beauty

ROAD TEST: We tried the brand new tubing mascara that just might be the best yet.

In Mamamia’s Road Test series, real women road test the latest trends, treatments and techniques you need to know about - and share their honest thoughts. If it's out there, you can bet we've tried it.


You might think that tubing mascara is mascara that comes in a tube. I can see why you would think that, because lots of beauty products come in tubes. But you’re wrong.

A tubing (sometimes also called tubular) mascara is much cooler and more clever than that.

It’s actually a formula that creates teeny tiny ‘tubes’ around each of your eyelashes as it sets. It does this for two reasons;

First, so you don’t get flakes falling on your cheeks, or smudges under your eyes, or any sort of panda eye situations in general. 

Second, and this is the really cool bit - for how it is removed. When you take it off it essentially ‘slides’ off your lashes in very small tubes, meaning there’s no tugging, pulling or aggressive wiping. It’s much more gentle to both your lashes themselves and the eye area skin, too.

Weirdly, there’s not that many tubular mascaras around, which I think is a crying shame. So when a new one launches I get all giddy with excitement to give it a go.

The latest, which just launched, is the Hourglass Cosmetics Unlocked Mascara, $46. Hourglass are the people who blessed us with Ambient Light finishing powders (AKA a filter for your face but IRL), so we know they do good stuff.

The brush is my favourite type - the bendy plastic kind with the short and stumpy (but fine) bristles, so you can get into every nook and cranny (i.e. your inner corner and outer lashes). The formula itself is a rich black and quite moist, meaning you've got a generous amount of time to work on your coats before it dries.

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Exhibit A. Image: Supplied. 

Its tagline is ‘Instant Extensions Mascara’, and while it’s absolutely lengthening and defining, I wouldn't say it’s the most volumising mascara I’ve ever used. I quite like that though - it gave enough ‘oomph’ but without looking like I a had trillions of layers of makeup on. 

I’ve decided it’s great for an everyday, and the option is there to build it up if you want to go bigger. It was true to its promise, too - not flaking or smudging at all throughout a 14 hour day.

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I know it’s hard to tell which one is me. I’m the brunette. Image: Supplied.  

The true joy came when it was time to take my makeup off. Ordinarily I remove my mascara with a cotton pad and micellar water, but with tubing formulas I just wet my fingers (yes, with water) and gently slide my thumb and pointer finger along my lashes to pull the tubes off. 

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Exhibit B. Image: Supplied.  

Fun, huh!? No more rubbing at your eyes, and in turn, less lash breakage. And now you’re wondering which other mascaras are tubing, aren't you? Here’s a handy list.

Model.Co LashXtend mascara, $18

Kevyn Aucion The Volume Mascara, $45

Poni White Knight Tubular Mascara, $30

Blinc Mascara, $35.95

What's your favourite tubing mascara? Let us know in the comments below.

Feature Image: Supplied.