The Budget Fashionista

What: Innovations in mascara wand design are leaving lashes looking longer than ever.

What the Experts Say: Think the mascara wand is only ancillary to the actual mascara formula? Think again. Cosmetics manufacturers are churning out wand designs that may look odd, but truly deliver the goods. It’s all enough to get Christina Ricci’s makeup gal, Vanessa Scali, hyped up. Of Givenchy’s Phenomen Eyes mascara , which touts a wand with a ball-shape at the end, Scali tells InStyle, “The unusual brush let’s you get in between every lash for extra definition. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was this excited about a mascara.�

What We Say: We don’t step foot outside without our lashes looking lush and lengthy, so if the new crop of wands make a difference, we’re psyched. Guerlain Le 2 De Guerlain Two Brush Mascara boasts two wands: a thick one for volumizing and lengthening, and a tiny angled one that reaches pesky inner lashes for a wide-eye effect. At $35, it’s not quite a steal, so Covergirl Lash Blast and Rimmel Glam Eyes Mascara have you covered, offering lush lashes at lesser price points. Lash Blast’s large, patent-pending plastic brush really separates every lash for awesome definition, but is difficult to maneuver on tiny inner lashes. The VolumFlex Brush in Glam’Eyes literally bends, making it highly maneuverable and perfect for coating each lash from root to tip.

Photo: Style.com