Let's talk about lash primers!

Hello hello internet! Today's post is all about LASHES. Who love their lashes? For me, it's a love-hate-relationship. Let me tell you why. It is frustrating when you are not blessed with thick and long natural eyelashes. If this sounds familiar, then your best solution would be a mascara base/primer.

To give you an idea, I naturally (like all other asians have teeny weeny little lashes) have (uber) short, straight length lashes that don't stay curled for more than an hour. Seeing as most Asians have the aforementioned type of lashes, it would make sense that asian cosmetic brands have an answer to that problem!

Today, I will be comparing between two lash primers products, specifically lash maximizers - the ones that increase the length of your lashes. These two products are: Etude House Dr Mascara Fixer in super long lash (korean brand) and KATE white lash maximizer (japanese brand).

Before I start comparing, here are quick introductions of both of these products. *I will be differentiating by brand name in abbreviation to the full products' names*

Products' descriptions:
  • Etude House 
If you're not familiar with korean cosmetics, Etude House is one of Korea's top beauty brands. They're well known for their cute packaging and relatively cheap products. I got given the Super Long Lash #02 to test it out. It claims to help lashes appear longer and hold a curl better. It can be used before or after mascara; this formula has small black fibers mixed in, which helps to lengthen your natural lashes. It claims to "offer perfect curl and waterproof fix in any environment and climate". The Etude House website also states that it is "infused with black food extracts to condition lashes"... whatever that is haha but it is another plus because I don't know if it's just me or whenever I remove mascara I lose like gazillion lashes :'( But I noticed that after using this mascara fixer, even when I put on extremely stubborn and hard to remove mascara, I don't lose any lashes which I absolutely love about this product!
  • KATE
KATE Cosmetics started out from Japan and has a significant shares in the Asian cosmetics world. Unlike other mascara base that I’ve used before, this one isn’t exactly “white” as per what the product's name states. Eventhough the brush itself is white, the formula isn’t. It contains little black hairs-like fibers that add length and volume to your own lashes. This can be used as a mascara base for lengthening, giving volume, creates longer lashes, and the curling up effect. 

Packaging:

Etude House: it comes in basic white plastic tubes with 6 mL of product. While you don't need to squeeze the actual tube to get product out, I suppose it would be helpful to get every little bit out when you're almost out of product.

KATE: the shape is not round, but square, which is quite unique. The square-ish tube is in white color, definitely porcelain-like tube. There is almost nothing other than its name on the cap.

Texture:
These are base-cara so the texture is different with a normal mascara.. you can see the texture of these two below:
  • Etude House: has a slightly curved wand and has a lot of fibers. 






  • KATE: the mascara wand is slightly curved so that it can reach to the inner corners of my eyes and coat those super short lashes too. Has lots of black fibers and the gel is white in colour. 






Ease of Use:
Both are extremely quick and easy to use. A lot of people may be reluctant to add another step to their beauty routine, but this takes literally 2 seconds to do. They are fuss-free and fool-proof. You don't need to wait for this to dry completely before following up with mascara. If you're really pressed for time, these could even function as clear mascaras.

And regardless of what type of mascara, the most important step is always making sure your lashes are perfectly curled. This is essential especially if you have asian lashes, like me. There is no point of applying mascara on eyelashes that point downwards!



How to use? and after-thoughts:
  • Etude House: 
- Long lash UP! Fine black fiber makes longer lashes and fix it. Apply this fixer before mascara.
- Curl FIX! Apply this fixer after use eyelash curler and it will hold your lashes for a longer time
- Coating FIX! Apply this fixer after your mascara coat dried, to avoid smudges.

It has little fibers in the tube, but the result on its own (before mascara) is very natural. I find that it really defines my lashes and separates them. The "Super Long Lash" formula has become a new holy grail item for me. It truly makes your lashes look so much longer, like I didn't feel any less to not put on falsies! The only thing I will say is that it can be a bit difficult to remove. Like for real haha. Even with using Banila Co. Cleansing Balm (which is the best makeup remover for waterproof makeup), after my waterproof mascara is gone from cleaning, this base-cara still stay on my eyes. Let you in a little confession: at the start, I tried to test out its water-resistant, it was not a clever thing to do. Because, it left me a stupid clumpy white thing on my lashes and it was so hard to remove

What I like about this product:
- affordable
- makes my eyelashes super long (in a natural way)
- cute packaging
- long lasting
What I don't like about this product:
- hard to remove
  • KATE:
- this mascara base is full of fibers and it delivers the fibers onto lashes very evenly with only one coat, and the fibers dry almost clear. When I applied more layers, I found that my lashes clump together
- my lashes are extremely lengthened and volumized after one coat!
- very nice curl!
- holds my curl all day
- easier to remove with waterproof makeup remover

What I like about this product:
- semi-transparent formula that is completely unnoticeable once you have normal black/brown mascara on
- hardens eyelashes, which explained why they can be in a curled position all day long
- adds lengths and volume to eyelashes
- keep eyelashes well separated like a comb (literally!)
What I don't like about this product:
- difficult to notice if you applied too many layers since it's not really visible
- too much layers do lead to a slightly clumpy look
- compared to Etude House, a little more pricey

Before finishing, I'd like to say that both of these mascara primers have completely changed the way I view lashes. I used to think that the only mascaras that would work for me were expensive/high-end fiber ones. These primers can boost ANY mascara, and thanks to these, I can use not just high-end but drugstore mascaras without feeling disappointed.



Verdict:
It's rare for me to find something that can revolutionize makeup application for me, but in this instance, Etude House Dr Mascara Fixer in super long lash is one of them. I'd go as far as to say that if you have lashes that are anything like mine, you NEED this in your life.

What I would prefer to get my hands on: Etude House Dr Mascara Fixer in super long lash

To buy these products, you can get them on the official Etude House website or 3rd-party sellers if you're overseas.
But if you're in Perth like me, you can get these two at: SakuraPerth珀斯美妆
Address: Shop 1, 369 William St, Northbridge
Opening Hours: 11 am - 6:30 pm

Thankyou for reading!

Here's a new announcement! I would like to let all of you know that from now on, I will be posting regularly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday :) Pop in your email address on the top of this page (at the left hand corner) to keep up to date with me and/or follow me on instagram (instagram.com/melon_yu) to get the latest updates x

Love,
Melon xoxo
*I received these products for free for review purposes by Sakura. All opinions are honest and my own*

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