Applying makeup when your eyesight is poor comes with its challenges. Without my glasses on, my world is blur of colours, and so a magnifying mirror is a must. But this is, surprisingly, not my biggest problem when it comes to eye makeup and wearing glasses.
Firstly, I have to avoid mascaras that lengthen my already fairly long lashes, to avoid them constantly hitting the lenses. Instead I try to stick to products that separate and define them, but the biggest problem is finding a mascara that gives my eyelashes enough definition to make them really visible from behind my glasses.
I've tried a lot of the best volumising mascaras, and so far, I've found little in the way of products that do the trick without at least two or three applications every time. Which then often results in clumping and getting through product in record time.
My preferred makeup look is, well, as little as possible, however when it comes to making my eyes stand out, not even the best natural-looking mascaras make the grade – every day requires a dramatic look in order for my lashes to be seen. And so having seen Charlotte Tilbury's Exagger-eyes – described on the CT website as 'volumising mascara for multiplied, thicker, fanned-out looking lashes' – I decided to give it a try. And I'm sold.
Charlotte Tilbury's Exagger-eyes is the best mascara I have found to really make my lashes really stand out with just one application. It also gives me the option to build up for a more 'dramatic' makeup look for the evening look. And the curved brush makes application really easy, on both top and bottom lashes.
I was immediately impressed after one application, but made sure to take a photo of my usual brand mascara before trying to see if there was any significant difference. And, as the photo above shows, my lashes are immediately more visible using CT's Exagger-eyes.
As the name suggests, this product is designed to exaggerate the eyes, and it does exactly that. After just one application, the amount of product was just the right to really highlight my lashes, so much so I didn't feel the need for another application. The brush is curved, and not at all what I am used to, but it's so easy to get right down to the lashline, wiggle around and leave enough product to almost look like eyeliner (another thing I find impossible to apply).
Usually with one application using other products, my eyelashes can often end up look spindly, like spiders legs. But with CT's Exagger-eyes they were full enough for my everyday wear look. And I love how it does exactly what it promises in giving my lashes the most beautiful fanned out look.
Having such fair hair and skin, without mascara I look like I don't have any eyelashes (and could very easily be an extra in the Walking Dead), and so I rarely leave the house without some on. The confidence this simple product gives me can't be overestimated. Having a mascara that helps make my eyes look vibrant and alive behind my thick-rimmed glasses, which doesn't require layers of product, has been a long time coming - but was definitely worth the wait.
Shop more volumising mascaras
This mascara takes the top spot in our round up of the best volumising products. The woman&home team has tested this on mutliple occasions, and can see why one sells every seven seconds. The hourglass-shaped brush is loaded with just the right amount of product and bristles to grip on to every lash and even spread formula and thickness at the base for a really full last look.
The ultimate in luxury, Chanel's Le Volume De Chanel Mascara delivers plumped-up, voluminous lashes - which leave you looking instantly chic. When testing we found this product to create thick, fanned-out lashes, which looked really dramatic. It is prone to clumping, however, so something to be mindful of with such a pricey item.
This is one of our beauty editor Fiona's favourites, in fact she loves it so much she made a video about it on our Instagram page recently. "I would say I wear this on an almost daily basis. It has an incredibly flexible brush, so you can get right down to the roots. It's all about length and just beautiful for daytime.'
