It doesn't take long for something to go viral on TikTok, and it doesn't take long for us to want to try it out. We've seen everything from peeling lip tints that provide bold, long-lasting color to an eye cream that seemingly makes under-eye bags vanish in seconds. The latest viral sensation to catch our eye? A metal mascara by viral brand Neogen.
In a video with over 250K likes, we watched one TikTok user pull out a tube of mascara that had a wand without any of the usual bristles. It was, instead, a metal wand featuring tiny spirals and grooves that grab the mascara pigment and, according to the brand, distribute evenly across all lashes.
Dermalogy by Neogenlab Extra Volumecurl Metal Mascara
The innovative mascara, which hails from the same brand, Neogen, that created the viral pore peeling mousse that was all over social media a year ago, is designed to coat and build volume and length from even the stubbiest lashes. Since there are no bristles, the mascara wand can get closer to your eye and catch every lash.
The brand states that formula, which comes in both black and brown colors, will coat lashes from the bottom up and do it all without smudging or clumping. The brand also promises its formula will last for 33 hours and is sweat-resistant. (Several reviewers backed-up this claim, writing that the mascara was difficult to get off, and definitely stayed put all day.)
The brand adds that the metal wand is easier to clean than traditional mascaras, which may make it more sanitary.
What makeup artists think
Before trying the product for ourselves, we tapped celebrity makeup artists Andrew Sotomayor and Kat Sketch to see if the benefits were as promising as they sounded, or if it was just a gimmick. Turns out, the pair were split in the efficacy of the mascara.
Sotomayor, who hasn't tried the product, told us he's not a fan of no bristles on a brush and would instead opt for smaller "teeth" on the wand to avoid clumping, which he said bristle-free brushes like this he has tried in the past have done.
"I love a mascara with fine silicone teeth to comb through and separate lashes and prevent clumps," Sotomayor told us via email.
Sketch, however, told us that a mascara of this kind might have been designed for those with lashes on the shorter side.
"I could actually see this benefiting anyone who has short lashes with mono lids, so it’s easier to grab the lashes for volume," she shared with Shop TODAY in an email.
Here's what I think
With their opinions in mind, I tried the black color of this eye-catching mascara myself to see if it lives up to the hype.
Taking it out of the box, I noticed that the packaging looks nicer than any mascara I've seen before, with its shiny black tubing (as it should, for the price). Taking the wand out, it still held novelty for me. I haven't seen a metal brush like this before and I was intrigued even as I held it.
The wand looks so abstract, I started to question whether something like this could actually work on my individual lashes. I went ahead and applied as I would any other mascara. Since I didn't use an eyelash curler or any other type of tool before or after applying, my lashes didn't have a crazy amount of lift, but I could definitely see a difference in the volume and pop of my lashes.
I moved from my right eye to my left and then went in for another coat on my right eye, but it looked like the mascara was starting to clump a little bit. I am not an expert at applying mascara, but I gave it another swipe to try to separate my lashes as much as possible — and it helped! Overall, it actually felt a bit easier to use than my normal mascara because the bristles are not poking me in the eye. In fact, I didn't poke myself in the eye once with this!
I'm impressed with how something as unique as this could work; my lashes definitely came to life with a few coats of this metal mascara. Even after a few hours of wear, the mascara didn't flake or make my eyes itch, which I sometimes experience with drugstore mascaras.
But, while I'm glad I tried it and loved the results (and that the refills for the mascara are only $28 as opposed to the $38 it costs for the new bottle) I think I'll reach for a cheaper drugstore mascara just because of the price. Though, if cost isn't a concern for you, I think people who have shorter lashes, or just like the novelty of metal mascara would really enjoy this product. It's definitely easier to use than other mascaras I've tried in the past and the ability to sanitize between uses is a unique plus.
For more mascaras we're loving, check out:
- My new go-to mascara has over 42 million views on TikTok and is only $9
- This $11 drugstore mascara gives me impossibly voluminous lashes
- The brand behind Amazon’s No. 1 mascara just released a new $5 product
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