One makeup product I rarely go without, aside from concealer, is mascara. I blame my short, skimpy lashes. I’m not brave enough to venture into Latisse territory (though I might try Marta’s picks for lash growth), so for the time-being I will rely on my trusty black wand for the longer, fuller lashes I crave. My makeup bag currently contains It Cosmetics’ Hello Lashes 5-in-1 Treatment Mascara ($24) – it comes in just one color: black. It Cosmetics is an interesting brand for its focus on products with anti-aging ingredients and very few nasties (no parabens, phthalates, and sulfates).

In addition to antioxidants (acai extract, jojoba seed oil, green tea extract, and vitamins A, C, E, and B5), Hello Lashes contains the conditioning peptide Mysristoyl Hexapeptide-16, amino acid arginine, and a touch of growth-promoting biotin. The product is marketed as a “5-in-1” treatment, which I thought was supremely gimmicky, consisting of: volumizing mascara, conditioning lash primer, lash-enhancing serum, lash tint, and lash separator. Any mascara is a “lash tint” and “enhancer” so that’s just cheating. Regardless, I do give Hello Lashes credit for giving my puny lashes the length and fullness I want in a good mascara. The formula never flaked or smudged (very important!), and the short-bristled comb did an excellent job of preventing spider lashes. The ball-shaped tip (think: Givenchy’s Phenomen’Eyes) is also a nice little feature for applying mascara to the tough-to-reach eyelash corners and bottom lashes. And did I mention the fabulous ergonomic foam handle?

However, I can’t say that the mascara made my natural lashes any stronger or longer after a couple months’ use. Perhaps not so surprising when you consider how low the proteins and biotin are on the ingredients list. Nonetheless, the formula is better (ingredients-wise) than many other mascaras I’ve used and it worked just as well as some of my favorite department store brands. I wish I had gotten more of the “treatment” benefits, but if you’re looking for a new volumizing mascara, this one is definitely worth a try.

Ingredients: Water, Beeswax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Dimethicone, PVP, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Sorbitan Stearate, Polybutene, Oleic Acid, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Cellulose Gum, Chlorphenesin, Panthenol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Lauroyl Lysine, Biotin, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Myristoyl Hexapeptide-16, Arginine, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Hexylene Glycol; May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77499)