Dolly Wink Volume Mascara - Black

All right, I kinda figure I should actually make some sort of contribution to this blog. Now that I have been reminded of its existence.

I've been a fan of Dolly Wink ever since it was first started a few years back. Dolly Wink had some serious advertising in Japanese magazines, and a lot of Japanese models and online bloggers had positive reviews. Their mascara is one thing that I keep repurchasing - volume, length, in black, in brown, I think I've tried every single mascara Dolly Wink has put out. Right now I'm nearing the end of my tube of the Volume mascara in black, so I'll present that first.

My tube on the left (first generation packaging), and the current packaging on the right. I've been holding on to my tube for way too long. But that just means it's really really good, right?

Let me point out that this is probably the third or fourth time I've repurchased this particular mascara (discounting all other Dolly Wink mascaras), and I've tried a LOT of mascaras in between.

I was born with a terrible lack of lashes. They are short, stick straight, and sparse. My bare lashes are almost invisible. Pictures speak louder than words:

 No curling, no mascara - only eye shadow + pencil eyeliner.

THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE. One of them, anyway.

Anyway, with a little curling action from my Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler (another must-buy, IMO), I can actually make my lashes look like something with the Dolly Wink Volume mascara:

After curling - this is with one layer of Dolly Wink Volume mascara in black on. No lash combing in this picture, although I probably could've used it.

PROS

• Holds my curl amazingly - the curl still looks the same after a full day.
• Never ever smudges (and I have oily lids - things will smudge on me).
• Super easy to take off - it's supposed to come off with just warm water, although I've found it to be tear-proof. I usually take off all my make-up with just one pump of cleansing oil, including this mascara.
• Zero clumping in my experience. Separates well too, I almost never have to use a lash comb.
• I can see my lashes!!

CONS

• The formula in the tube dries relatively quick compared to other mascara I own (MAC's Plush Lash's formula still feels as liquid and smooth as the day I bought it and that was half a year ago). So use it fast!
• I've held on to my current tube for way too long (like 8 months?), and you can tell it's a little dry based on my pictures above - still applies fine though, and still no clumping.
• Difficult to get a hold of in Canada, although Dolly Wink is now popular enough that a lot of asian online beauty stores will carry the mascaras (if only they'd carry the rest of the line...).
• Sasa is selling it for USD$18.00. YEAH, NO WAY. I bought it for HKD$99 (~CAD$14) in Hong Kong when I was there in March 2014, and it came with a free eyeliner. I remember they used to go for HKD$79 (~CAD$11) without the eyeliner - maybe they still do. But that requires a trip to Hong Kong.

Your mileage may vary (as always), but I tend to have a not-so-easy time with most mascaras (often smudging, not enough curl, not enough volume/length), and this one has worked out very well for me.

CONCLUSION: Definitely worth trying it if you haven't found your HG mascara yet! Or worth trying even if you have found your HG mascara.