East Asia is light-years ahead of us when it comes to beauty — giving us K-beauty, street style, and most importantly, boyband BTS.
And as a result, I am now hyper-fixated on solving niche beauty qualms of America’s most asked questions. What is the best cotton pad on the market? (I like this one.) Will an LED light machine change my life? (Studies say yes.) Are Japanese mascaras the key to long eyelashes? The short answer is yes. According to the Japan Times, the Japanese lash is only about 5.8 millimeters in length — there is an obsession with longer lashes, and you can find lash bars on every corner.
I often debate whether or not I want to get eyelash extensions or a lash lift, but fear my lashes falling out, getting irritated or going through irreversible damage. So, I look to mascara as my savior, as false lashes are far too much work to be applied daily and there are only so many times someone can recommend Too Faced’s Better Than Sex mascara as the supposed answer to my problems. Sure, it is great, but I need more and am willing to cross the seas (at least virtually) to get the best on the market — like a mascara with eyelash film technology.
Short lash gals keep reading for four Japanese lengthening mascaras that deliver what the States could not.
Shiseido
Majolica Majorca seems to be one of the most popular mascara brands in Japan according to reviews. The Shiseido-owned brand released this gem in 2017, and I am sad it took me an entire two years to get my hands on it. The applicator may be tiny, but it is powerful. And the extension fiber formula lengthens, separates and expands your lashes without weighing them down. Plus, its waterproof formula allows it to stay put all day long without smearing, and it can easily be removed with an eye makeup remover.
Heroine Make
Do not let the kitschy packaging distract you — this formula works. Its lightweight formula deposits a generous amount of product in one fell swoop! Plus, the mascara stays on in even the dampest of climates — say a summer music festival or a neighborhood pool party (thank you, waterproof). Wave goodbye to smudgy black under eye and give a warm welcome to fluttery, long lashes.
Flowfushi
In the late 2000s, Flowfushi released color-coded tubes to distinguish between focuses. Green focused on separation, navy focused on curl, and brown focused on repairing broken lashes. This pink tube signifies volume, but the product does so much more than simply volumize. The long slim wand can enhance even the shortest lashes. It takes only one coat to see a true difference, although you can build up without it getting clumpy.
Dejavu
“Tell me is that Déjà vu? Cause you want me and I want you.” — Post Malone, but also me to this mascara.
Why, yes, it is Dejavu: the aforementioned mascara with eyelash film technology. Each tube has a unique fiber-rich, clump-free film formula that sticks to every lash in order to lengthen them. This water-based mascara holds curls all day and provides falsie-like eyelashes. It is not flaky, and its smear-resistant formula makes it great for a night out on the town. Perfect for 24-hour wear, if you are into that no-sleep lifestyle.
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