Clinique’s Almost Lipstick in the shade Black Honey has enjoyed quite a renaissance in the past couple of years. Thanks to a newly found social media-fueled popularity, the cult-classic hue from the ’70s keeps selling out, making it nearly impossible for anyone to secure a precious tube. Since then, the brand has reformulated the nostalgia into cheek and lip oils, liners and even its beloved High Impact mascara —a lash-boosting product that’s transforming sparse, thinning lashes into natural, defined beauties that are definitely something to write home about. If you’re not already familiar, Black Honey is a berry-burgundy shade that many consider to be universally flattering. However, if you’re someone who has never ventured beyond the traditional black or brown mascaras, you might be wondering why anyone would want a colored mascara at all.In October of last year, makeup artists told HuffPost that strategically selecting a colored mascara can make eyes appear brighter, enhance their natural color and bring focus to the upper half of the face. A shade like Black Honey in particular, can be flattering for green, hazel and blue eyes and doesn’t have to be scary. Instead, it can look surprisingly subtle, yet impactful, once applied. I myself even have a similar burgundy-toned mascara that I actually prefer to my traditional blackest-black shades. “First time buying mascara that was not pitch black and I was hesitant,” one Amazon customer writes. “It arrived and upon opening the bottle, it just looked brown. But OMG if you have green/hazel eyes.. this mascara color was made for you!”Another color skeptic reviewer from Amazon also said: “I have to admit that I am very impressed with this one and it looks amazing. I have green eyes and I love the way it looks with them.”Aside from the magical potential of the color, the High Impact formula itself is winning people over left and right for a few different reasons. Fortified with glycerin and provitamin B5 — two humectants that can condition and strengthen lashes, while also keeping them flexible — this mascara is highly resistant to both clumping and flaking, even when you build up the pigment with multiple coats. “I was amazed at the difference. It made my eyelashes look full without clumping,” claimed one reviewer, though it should be noted that hundreds echoed similar sentiments. This easy-to-layer and smudge-free mascara uses a soft fiber brush to evenly coat lashes, create defined length and noticeable volume. And if you’re someone who has found that other mascaras burn or irritate your eyes, the High Impact formula is ophthalmologist- and allergy-tested, and comes with tons of assurances that it’s safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. It’s so gentle, in fact, that one High Impact user claimed that this was the only mascara that didn’t burn after a few hours of wearing, like nearly all other ones they had tried. It’s also easy to remove with only a washcloth and warm water, so you don’t have to tug and pull at the sensitive skin around your eyes. If you’re still not convinced that Black Honey is the mascara shade for you, the High Impact also comes in classic black and black-brown to suit your preferences. And even still, if you’re not persuaded, the Clinique High Impact mascara even comes in a travel-size, so you can try this classic formula before you commit to a full-size tube — just like one reviewer claimed to do below.Promising reviews:“After chemo, I lost many of my eyelashes. I have tried so many mascaras. Some clump, flake, or run. This mascara is the one for me. Goes on easily, does not flake, clump, and is easy to remove. The look is natural, not like I have fake lashes on. It is pricey, but so were the others I have tried. If not so expensive, it would be perfect!” — Stephania“Makes green eyes POP! Great color for green eyes. I ordered the Black honey. Love the way the mascara goes on, buildable, not clumping. Clinique is great for my sensitive eyes.” — Treasure“I have an issue with basically all mascaras burning my eyes after a few hours, as I have sensitive eyes and many allergies. I have tried too many mascaras to count, including more natural mascaras, and I’m still allergic! So I ALWAYS come back to this mascara by Clinique, which is the ONLY one that does not burn my eyes. I also like that it can be easily removed with only a washcloth and water, as I’m also allergic to all the eye makeup removers I’ve tried. Anyway, this mascara also gives my lashes the impact I want in just one coat, and is a high quality at a reasonable price! So glad I can wear this without an allergic reaction. It really is a rare find.” — BeautyProductAddict“Many mascaras have made the promise to lengthen, define, and add volume. This is the one mascara that I’ve found that has lived up to the hype. As an over 50 woman whose lashes are thinning, I was looking for something to bring back that fuller look. After receiving a trial sample of this mascara, I was hooked. I purchased the full size and have been thrilled with the results. I think you will be, too!” — CFinSEAIf you want to shop for more colored mascaras beyond the conventional black, take a look at some of these makeup artist-recommended options below:AmazonAn intense black mascara with a hint of blueBest for: all colors, especially green, brown and hazel eyes.As an option that's very close to a true black, this gentle-formula Covergirl mascara is an intense black shade with navy blue undertones, a perfect choice for almost any eye color — and for anyone who wants something different from their everyday mascara without anything too distracting or vibrant. It's enhanced with aloe leaf extract, nourishing maracuja oil and ceramides, which are essential lipids capable of leaving lashes nourished and cared for. SephoraA conditioning mascara in deep brownBest for: all eye colorsIt's pretty common knowledge that brown mascara is widely complementary to nearly every eye color. This deep chocolate brown mascara by HuffPost editor-loved brand Saie could be a good color choice if you're afraid to venture too far away from the standard black. It can also be a more natural-looking alternative for those with light-colored eyelashes.This clean-certified formula claims to be great for achieving feathery lashes that are lengthened and lifted, without looking or feeling stiff or clumpy. It uses lash-coating beeswax to create length, lash-nourishing shea butter and a mineral complex that promises to be great for strengthening lashes. UltaA volumizing drugstore mascara in deep violetBest for: green and blue eyesNew York City-based celebrity makeup artist Tobi Henney said that L'Oréal's Voluminous line of colored mascaras are a great option to experiment with, especially since they're at such a great price point. The Voluminous mascara also happens to be my mascara of choice and I can attest that the formula is a great budget-friendly option that doesn't flake and genuinely adds length and volume to my lashes, without feeling weighed down. I also really love this classic applicator brush because it's packed with tiny bristles that separate my lashes. According to Rivero, purple-hued mascaras such as this berry-violet shade really make blue eyes come to life. The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date.
Reviewers Call This 'The One Mascara That Lives Up To The Hype'
Everyone's favorite nostalgic lipstick shade now comes in a sensitive eye-friendly mascara that reviewers call "a very rare find."
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