A good waterproof mascara is key to survive the tropics looking good. Not because of the heat or humidity (smudging mascara due to the climate is an entirely different topic), but because of the many tropical rain showers that typically break loose the exact moment you walk home from the MRT after a long day of work. Or from the nail bar, in case you don’t work (just kidding). But also more pleasurable moments like a lazy poolside Sunday or –so spoiled- the fifth time you spend a weekend at the beach in Bali this year. The downside of waterproof mascara is however the difficulty to remove it without irritating your eyes or damaging your lashes. Although there are many waterproof eye makeup removers available, these typically still involve some rubbing and tend to leave the eyes oily and sticky. Japanese superhero makeup brand “Heroine Make” has a special mascara remover that promises to remover stubborn mascara without rubbing…
To start: a quick explanation on why smudging mascara due to the climate is an entirely different topic than smudging mascara due to rain or tears.
In the tropics, many women resort to waterproof mascaras to avoid their mascara from transferring to the skin around their eyes – a problem they didn’t find back home, at least not in the extent that mascara smudges in a hot and humid climate. I find myself often in makeup-related discussions with friends, in which smudgy mascara is mentioned as number one tropical beauty frustration, besides the obvious frizzy hair. “What mascara do you recommend? Waterproof for sure, right?" Well, not necessarily.
Waterproof doesn’t equal smudge proof. There are quite some waterproof mascaras that still smudge, because it’s the oil in your skin (and/or makeup) and not water that comes into contact with the mascara on your lashes. It’s as simple as that; an unfortunate interplay between the mascara on your lashes and the condition of the skin around your eyes. In a hot and humid environment, your skin tends to be more oily and/or sweaty, which, when in contact with your mascara, is the perfect recipe for stains.
Quick solution to prevent mascara from smudging (left) in a hot and humid climate; apply a loose powder on the skin around the eyes that tends to catch stains. Application is very easy with an eye sweep brush like Bobbi Brown's (right).
The solution is therefore mostly twofold: besides finding a mascara that works well for you, make sure to take appropriate measures to avoid the skin around your eyes from inviting your mascara to smudge, like using a powder to blot the area around your eyes. Read more here; a current can’t-live-without favorite is definitely MAC’s Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder. But that’s not wat I want to talk about in this post.
“So…when DO I wear waterproof mascara, if it isn't to avoid smudging?”
Well, in situations that involve water or moderate to heavy tears. Water from the sea or the pool, tears from joy over the best dim sum you ever had at Paradise Dynasty or tears from sorrow because Cold Storage again doesn't have the favorite Dutch cheese you've been missing so much. Or both water and tears, like when you get soaked for the 10th time in one day from yet another tropical Singapore rain shower.
What would I do without these?!
There are waterproof mascaras that are pretty waterproof, like those from Western brands such as Lancôme, YSL and Dior, but in my experience these products don’t do much for your lashes volume-wise. And then there are Japanese mascaras. A league on its own. With these mascaras from brands like ‘Heroine Make’ and ‘Majolica Majorca’, you can probably cross the ocean swimming with lasting intense and voluminous lashes, even when the mascara's are not explicitly labelled as waterproof.
The downside is that they tend to be even harder to remove than their Western counterparts. The stuff sticks like cement; during a road trip through Australia last November, I reached the ultimate point of HBN, Holiday Beauty Neglect, not bothering to wear makeup anymore because I most likely wouldn't be running into anyone I know and if I would, that person would most likely be in a severe state of HBN too. I was however too lazy to remove the Heroine Make mascara I had been wearing, and my lashes kept covered in the mascara for at least 5 days, not kidding. Luckily, Heroine Make has a special mascara remover – the product even looks like a mascara.
Heroine Make Mascara Remover Promises:
- No rubbing required to remove stubborn mascara
- Gentle to your precious lashes, contains moisturizing ingredients to keep lashes healthy.
- A formula that is not irritating to the eyes
English Product Description and Directions on the back of the product
Directions:
- Apply the remover evenly with the comb from the base of the eyelashes to the end
- Leave it 2-3 minutes
- Wipe off gently with cotton from the base; it is also possible to apply your regular makeup remover over it. Blend well, and then rinse off with lukewarm water.
- Before putting the comb in the container after use, wipe it clean with a tissue.
When I opened it, I was a bit surprised not to find a typical mascara brush wand, but something that looks more like a plastic stick instead. Not even a comb, really.
The not-so-comb-like comb
- Heroine Make, Long & Curl Mascara - an allrounder, separates lashes well.
- Heroine Make, Impact Frame Curl Mascara - HEAVY stuff; for thick, doll-like, somewhat clumpy lashes. Not for everyone, but I love it.
- Majolica Majorca, Lash King - amazing but not for beginners I'd say; contains little fibres that stick to your lashes for lengthening and thickening.
- Lancome, Hypnose Drama Waterproof - this used to be my absolute favorite before I got acquainted with the unmatchable Japanese mascaras.
The remover product on the wand is transparent and quite fluid; initially I tried to brush the stick wand over my eyelashes, but this resulted in splashes of product bouncing off my hard waterproof lashes onto my cheeks, so I continued with a more dabbing approach instead that seemed to work well. After 2 minutes, the mascara started to loosen, i.e. visibly transfer to the skin around my eyes.
Clockwise from top left: 1 layer of Heroine Make Impact Frame Curl Mascara; a cotton pad with water doesn't take off any of this ultra waterproof mascara; dabbing Heroine Make's Mascara Remover, mascara visible loosens; a neat streak of mascara comes off instead of an oily mess.
The 2 minutes waiting is no deal as none of the liquid gets into your eyes, which is definitely the first big advance over regular eye makeup remover. I wiped my mascara off with a slightly wetted cotton pad as a dry one didn’t feel comfortable, and was able to take the mascara off in 2 or 3 sweeps with the pad. I LOVE THIS – the mascara goes off really neatly as opposed to the usual oily mess I experience removing my mascara with a cotton pad drenched in regular eye makeup remover (like Lancome's Bi-Facil).
Left: The oily mess that a cotton pad with regular eye makeup remover brings.
Right: Much less mess with Heroine Make's Mascara Remover and a wet cotton pad.
Regular waterproof eye makeup removers often have a very oily substance, that stains all across my face and forms a very unpleasant film in my eyes that I keep feeling for up to an hour. Although Heroine Make's Mascara Remover contains oil (Camelia Oil and Rosehip Oil; furthermore, Panax Ginseng Root extract and Royal Jelly Extract), there's seriously no oily traces left in or around my eyes. So much less mess.
All four different mascaras I removed with Heroine Make's Mascara Remover came off very easy, but Heroine Make's Long & Curl Mascara came of fastest. Afterwards, my lashes did feel softer than after using a regular remover! I cannot think of a single downside of this product and from now on it will definitely become a standard in my makeup kit.
Heroine Make Mascara Remover, 6ml
Price: 14,90 SGD
Available at a.o. Sasa (find stores here) and Watsons (find stores here)
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