Vibrating Mascara

I’m a beauty junkie, not a dummie. ($1000 face cream? You do the math.)  So it was with decided skepticism that I approached Estee Lauder’s new TurboLash All Effects Motion Mascara ($32). What could a battery-operated mascara possibly do that my $24 tube could not? And did I really want to put something battery-operated anywhere near my eye?

On the outside, Turbolash looks like any other tube of mascara. The second I twisted it open, however, it began to buzz. Loudly. Though I couldn’t see it, the brush was allegedly ocillating at 125 cycles per second. This “micropulsing,” Lauder claims, allows the brush to comb through lashes, simultaneously separating and saturating them with mascara. The pulsating wand also is supposed to make it easier to add multiple coats without the typical build-up. 

Aside from the slight vibration in my hand, I couldn’t feel anything out of the ordinary as I applied the mascara. Turbolash nicely coated and lengthened my lashes—without clumping. I also applied a second coat with very little build-up.  However, since I’ve had the same great results with other Estee Lauder formulas I’m not convinced the spinning brush has anything to do with it. Bottom line: If you struggle with clumping, start with a high-quality mascara like DiorShow—and spend the difference on a new lipstick.

Although Turbolash doesn’t launch until the 27th, you can pre-order it from Nordstrom. Or, test out Lancome Ôscillation Mascara now—this one oscillates 7000 times per minute with a push of a button, for “ultimate lash transformation.” You be the judge.