We’re always taught that first impressions are everything, but in the world of beauty, I’m not so sure this is the case. Yes, there have been times when a new skincare product has immediately had me internally screaming ‘code red’ (quite literally with my reactive skin) but often, a beauty product takes some warming up. After all, you can’t judge everyone on a first date, right?
Case in point, Refy’s first-ever mascara: the Lash Sculpt. After popping it on for the first time that morning, I immediately saw my colleague and said “This is the worst mascara I’ve ever tried”, but bear with me.
It could have been how many times Refy pops up on my Instagram feed or the fact it’s the most unique mascara I’d ever seen from the get-go, but I soon found myself picking up the wand to give it another go. I’d never so swiftly changed my tune.
First up, is the brush itself. I’m not sure whether I’m just sexually frustrated (spoiler: yes, I am) but the applicator looked…phallic to me, to say the least; the length, the bend – those with dirty minds will hopefully catch my drift. This comb is designed to perfectly fit your lash line and act like a push-up bra for your lashes. I first tried to swipe this through my lashes, as you would any normal mascara, but the trick is to wiggle it right in the roots for the best uplift. If you swipe, it just clumps hairs together and leaves a mess on your eyelid. The first lesson learnt.
It also appears like there’s no product on the brush at all – this formula is the driest I’ve ever come across – but it manages to somehow define and darken my lashes in the most natural way possible. Between the serious volume it delivered and the fluttery look it left on my eyelashes, this is literally a lash extension in tube form (for a fraction of the cost).
My bare eyelashes vs. one coat of Refy’s Lash Sculpt
My eyes look brighter and my lashes are left looking super natural – as if I’ve got almost nothing on them at all; a ‘no-mascara mascara’, if you will. I’d highly recommend taking your time to apply this and slowly build up layers to get the most au naturel look. However, if you are one for a blacker-than-black mascara this might not be for you (I’d pick up Fenty Beauty’s Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara for that).
Usually, it takes a few days for my mascara to dry out to stop it from transferring but I experienced no eyelid smudging at all – to say this is unheard of for me would be an understatement. It definitely lived up to its ‘no-transfer’ claims and didn’t flake off throughout the day either. Even better? It’s so quick and easy to remove – no rubbing for days required.
It claims the lift effect it delivers lasts up to 12 hours and it really did live up to the hype. Usually, my lashes are drooping like tulips by lunchtime but this mascara was propping even the tiniest of hairs up like scaffolding by the evening.
If my opinion wasn’t enough (I’ll try not to be offended), here’s what other folks on the internet are saying. Spoiler: believe the hype.
“I absolutely love this mascara. I wore it for the gym the next morning, it didn’t smudge or leave me with black panda under eyes. It’s such a lovely natural-looking mascara. I would definitely wear this for those no-makeup look days. And when I am not wanting a dramatic look.”
“This mascara is AMAZING and my lashes have never looked SO LONG!! The applicator makes putting mascara on a dream, and my lashes look so naturally lifted! I’m truly obsessed with this new staple in my makeup bag.”
“This mascara is fantastic, I always struggle to find something that gives me a natural look without being too heavy but this does exactly what I need. My lashes look lifted and lengthened, it’s better than going to the salon.”
See? I’m not the only one.
The innovative design dispenses just the right amount of formula onto the brush to deliver impact, without leaving your lashes drenched in product or clumping, but it does make putting this bendy wand back into the tube a struggle. I only flag this as sometimes I’ve had to be quite aggressive and I’m worried as time goes on, I will eventually break it. However, for now, I’m still in the honeymoon stage with this mascara. I’ll keep you posted if we ever break up (quite literally potentially).
