Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara - Review

I think I love testing mascaras because it's pretty hard to have a bad reaction to them. A mascara is not likely to cause a break out (not like I break out often, though), I don't have to worry about the color not really "going with" whatever else I'm wearing, so I can wear it every day for weeks, and I don't have to worry about the color not working with my skin tone. I've tried samples of Smashbox mascaras before, and they tend to be middle-of-the-road in terms of performance. With my last order from Smashbox.com, I selected a deluxe sample of their newest mascara, Full Exposure.

According to Smashbox:

Inspired by the on-set technique of layering a lengthening fiber mascara over a volumizing formula, our new studio-tested mascara exposes your longest, fullest lashes. No clumps, no flakes. Just maximum-impact, scene-stealing lashes. • 104% increase in lash volume • 32% increase in lash length • 34-degree increase in lash curl Go on set at Smashbox the day Full Exposure came to life.

For $19, you get a shiny black tube that has the name of the product in white, with a red "x" on it, as an accent. The packaging is fairly standard, nothing terribly excited or depressing about it. Since I only have a sample tube, however, mine is small. The brush is a fiber-type, which I greatly prefer, and seems huge in my sample tube. I'm certain the brush head is full size. Because it's so big, it's hard to maneuver - I usually need to remove the excess mascara that manages to make its way onto my eye lid or under eye area. Not a huge deal, but it's an annoyance, and requires an extra step.

I don't curl my lashes, and I don't particularly notice this mascara making my lashes appear more curled. I can say this mascara seems to add length, and a bit of volume. I find the percentages given by Smashbox to be a bit laughable, though. I don't see 104% increased volume in my lashes. And 32% length? How's that measured, exactly? My lashes certainly appeared longer, but I don't know if they really are a third longer with the mascara than without.

This mascara doesn't wear particularly well on me. I have oily lids, and have found this mascara can begin to melt off a bit, and irritate my eyes. This only occurs during super warm days, where I've been wearing makeup for 12 or more hours though.

This mascara removes very easily, which I really like. Sounds silly, but I'd rather not have to use a ton of eye makeup remover, or have to really scrub my eyes to remove mascara. My eye makeup remover removes this very easily.

Overall, this is a mediocre mascara. It's not amazing, but it's not trash, either. It's merely a decent, average, mascara. If it didn't migrate or flake into my eyes, I'd like it more. As it is, though, it's not bad.