The Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara is one of those highly raved about mascaras in the beauty community, so much so that they even created a waterproof version. I personally feel it's over-hyped and must be loved by those already blessed with full lashes, as it doesn't do much for those with sparse lashes like myself. I have purchased this mascara 4 times now over the years and you would think i would have got the hint and registered that i was not a fan by now, but no i persevered as i really wanted to love it, especially as Too Faced are cruelty free. I thought perhaps that the waterproof version would solve all my problems about what i didn't like about the original, but boy oh boy was i wrong. Unfortunately it was another let down. So i think that it is fair to say finally now that i will not be boarding the 'I love better than sex mascara' train.... Now, before you Too Faced lovers try to come at me please remember that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and experience - and my opinion is just that 'MY opinion'. Just because i did not like something does not mean it's not a good product, or that it won't work for someone else. I just wanted to share my own experience. I for one am a huge fan of Too Faced products especially their eyeshadows, but i have yet to find a cosmetics brand out there who's every product i adore. Now time for the review...
Too Faced Better Than Sex - Packaging ( Waterproof )
As always too faced packaging is so pretty. The Better than sex mascara is no exception with the traditional mascara being in a pretty sleek pink tube ( mine seems to have vanished somewhere ), but the waterproof version is even more aesthetically pleasing in a spectacular deep sea foam-green shade, with multidimensional water droplets. Both will look pretty in the background of your Instagram flatlay photos. The packaging feels very luxurious, similar to that of luxury mascaras. It has a nice heavy weight to it even though its made of a very dense plastic. I like that they put a weight in the brush handle which allows more controlled precision. This is what a lot of luxury brands do with makeup brushes. How many of you have dropped a lightweight mascara wand? It's definitely a feature i like. The mascara brush is a large stiff hourglass-shaped fibre brush, that's not at all flexible. The large shape makes this mascara very difficult to completely coat the lashes over top and underneath, it's also not ideal for the bottom eyelashes. Weight and texture is identical in both of the Too Faced BTS mascaras. The only difference is the colour packaging and ingredients.
Too Faced Better Than Sex - Formulation & Performance
The formulation is pretty viscous, making it fairly easy to grip onto the lashes as you brush through, unlike wetter formulations. It dries pretty quick which is great if you are someone who is impatient like myself and likes to apply a second coat quickly. However i do find that the mascara can flake because of it's more drier texture. It helps you to achieve long, fluttery lashes that you can expect to see on a pretty doll, so girly and feminine. It does help to separate lashes but does so in clusters, which can lead to lashes looking clumpy. I advise wiping off excess product, working in thin layers and combing through afterwards with a lash comb to reduce the spider lash look. As the formula isn't so wet I do find that it holds a curl really well ( if you don't like using an eyelash curler you might enjoy this ) but it's not so great if you aren't naturally blessed with full lashes already. You will find that what few lashes you do have, will clump together and before you know it your left looking like you had less lashes than before you applied the mascara! Apply sparingly ( no more than two coats ) to avoid more clumping and weighing the lashes down. Though the waterproof version claims to be 'Tear Proof' i personally feel there is no difference in the longevity compared to the original. Both remove fairly easily without the need to tug at your delicate eye area, however i always recommend removing mascara with either a micellar water or an oil cleanser.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara Ingredients ( Regular )
Water, Synthetic Beeswax, Paraffin, Glyceryl Stearate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Butylene Glycol, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Polybutene, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Cera Carnauba/Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax/Cire de Carnauba, Aminomethyl Propanol, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Polyester-11, PVP, Cellulose, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Dextran, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1. May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Black 2 (CI 77266), Ultramarines (CI 77007).
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara Ingredients ( Waterproof )
Isododecane, Paraffin, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Beeswax/Cera Alba/ Cire d'Abeille, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Pentaerythrityl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Talc, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax/Copernicia Cerifera Cera/ Cire De Carnauba, Polybutene, Water/Aqua/Eau, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-7, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Hoya Lacunosa Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Iron Oxides (CI 77499).
Cruelty Free/Tested on Animals?
Not Tested On Animals
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara - Overall Opinion
Too Faced Claims "One coat and lashes are full, defined and stretched to unbelievable lengths. Two coats and they're reaching unbelievable heights of drama. Three coats and you'll believe in magic". I feel that this is incredibly over marketed! The Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara is a great mascara for lengthening lashes, but only if you already have full lashes to begin with ( i for one am not that blessed ). I don't find that this mascara gives much volume at all! So if volume is something you are after in a mascara i would recommend following up with a volumizing mascara for your second coat, to help achieve that fullness. This mascara does not layer well at all, upon your second application of the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara you can expect to achieve spidery looking lashes; and a third coat you might as well say hello to 5 rather clumpy lashes - reminding me of Angelica on rugrats dolls hair! It does give somewhat of a pretty and natural doll-eyed effect with just one coat, but only if used sparingly with a light hand. Personally this mascara is just too much maintenance for me. Sadly it doesn't wear long either and transfers under my eyes almost immediately. With it beginning to flake after around 3 hours wear. I do find that 9 out of 10 mascaras transfer on me because my eyes are: sunken, hooded and i have oily eyelids. Yes I'm pretty unlucky. However both mascara versions transferred on me and also did on other people i tested it on! I do find this can wear a little better when used in conjunction with the Diorshow Lash Maximizer 3D Primer. Personally i feel that this mascara is over hyped thanks to beauty bloggers on platforms like Youtube & Instagram because the packaging is pretty and girly. I also noticed that most of the ladies who do use it wear false lashes in conjunction. Which doesn't show the true effect of the mascara, but i will say that it is a great mascara for blending false lashes into your natural lashes. I know that i am not alone in my less than enthusiastic opinion, as many other women on Makeup Alley can vouch for my opinion with it only scoring a 3.3 out of 5. That's with a total of 798 reviews. If this didn't clump, had a smaller flexible brush and didn't transfer so easily under my eyes, then it would be a mascara i could like. So, sadly this is not a mascara i will repurchase again. If you are after another luxury mascara that gives a flirty lash look but also has volume then i highly recommend this. So many women i used this on purchased it after i used it on them! For those of you who like a more affordable option i am thrilled to share with you an affordable dupe that is slightly longer-wearing.... the *W7 Flirty Eyes False Lash Effect Mascara.
