Drugstore Classics: L'Oréal Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black

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I've said before that my favorite mascaras are from Covergirl, especially their LashBlast Volume. Yet I constantly feel the urge to stray and find out what else is out there. My latest dalliance is with this L'Oréal mascara that was recommended to me by a friend with gorgeous eyelashes. Note to self: be cautious about taking future mascara suggestions from people with impressive eyelashes, because maybe they're born with it, and maybe it's not Maybelline or L'Oréal or Revlon.

You'd think after my last encounter with a L'Oréal product called Carbon Black, I'd stay away, but no. It turns out that, despite the tube being made out of the same horrible, slippery plastic as the liquid eyeliner, this mascara is not nearly as disappointing.

I have no idea why the tube looks metallic here. It's not.

The L'Oréal Telescopic Mascara brush is very, very thin, with tiny, spiky bristles. According to the marketing, it's mainly supposed to provide length and definition, and that seems about right. Because the bristles are so short and there are wide spaces between the rows, it deposits a lot of product without combing through the lashes very much. So while there is length and definition, I definitely don't get a full, fluttery effect with each of my eyelashes separated.

Here are my invisible lashes with no mascara:

Here they are with two coats of Carbon Black:

You can see that they are pretty spiky and not very lush. Usually when I first apply this mascara in the morning, I don't like it much, but when I look in the mirror a few hours later, I appreciate it more. It doesn't change during the day--I think it just looks better from a distance. Judging from my friend who recommended it, it works a bit better on naturally full eyelashes, I assume since in my case there are only 14 lashes for it to clump together. As for the whole Carbon Black business, is that supposed to blacker than other black mascaras? I mean it's quite black, but nothing special.

The thing I dislike most about this mascara is how long it takes to dry. I've had the tube open for a couple of weeks now, so it's not just that it's too fresh and wet. I always have to clean a few specks and smudges from around my eyes when I put it on. One day I sneezed five full minutes after I applied the mascara, and I had to completely redo my concealer. I don't have the patience for that.

I don't mind using L'Oréal Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black for the time being, but I won't buy it again. It's just not suited to my eyelashes, and the long drying time is a pain.

Anyone else use this mascara? I know it's a real favorite for some people. I'd be curious to hear how it works for you.