce in real life. The first time I tried it, I couldn't tell because I was wearing my Sephora Moonshadow in Sunbaked (from this Recent Purchases post) which is quite glittery so I thought it was a waste, but my gf said she could see the "illumination". I tried it again, but with not glittery shadow and wow. You can really see the illumination, when I use it on my bottom lashes it evens catches my eye from the shine. From a distance, you can't see anything spectacular, but face to face you can definitely see the shimmer.

The L'Oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator only promises to lengthen and illuminate and I think it definitely does both. The product is lightweight, holds a curl longer than my Maybelline mascara does, and it doesn't flake. Also, I read that one user complained of the glitter falling in her eyes, but I didn't have that problem and I wear contacts so I notice everything that gets in my eye. My only complaint is that the mascara doesn't thicken, which isn't promised to me, but is something I want from a mascara.

Both wands are really great, the mascara end is easy to use and gets all of my lashes covered and the illuminating brush is perfect for your bottom lashes when you hold it verifically. The ball shape kind of freaked me out, but I really like it. I don't think it would be a good brush for regular mascara, but as a top coat it really does the trick.

I've checked out other reviews online and found that people who use the original L'Oreal Double Extend mascara do not care for this new product because instead of the primer it has the illuminator. Everyone gushed about how great the primer is on the OG mascara, but since this is my first with the L'Oreal brand I can't speak from experience but wanted to let you ladies know what others are saying.

Overall, I really like the mascara formula (minus the lack of thickening- which isn't promised anyways), I do think that it does lengthen and I love how lightweight it is. I did receive compliments on my make-up when I busted this out at work, but that could be just because I'm so hot and stuff. I'm not sure if this will replace my beloved Maybelline mascaras, but I'm definitely in love with L'Oreal's formula and might start using a thickening formula first, and then the L'Oreal for length and pizzaz.

Have you tried this mascara yet? Have you tried other eye color-specific mascaras? What did you think?