W7 Flirty Eyes Mascara - Packaging
There are no thrills with the basic packaging of the W7 Flirty Eyes Mascara, which is housed in a gradient burgundy to black plastic tube, similar to most of Loreals mascaras. I was randomly sent this last year by JustMyLook and never reached for it, until this year. Why i took so long, i don't know. I guess i didn't have much expectation for it. I like that the ingredients list is labelled on the packaging, however i did notice that the ingredients list was not listed anywhere on the internet; So i had to copy and type it in myself for you lovelies. The wand shape is the same hourglass shape as the Too Faced, but instead of looking like a car wash brush it's formed with a plastic brush with smaller bristles. Which i find grips the lashes better. I also find mascaras with plastic wands don't dry up as quick.
W7 Flirty Eyes Mascara - Formulation & Performance
The Formulation is viscous but just ever-so-slightly more wet than the Too Faced; but not too wet that it slips or transfers easily. I find that it combs through the lashes smoothly and evenly giving a pretty flirty doll-eyed look. Unlike the BTS Mascara it lengthens and separates the lashes 'without clumping' making it easier to apply a good 3 coats if desired. It also dries fairly quickly. I think the flexible wand really helps with fully coating the lashes from root to tip. Because of the wands flexibility this mascara works well for those with smaller eyes, sparse lashes and Asian or hooded eye shapes. It also applies fairly well on the bottom lashes. However this does also transfer on me, but lasts around a good 4 hours before doing so. I experience zero flaking too. Just like the Too Faced it doesn't give much volume but it does give more than the Too Faced BTS.
W7 Flirty Eyes Mascara Ingredients
Aqua, Cera Alba, Stearic Acid, PVP, Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Cera, Talc, Candelilla Cera, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Triethanolamine, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Cera, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Trihydroxystearin, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, May Contain: CI 77499.
Cruelty Free/Tested on Animals?
Not Tested On Animals
W7 Flirty Eyes Mascara - Overall Opinion
Overall the W7 Flirty eyes mascara is a fantastic little mascara and is a brilliant dupe for the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. In fact i personally think that it is better! The brush shape, material and mascara formulation compliment more lash types than just those who are 'blessed with full lashes'. I am so jealous of my Instagram Friend Brianna Stankos' lashes - she is blessed! I always lust after her mascara recommendations. However i have come to realise that our lashes and eye shapes are very different. So sadly every mascara she has raved about just hasn't worked for me *sob ( but all have worked wonders on my friend Clare ). The Flirty eyes mascara varies in price and is a complete bargain being cheaper than some Maybelline mascaras in the drugstore. The only thing i dislike is that it contains 4 different types of Parabens. Not ideal if you are someone who tries to steer clear of Parabens. Overall i am loving this mascara and its going to be perfect for the upcoming Spring months.
Availability & Pricing
Both the Too Faced Better Than Sex and W7 Flirty Eyes Mascaras are only available in the shade Black and both are part of each brands permanent collection. Too Faced mascaras are sold exclusively through certain mid-range retailers and W7 mascaras are sold through more affordable drugstore websites and can be easily found on eBay and Amazon. There is a huge price difference with the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara retailing for £19 and only containing 8ml of product, with a 6 month expiry ( though i find it dries up around 4 months like YSL mascaras ) and the W7 Flirty Eyes Mascara has double the amount of product with 15ml for a fraction of the price ranging from £2-£6. It comes with a 12 month expiry ( probably down to the parabens ) however i never keep mascaras over 6 months. It just goes to show how much packaging can be deceiving. Most drugstore mascaras contain more product than higher brand mascaras.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
UK £19 via | Selfridges
Australia $33 via | Mecca
Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara
UK £19 via | Debenhams - Selfridges
Australia $33 via | Mecca
W7 Flirty Eyes False Lash Effect Mascara
USA $7.95 via | W7 Cosmetics
Australia $3 via | Skincare Australia
Have you tried either of these mascaras? If you love the Too Faced Better Than Sex would you consider trying the affordable Dupe? Share your experience and thoughts with me in the comments below!
I like the Better Than Sex mascara but like you said, we all have different lash types! The dupe looks really good, too. I've seen W7 products in TJ Maxx so hopefully I can find it there! x
ReplyDeleteBeauty From Katie
i really wanted to be one of those i love it people :-( xo
ReplyDeleteAs you say, I think those who like it as much as they do are those who are already blessed with decent lashes. It did very little for my fine, short, straight lashes. I find Benefit Roller Lash gives me a lasting curl and a little extra length but doesn't give me the volume I need - I generally have to use 2 or 3 mascaras to get the look I'm after. It would be amazing to find ONE product that gives me the length, curl and volume I want whilst offering no transfer and not irritating sensitive eyes!
ReplyDelete