Product Quest - mascara

I've found that the 'second' part of veganism - using animal-free products - is generally no big deal. I'm lucky enough to have a great little organic market in my neighborhood that carries things like vegetarian (and even eco-friendly) soap, hair products, moisturizers and cleaning supplies. They don't cost much more than the stuff I used to buy and they work just as well or better.

Make-up, however, has been more of a challenge. I don't wear a lot of it, but I'm addicted to mascara. As horribly cliched as it sounds, I don't like leaving the house without it. I have very long lashes, but they're very very blonde, so without mascara I appear to have none at all. For years I used Loreal Voluminous, which does a great job.


Picture for comparison. The perfect mascara...or it would be, if it was vegan!





I couldn't find any animal-free mascara in stores, so I ordered two from vegan essentials.

• Mascara by ZuZu Luxe: I think mine is defective. It's seems really dried up, so I have to apply it like 10 times to see any difference. I got the Onyx color but it seems more brown thank black (my camera sucks so the picture makes it look darker than it really comes out). This has some good reviews on vegan essentials, so I think I just got a bad tube, but for $12.95 I won't be trying again.

• Ecco Bella Mascara: Eh. It works, but not very well. My lashes get nice and dark, but look very thin, especially compared to the Loreal. Also halfway through the day it starts to come off and I get spots under my eyes. On the plus side, very easy to wash off at the end of the day. But I won't be buying this again either due to the smearing.
  

And so the search continues.