I’ve been dragging my feet for months about writing this review. I bought CoverGirl’s Clump Crusher about a year ago when it was new-ish. It was one of the Allure Best of Beauty products for 2012. I had heard a lot about it not clumping. And the good news is IT DOES NOT CLUMP, and I love that about it.
But my overall reaction to Clump Crusher is meh. It’s a good product. It does what it says. But I think the mascara world has moved beyond it.
The brush head is described on the brand’s website as “double-sided”: one side for applying the mascara and the other side for combing lashes and preventing clumps. And it does that well.
But it has a curved brush head that you either like or you don’t. I’m not crazy about it. I don’t want a curved wand because I don’t cover all of my eyelashes at once. I do sections: middle, inner, outer. That’s how I do it. So I find myself trying to angle the brush as if it were straight instead of curved. The curved wand isn’t long enough to do all my eyelashes at once, so what’s the point? And doing my lower lashes with the curved wand is a real pain.
The formula is thin, but it covers nicely. Once again, it doesn’t clump. I just looked at the brand’s website, and it promises 200% volume which I take to mean twice as much volume as my regular lashes. And I would say that it does that. But in this day of mega-volume lashes, 200% volume doesn’t really do it for me. I still love my fave, essence I Love Crazy Extreme Volume Mascara that gives me huge lashes! It’s rare when I say to myself, “I don’t want big lashes today”. That said, I don’t reach for the Clump Crusher very often any more.
Nevertheless, if you’re not obsessed with huge lashes, CoverGirl Clump Crusher is a darn good mascara. The formula goes on easily. It’s somewhat buildable (two coats, maybe 3 but you just can’t build huge lashes with this one). And most important, there are no clumps. It wears well throughout a long day, no flaking, no raccoon eyes.
In sum, CoverGirl Clump Crusher is a good everyday mascara. If you’re not looking for drama, this mascara could be right for you. And if you like a curved wand, that’s a plus.
CoverGirl Clump Crusher comes in regular and waterproof. It is available in several shades: very black, black, black brown, and brown. I bought the regular formula in black brown.
The product dimensions are 1.7 x 5.6 x 2.9 inches, and it contains 44 fl. oz.
CoverGirl Clump Crusher is widely available, and the price varies from about $5.64 to $8.99. I regret to say I paid $8.99 at CVS. If you look around, you can certainly find it for less.
Ingredients
Water/Eau, Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Stearic Acid, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax/Cire, De Carnauba, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Polyethylene, Lecithin, Propylene Carbonate, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Synthetic Wax, Oleic Acid, Alcohol Denat, Benzyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Henoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Glycerin, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Trisodium EDTA, Simethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylcellulose, Iron Oxides, May Contain/Peut contenir: Ultramarines, Titanium Dioxide.
The origin of the Tocopherol is not known, so it may not be gluten-free. The product contains parabens so if you avoid them, you may choose to avoid this mascara.
So you know my favorite mascara. What’s yours?
Buxom Lash! Got a sample and LOVE it! I’m going to buy it next time I’m at Sephora or Ulta. (I couldn’t find the Essence type you love last time at Ulta.) It has an hourglass-shaped brush with plastic bristles. It looks huge, but it works really well for me, and the formula is not clumpy at all, even after using for a month. Only downside for me: it only comes in black; I’m a brown-mascara girl.
Just wish I could find this in a drug-store product!
I got that sample too I think as part of the Sephora Birthday gift this year. What am I saving it for? Thanks Kim for reminding me. I also like brown mascara. I have a nice one from Estee Lauder, and the CoverGirl was brown-black. For some strange reason, the drugstore brands often don’t do brown, tho’ they used to. I think the CoverGirl Clump Crusher does come in brown but I don’t ever remember seeing it in the store. CoverGirl has added a lot of new SKUs to the Clump Crusher family that probably have more oomph. I’ll keep my eyes open for a brown one ‘coz the no clump aspect was a good thing
Enjoyed your review. I don’t care for a rounded brush, so that will not do for me. I am not familiar with your favorite, will have to check it out. I am happy with the inexpensive maybelline one that is inexpensive and have used it since I was very young for fast easy coverage, but when I go out, I pull out my lancome.
Thank you, Winnie, and thanks for your comment and recommendations! It’s been a while since I’ve used Lancome’s mascara, so I’ll have to put it on my list. I love the essence I Love Crazy Extreme Volume Mascara (in the hot pink tube for $4.99, sold at Ulta, Fred Meyer, select Walgreens) because it’s easy to apply and is big volume. I’ve tried a few Maybelline mascaras lately (I reviewed Colossal recently and didn’t like it that much). I graduated from the pink & green tube Maybelline to the one in the red tube, One by One. It’s inexpensive and is so easy to apply. Gives a good every day look, and has a more normal wand.
I think I commented on this product on the facebook page several months ago and gave it a “meh” review, too. But I will say that after using it for a few more days, it got better–more coverage and volume in particular. I think it took a few days for the brush to get completely saturated with mascara! It STILL hasn’t clumped, it doesn’t flake, and it washes off easily with soap and water, so I’m liking it for everyday. Don’t know that I will repurchase, but it’s been good! And I really appreciate that it comes in brown and black-brown, my go-to color.
Kim, I’ve warmed to it too. It doesn’t clump…ever! But it doesn’t have enough oomph for me, overall. However, it is my “every day”, go to the supermarket mascara, lol 🙂 I’m glad that you’re using it the same way. And we both like that brown/black shade!