Beauty on a Budget: L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara Review
Good news! I still have left over goodies from Beauty on a Budget Week to get through so you'll be seeing a few new reviews on US drugstore finds starting today with L'Oreal's Telescopic Mascara.
Sadly, it's almost all bad news for L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara. While on vacation this was available at every single duty free beauty shop I passed and although at the time I didn't bother picking it up I realize now I should have listened to my original instinct that screamed "NO!". I picked this guy up with my big beauty haul from Walmart recently for $8.99 USD and that's about what it was available for at duty free but of course I wasn't shelling out 8% in taxes to call it my own if I brought it from some duty free shop but ado at the time I didn't bother.
One of the biggest flaws with this mascara is the applicator. Believe it or not I'm not going to go into a long rant just yet about the applicator being bad for application. Actually I'm going into a rant about the applicator being too delicate and flimsy. The applicator is sorta springy and loosely attached to the wand which makes it a big job to get the damn thing back into the tube without it snapping off completely. On a normal mascara day I'll unscrew the top of mascara off, slip the wand out, apply, and slip it quickly back in. On a day using L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara it turns into unscrewing the top, slipping the wand out, applying a mess to my eyes, and struggling for five minutes to slip the wand back inside the tube without snapping off the brush head. This takes delicate, small movements to wriggle the brush back in without completely ripping or snapping it off. Since the brush head isn't firmly secured onto the wand you could be staring at anywhere from 5-8 minutes struggling to get it back into the tube without risking it falling off while you struggle.
The delicate brush isn't the only problem as far as the applicator goes. The brush head is a plastic applicator with ridges surrounding it rather than the traditional "brush" you're getting more of a plastic wand with little spikes sticking out of it. It has a bit of a curve too it which leads you into believing that this will indeed apply the mascara well. Sadly, it falls flat of doing anything but making a big clumpy mess of your lashes. I've never successfully purchased a drugstore mascara that's done anything in the ways of volumizing and lengthening. I normally end up with clumps or spiky lashes and with L'Oreal's Telescopic Mascara that's about the total of it all. Clumps, check. Spiky lashes, check. A big mess, check. check. Although it applies crummy the formula itself does deserve a rave as I experienced no flaking, no smudging, and just generally good waterproof lasting power all day long!
L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara has alot going for it. Chic outer packaging, great price, good long wear however it falls short in the most important areas. Application isn't easy or foolproof, just messy and flaws in the design provide a potential money trap that you can easily fall into if you're rushed and push hard to get the wand back into the tube! $8.99 down the drain if the brush head snaps off!
All in all this particular mascara needs a whole lot of improvement before I decide to pick it up again! Pass on it, the Muse has seen much better!
Tried it?
Love it? Hate it?
Which drugstore mascara is your favorite steal?
Tell the Muse!
Check out my personal favorite mascara by following this link!
Click here to discovery an interesting take on mascara with my review of the new Spin Lash!
Click here to find out how to get cheap, slick, gorgeous lips with Avon Pro-to-Go Lipsticks!
Terra Eye shadows are not only cheap but gorgeous! Click here to read my raving review on these fab shadows!
Keep your skincare budget in check by visiting my Biore PJ Party!
Get a super, squeaky clean face without dropping a ton of cash on the Clarisonic Skin Care Brush!
Labels: Beauty on a Budget, Reviews, US Drugstore Brands
posted by the Muse @ 6:49 AM
34 Comments:
HEY MUSEEEEEEE!! it's meeeee :D lol
i'm actually quite suprised you didn't like this! I haven't tried it personally, but i've heard some good reviews, but now i'm glad i'm not shelling out $20 or so for this here lol.
i have tried max factor 2000 calories (or sth like that) before cos there was sale $20 for two, AND I LOVED IT!!!. it really grabbed onto each lash! It didn't fatten the lashes very much (i think), but it seemed to make the the lil naked-eye-cannot-see lashes visable; given the appearance of MORE lashes (not that you need anymore, so i dunno if it'll work for you as it did to me lol). It didn't lengthen much though, but thats nothing MJ can't fix XD :P
hehe
just thought i'd share that hahhaha. :) and i know i've somewhat disappeared, but i'm still here reading everyday XD as your stats prob. tell hehe
:)
<333
hellllllly! Good morning gorgeous!
Nice to see you!
Ugh don't bother. I'm shocked to hear it got ok reviews as I didn't like it at all. My lashes ended up all spiky and spider web like :P yak!
I haven't tried the Max Factor one..I can hope it's better than this :P
I like mascaras that fatten my lashes out however I do have plenty of lash to work with ;) so I might not see the difference too much but so long as it lengthens plus adds volume I'd be interested!
I dunno why I try. MJ is simply the best ;) I can't be swayed from it's awesomeness hehe!
