Eliza Approved spotlights those hero products worth the spend. Whether it’s classic favourites or what’s landed on our beauty editor’s desk this week, you can put your trust in our recommendations.
Over the years, I’ve made no secret of the fact that mascara and I aren’t exactly BFFs. Sure, my job as a beauty editor is to test out all manner of products and formulations in a bid to decipher which ones are truly worth your hard-earned cash, but when it comes to mascara I almost always find the usually fun trial period to be a bit of a slog.
Why? Well, because my natural lashes are pretty short and sparse and – I’m going to be totally honest here – most mascaras simply don’t deliver on their lash-lengthening, gravity-defying promises unless you’re already working with a set of fairly decent lashes to start with. So, yes, you could say that I’m something of a mascara skeptic.
Instead, I’ve often turned to expensive lash growth serums to boost the length of my lashes. RevitaLash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner, £97, Cult Beauty, is undeniably the best, but I also rate RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum, £39.99, LookFantastic, which is half the price and also does a decent job of making lashes longer and stronger. For an even more affordable option, the Typology Eyelashes & Brows Serum 2% Pea Peptides + Castor Oil, £16.80, Typology, also works like a dream.
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The problem with these products though is that while your lashes look thick, long and healthy while you’re using them, as soon as you stop you’re back to the same starting point – and it’s an expensive habit to keep up.
So I knew that I needed to discover a more affordable way of boosting the length of my lashes and, thankfully, I’ve found it. Yes, I finally discovered the best mascara for short lashes last year – and as with many things these days, it’s all thanks to TikTok.
Let’s start with a disclaimer: I’m 32-years-old and I’m already starting to feel well and truly out of my depth when it comes to the speed with which micro beauty trends and product recommendations go viral on TikTok.
However, last year I made it my mission to get to grips with the Gen Z-dominated social network and I have to say that I have made some genuinely brilliant beauty discoveries off the back of my investigations (read: mindless scrolling).
L’Oreal’s Paris Telescopic Mascara: my verdict
When I noticed that the L’Oreal Paris Telescopic Mascara (£10.99, Boots) was popping off on the platform last year I decided to try it.
Product specifications:
- Price: RRP 10.99
- Colour: Magnetic Black
- Benefits: Lengthening
- Suitable for sensitive eyes: Yes
- Waterproof: Yes
I’ll admit, I didn’t have high hopes; despite recognising the pared-back gold tube from my many, many visits to Boots and Superdrug over the last decade, I’ve never given this rather unassuming mascara a second glance.
Superficial perceptions aside, however, I can genuinely say that since putting this mascara to the test on my short lashes I have never looked back. Yes, in both my personal and professional opinions the L’Oreal Paris Telescopic Mascara is the holy-grail when it comes to lash-lengthening formulations.
In fact, out of the hundreds of different mascaras that I tried prior and have tested since, I’m convinced that nothing comes close to rivalling the ability of this high street gem to extend, lengthen and lift short lashes. And with over 239 million views of the #telescopicmascara hashtag on TikTok at the time of writing, I’m clearly not alone in my obsession with it.
Mascara wand type and ease of application
For me, its transformative power is all down to its wand; it’s pretty small as far as most modern mascara wands go, as well as being plastic and extremely narrow. Yes, it’s definitely not going to blow you away with a dramatic first impression, but therein is where its beauty lies. You see, if you have short lashes like I do then you’ll know that big, bristly, supersized mascara wands simply don’t work for them. More often than not, I struggle to get any product at all onto my little lashes or at the root, and end up with most of it on my eyelids.
In direct contrast, the Telescopic Mascara wand manages to catch every single lash – no matter how short – and coats them with a fine amount of product while pulling lashes up and out for an elongated effect.
The result is longer-looking, lifted eyelashes that are perfectly separated and uber-fluttery. Basically, it’s the closest that I’ve ever come to looking like I’ve got a full set of natural false lashes on without having to undergo a lash lift or spend an hour painstakingly applying individual falsies. Since discovering it I’ve not really used another mascara, and honestly it would take something of a wonder-product to convince my short lashes of looking elsewhere anytime soon.
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