REVIEW | Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara

I've been on a hiatus from using the L'Oreal Lash Paradise. The formula isn't doing anything for me anymore, so I had been looking for a new mascara. Enter, Essence's Lash Princess False Lash Effect mascara. Some of the few YouTubers that I watch (JAMBeauty89 and RachhLoves) adore it. The girl at the Ulta checkout raved about it when she saw that I was buying it. It's only $4.99, and usually sold out because people love it so much. Those all seem like indicators of a great mascara to me. 

A NOTE ON MY LASHES
I have very straight, borderline downturned eyelashes. They're black and are a decent length, but they lack fullness and look sparse without mascara on. I need at least 2-3 coats of mascara if I want them to look like they're actually there. 

WHAT I LIKED
This particular Lash Princess mascara (there are two other kinds) wand is fairly small and the bristles are tightly packed. You know when you're using a mascara wand and you can feel a slight tug on your lashes? That's how this one feels. And I love that feeling because I know the wand is coating and separating my lashes really well. The formula is in the goldilocks zone – it isn't super wet and it isn't dry, either. A lot of mascaras are too heavy for my eyelashes (which, by the end of the day, turn droopy), but this one has been really good at holding my curl throughout the wear time. 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
I often forget that less is more with Lash Princess. Beyond two coats, it gets clumpy really fast. If too much product is applied, the formula will also flake a little bit and leave flecks on my face. When this happens, I can definitely salvage my eyelashes with a lash comb, but I need to be quick and precise. On a less important note, I'm not fond of the packaging. Essence's aesthetic has always seemed kind of childish to me, and this mascara's packaging is no exception. 

FINAL VERDICT
Essence's Lash Princess False Lash Effect mascara delivers on its promises: with every use, my eyelashes are curled, lengthened, and voluminous the entire day. I've been using this for a few weeks now, and I haven't reached for my Lash Paradise mascara at all. The drawbacks, clumping and flaking, are preventable. When you find yourself at the two-coat mark, ignore the voice in your head that taunts, one more coat.