Tttttturbo-Lash!

Unlike most gals, I don't let any vibrating wands near me (ha!), least likely in or around my face. But, Estee Lauder's Turbolash has me singing another tune. (At least when it comes to mascara, anyway.)

This was introduced last year, but it took some convincing for me to buy into the whole thing. It just seems gimmicky, right? Plus, at $32USD a pop, this mascara is definitely a bank-breaker.
Douglas Cosmetics was having a Lauder GWP, last week when I stopped in, so I decided to ask the sales associate about it. She said it was superb, and wanted to demonstrate how it worked, but the battery on the tester was dead, so I never got the show. I ended up getting some other things and actually held off on getting this. My curiosity finally got the better of me earlier this week, so I took the plunge and forked out the dough.

I didn't know what to expect, but the basic lowdown is, there is a small battery that you insert at the top of the mascara wand when you buy it. This is what powers the little motor that makes the wand/brush vibrate. The battery is not environmentally friendly, unfortunately, and has to be disposed of separately when you're ready to toss the mascara.

This mascara promises volume, separation and length, which is quite a hefty claim for a mascara. Chanel Inimitable promised that same phrase, and hardly delivered (more on that in another review.) I have short, thin lashes that are straight, so anything that can make them curled, long, and volumized without clumping is a hero in my book. My previous high-end holy grails were Dior Show and YSL Faux Cils (more on those in another review!)

The motor turns on as soon as you twist the wand to open the mascara, and stays on until you put the wand back in the tube and click it shut. (This is a major difference between the Lauder and Lancome's Oscillation mascara. You have to manually start the Lancome with a touch button.) Now, as far as vibrations, I was expecting the wand to be out of control, but it really wasn't. I didn't feel a dramatic oscillation, though obviously it's enough for me to hear some humming during application, and it's enough to perform the job. If you've ever had a Sonicare toothbrush, it sort of sounds like that when it's on.

I don't even need a lash curler with this baby! It lifts the lashes and gives them that gentle curl. It gives a fluttery, fan-like effect to the lashes, and it makes them longer and volumized. I was also able to use 2 coats without any clumping or flaking. And, best of all, I didn't have to do anything except run the brush through the lashes. None of the crazy wiggling and zig-zagging that I usually employ to try and cover my lashes evenly or get to those very itsy bitsy lashes in the inner and outer corners. This does it all!

The battery is supposed to last the duration of the 3 months, so we will see about that. Even without the effective mechanism, this is a good mascara formula. The brush is long and bristly, and tapers at the end. It sort of reminds me of a tall, dense pine tree. It actually is very similar to Lauder's Sumptuous mascara, which I also have used and like. The formula is a dark black, and the texture is light-weight and leaves the lashes soft to the touch. (No crunchiness here!)
I love this mascara, and if its performance stays the same, I will continue to repurchase. Just to note, this is NOT waterproof (not sure if EL plans to offer a WP version of this) -- but it lasts without smudging all day, and is fairly easy to remove at night with a good remover. I wouldn't wear it to the swimming pool or anything, though.