LOL ;) Thanks for stopping by so often Helly. I appreciate it greatly ;)
I miss you when you aren't commenting!
Hugs!
I haven't tried this one, sounds quite nasty:D Thanks for the review. My drugstore favourite is Maybelline Volum' express:)
hi badbomben!
It's not good at all :P waste of 10 bucks yak!
You're most welcome ;) My pleasure.
I haven't tried that yet but I do have some new one in a neon yellow packing that I need to review shortly..maybe it's HG material?
Doubt it ;)
hehe!
I'm glad I'm not the only one who hated this mascara!
Hey Muse! It's funny, I had read some reviews and recs saying this one was good too! But I am so glad I waited!
What is the deal with these plastic/rubber applicators?? I HATE them! I think that they make your lashes all spiky, yikes!
Still looking for that mythical, perfect mascara...love that you keep us informed!
hey i got this a while ago when some drug store was doing a BOGO, sadly i was disappointed as well. it really didn't do much for me, except weigh down my lashes, it did make them super long but that was it. sigh.
amen Laura!
Sometimes I feel so alone. Hold me!
;)
I seen some serious raves but I'm wondering who these crazy people are ;)
hiya tammy!
I read some seriously huge raves to but lord knows its crap. I swear the people that rave must work for l'oreal or something as who could possibly like this crap?
For a few bucks more you can get a mac mascara and call it a day!
UGH! Yes! Everyone does the plastic/rubber crap nowadays don't they?
I seriously never ran across a ds mascara that actually worked well! It's always a mess of spiky clumps :P
The mystical perfect mascara is MJ mascara my dear girl! Get ye some! It's the holy grail of mascara ;)
Thanks for the comment! hope to talk to you again soon!
hi Ethereal Prey!
thank god you got it with a bogo sale!
I got good length from it but the spikey, clumpy mess was unforgivable :P
It weighted my lashes down too sigh ;p
I don't believe there is a ds brand that's good when it comes to mascara!
The yellow tube is Colossal Volum' Express (Maybelline). I'm liking it because it has a real nylon brush, not the rubber spikes.
When I first tried the Telescopic I thought, "hey, it's like they wanted a pivot brush, but were too cheap to put the pivot in".
Ok Mighty Musey, now that you have me CRAVING this HG MJ Mascara, tell me where I can get it!!!
Adams Beauty is out of stock!
Help me!
I have been using Loreal Voluminous...and still like it, but, I want to try this MJ.
hiya pinkcrow!
bingo! That's it! I haven't tried it yet but I'm happy to hear it has a regular brush! It's still in a package on my desk ;) Review to follow soonish! I hope I like it as much as you!
Ugh I didn't even think of a pivot...I'm utterly devastated at how hard it is to get the bloody thing back in the tube. I imagine it'll snap off one morning when I'm rushing but than again maybe not as I see this collecting dust in my draw some where :P
Did you like it?
Thanks for the comment! Hope to hear from you again soon!
hiya tammy :)
Here's a link for my review:
http://www.musingsofamuse.com/2008/04/majolica-majorca-mascara-review.html
Love this stuff with a passion!
MY GOD he is!? What the hell! Did you see my Japanese Shopping Guide? A few sites on that entry have MJ Mascara ;) Also ebay!
It's my favorite mascara! I've never found anything that works as great ;)
If you're Asian you'll especially love the curling benefits and the way the applicator pulls lashes out and lengthens!
I'm so suprised that you didn't like it cause i love it
i admit that it can be a lil messy but i got use to it
Crisis averted dear Musey! The wonderful and beautiful Aya has helped me out with a swap! I am getting some MJ's and some stuff from Canmake....I am sitting at my desk at work doing the happy dance..:)
Wah!!! I pressed backspace and I think my original comment got deleted! Noes!
Anywho, I was saying that I could never look at that mascara without thinking of the Ronni Ancona skit, and how she took the piss out of Penelope Cruz.
Also, a humble request: could you included a post on your shaving kit, and whatever arcane rituals you use for keeping your legs smooth for the summer (shaving the eyelids is entirely optional)?
We need more posts on wet-shaving and until I break in my new badger brush, I need to stall for time. Helps!
Hey Muse, good to see you back after the holiday, we missed you!!! Lol, especially as we didn't get a long weekend down here in Oz, not fair.
I've learnt to stay away from most 'drugstore' beauty products, but I will admit that the Covergirl wetslicks lip glosses are pretty good, especially as they as soooooo cheap!!! I'm a NC 45, and the cheaper makeup brands generally don't stock colours for darker girls like me here. So getting MAC in Brisbane a few years ago was HUGE for me!!!
Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the review :) Now I know not to buy this. I've eyed it a few times when I've needed mascara, but thankfully never bought it. Your reviews are awesome and very helpful...thanks! :)
hi! i was reading back on some of your older blogs and i was just wondering where you purchase your japanese eyeshadow products? i'm out here in the u.s. and i havent seen many of the japanese drugstore brands in my area even at the japanese markets! are there any sites that don't charge an arm and a leg? feedback would be much appreciated! :]
Muse,
I actually couldn't disagree more! I recently purchased this at random from a Walmart nearby and I was absolutely thrilled with it. Perhaps its the tube you purchased.
I told my sister to get it and try it and she loved it also! We both have very different types of lashes (read: hers are lush and thick and mine are thin and light) but we saw equally great results.
I have experienced no clumping, spider lashes, or spikiness and neither has my sister.
We tried the carbon black formula so perhaps its a bit different.
I did think the brush was strangely attached, at first, but its flexibility is now what I like best. I think it allows to help hold a curl.
Sorry it didn't work for you, but we love it!
Hey musee, thanks so much for the review, I'm starting to see them everywhere here iN manila :) Thanks for this, i will listen to my instincts too!
Aww, Telescopic works great for me :(
Sucks that it didn't work for The Muse!
morning beautyaddict1one1!
It's a no go for me sadly. I might have to try using it some more and see if it changes my mind but sadly it's a hot mess on my lashes. I have to do some serious combing out to get it on right :-(
I'm also really picky ;) so chalk it up to that hehe!
Thanks for the comment beautyaddict!
good morning Tammy!
Aya is gorgeous isn't she? That's fab she's nabbing i for you ;) She's a love.
hehe your first venture into Japanese cosmetics! You'll soon be an addict ;)
Enjoy and don't forget to get your butt back here to tell me if you love it or not ;)
every word typed by your sweet digits is sent from heaven above Mandy....how horrifying such important phrases that flowed from your delicate fingertips got deleted :P
Shame on bloger ;)
hehe!
LMAO I loved her accent! Did you see the andie mcdowell one? That's funny too.
LOL you and your bloody shaving fetish lately ;) Yes it can be shaving time now :) I'll see about a post for you!
I think it's an excuse to see my legs...that's what I think!
(o)Y(o) <----my legs for these teehee!
is shaving the face optional too?
=P
morning Dancinggal!
It's great to be back lovie. Thanks for missing me :)
Awww shoot. I'll call down and see if I can arrange for a long weekend for you =-)
Are those wetslicks the ones that spin up? Like a balm? I have some of those and they are fab ;)
MAC is so wonderful for a darker skin tone! The pigments just pop on a darker skin! My sister is quite tan and MAC always works wonders for her as must DS brands and counter items aren't pigmented enough for her!
Thanks for the comment ;) Enjoy talking to you!
It's my pleasure to post for you guys! Thanks for reading!
Hugs!
hiya Christina!
You're most welcome! It's tempted me on a phew occasions and I decided to dive. Several people had great experiences with it but I just thought it was meh :P Rather splurge on an MJ mascara for $12!
Aw thanks Chrstina :) Glad you find my babblings helpful!
Thanks for commenting! Hope to speak to you again soon!
Hugs!
hiya kawaiikao!
Most of my japanese items are purchased by friends and sent over to me via airmail :)
Sadly online shops all have very high prices but if you look at my japanese buying guide a few shops do have somewhat ok prices...not as cheap as Japanese drugstores..but not too bad :)
Have you seen that entry yet?
Hope this helps!
Thanks for the comment!
morning Heidi Anne!
For me it was a no win but I'm happy to hear some folk had a great experience with this. I've read mixed reviews of yays and nays around.
It could be I just got a bad batch? But it could just be me being picky ;)
I had to comb through the formula to get it applied correct without experiencing the spikey look :P All in all it wasn't working well for me but I'll definately be using it some more to see if my mind changes :)
The brush really pissed me off as it was so delicate :P
Thanks for your take on this! Appreciate it and happy to hear people are loving it!
Cheers!
Talk to you again soon I hope!
hiya nikki!
It must be 10x's the price your side...do not want :P hehe!
I just wasn't loving this one! I think you're better off splurging on some MJ or KATE.
I wish I had listened to my instincts ;)
hehe!
Hugs!
hiya Julie!
Good to hear lovie! I just wasn't loving it. I'm going to keep trying! Maybe my mind will change ;-)
it was a meh for me sadly. Too messy and the applicator was just rubbish!
Thanks for the comment!
I loved your illegal cargo fotd btw..gorgeous!
Hope to speak to you again soon!
Aww, Telescopic works great for me :(
Sucks that it didn't work for The Muse!
July 8, 2008 1:03 AM
Delete
I LOVE IT! This is the only mascara which curls,volumize and lengthen my lashes perfectly.Sadly,this version is not available in Singapore. I am using the 3rd tube now and still got 1 more backup.
hey rocking chick!
I'm just not loving this one! I love my MJ ;) Everything else pales in comparison!
=)
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