Random Product Review! Herbanluxe Mascara

By Unknown

Purchased

Does true indie mascara really exist?

Indie vegan mascara. Three words that hold so much hype and potential. Maybe you have sensitive eyes that struggle with the mascara brands you've purchased at the store. Maybe you can't find enough vegan alternatives. Maybe you feel really passionate about supporting independent business. Does a mythical cosmetic unicorn like this really exist!?

Herbanluxe Mascara

Eyelash mascara (travel size) - 0.12oz at $7.25 / 0.3oz at $11.99

 A handmade black vegan mascara great for everyday use. Formulated to define, condition and strengthen lashes. Won't smudge, clump or dry out. Perfect for contact wearers and people with sensitive eyes. This is the travel size version of our full size mascara. Conveniently fits in a small purse or even your back pocket for quick application and touch-ups.

I was pretty giddy when I found out about Herbanluxe's vegan mascara listed on their Etsy page, but also a little hesitant. I try my hardest to understand the ingredients that go into my cosmetics, and while I can't pretend to know all the ins and outs at the same level of depth and complexity as some people, I do know there are certain ingredients that just don't behave well with my skin and make it angry. Seeing the simple ingredient list for the mascara had me excited:

distilled water, arabica gum, vegetable glycerine, candelilla wax, ozokerite wax, carnauba wax, iron oxide, mica, provitamin B5, caprylyl glycol (natural preservative)

The further I scrolled the happier I was (seriously, I had my hand patting my wallet readying my credit card, I think I have a problem). Myra does an amazing job breaking down all my concerns about sensitivity and bacteria, but I still needed to know more. I shot her a few messages and expressed my anxiety about buying a handmade mascara. She was prompt and thorough in all her replies:

I use caprylyl glycol (natural preservative) and I challenge test all my batches.  As with any mascara once the mascara is open you need to make sure store the products in a clean dry place (not the bathroom). The product has a shelf life of 3 months once opened.

A challenge test is a microbial test which tests for common bacteria that can grow in a batch it is contaminated. I use sterile process for all my batches.

With this knowledge under my belt I pulled the trigger and made the purchase! So let's get to the point. How is it?

TL;DR: REALLY good. For my needs, that is.


I really like this mascara. My go-to mascara before this was the Silk Naturals mascara in black. I love the Silk Naturals mascara, but I really wished it was produced in-house instead of being made by a supplier. It just didn't scratch that indie itch, you know? So the main thing that initially sold me on the Herbanluxe mascara is that it's actually handmade by the shop owner.

So let's get down to the nitty gritty: The Herbanluxe mascara is not for lengthening. It is not going to make you look like you have caterpillars nestled across your eyelids. This is not an outrageous volumizing mascara. This is an everyday-use mascara. It fits the bill for my needs and does exactly what it claims: no clumping, no smudging, no drying out.  The formula is very light compared to some mascaras I've tried. I have thick, dark lashes so I only need one coat. It's thin and applies evenly. However, it also dries pretty quickly which is good if you want to build up multiple coats.

Here is my eye shortly after applying one coat. You can tell it's a thin formula for fluffy lashes.

This mascara also does a really nice job staying put. I've been wearing this for almost a month now and it has been through a lot: really late nights, watery eyes (I haven't cried with it yet, but it also doesn't make any promises about being waterproof), exercising, etc. In fact, it might stay on a teeny bit too good! I use a sherbert oil-based cleanser before following up with a foam cleanser, and I do have to put in a bit more effort to get it off compared to my SN mascara.

(Sorry for the creepy eye!) This is after 10 hours of wear and half an hour of running.

I purchased the travel-size mascara which is priced at $7.25, not much less than the $8.99 price for the Silk Naturals mascara. It weighs in at about 0.12 ounces (and while the SN mascara's weight is not given, I think it's roughly 0.30 ounces as the "weight" calculated when I add it to my cart is 0.03lbs). So if budget is a concern for you, unfortunately you do get way more product with the SN mascara.

My only critique is specific to the travel-sized wand. Looking at the pictures on the shop, the full-sized wand looks just like the SN wand. The travel-size wand however is not as full and bristly, and I feel like it just isn't as comfortable or thorough in application compared to the fuller wand. When I buy a replacement (and I DO want to buy a replacement), I think I'm going to upgrade to the full size.

I think the travel-size wand bristles aren't quite as dense as the full-size.

I'm so pleased with this purchase. I love nearly everything about this mascara, and the formula works so well for my eyelashes. While the price is a bit higher than what I am accustomed to, considering the quality I do not mind spending a little bit extra. I'm already looking forward to buying my next tube! If you want to know more about my impressions of Herbanluxe, check out their company overview posted recently.

Disclosure: There's been a recent discussion on /r/indiemakeupandmore on the product and possible health concerns. Please keep in mind that liquid products generally have a shorter shelf-life than powder products and to be extra cautious.