Amazon's Best-Selling Mascara Just Got a Matching Lash Primer, and It's Only $5

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(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclintock)

As a beauty editor, I'm lucky enough to get a lot of free skincare, hair, and makeup products to test—mascara included. Right at this very moment, I have over 30 tubes of mascara sitting in a bin in my closet. (Don't worry; they won't go to waste. I'm determined to get through every single tube before its expiration date.)

Because of this access and my years of mascara-swiping experience, I feel like I have a pretty good gauge of what makes a mascara special. Spoiler alert: It has nothing to do with price. In fact, some of my favorite formulas are $15 or less. Take Essence Lash Princess Mascara ($5) for example. It costs less than my morning latte, yet it delivers long, fluttery, and defined lashes in a single swipe. I'm not the only one who thinks so; it happens to be Amazon's best-selling mascara

So when I heard it was getting a matching lash primer (yes, really!), I knew I had to test it. If it was anything like its best-selling mascara companion, I knew I would love it. Hint: I did. Keep scrolling to see the major difference it made in the state of my fine, thin lashes. 

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Before:
(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclintock)

Here's what my lashes look like with nothing on them—no lash serums or mascara. I'm okay with the length, but I could definitely use some added volume and definition. 

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With Just Mascara:
(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclintock)

Here's what they look like with just the mascara on them. They're longer, thicker, and darker. 

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With Mascara and Primer:
(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclintock)

Here's where the real magic happens. This is what my lashes look like after applying the new primer, waiting a few seconds, and applying two coats of mascara over the top. I was shocked at the result. I mean, my lashes look good, right? 

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(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclintock)

Here's a close-up. Not only did my lashes look thicker, darker, and more defined, but I unlocked a new level of length. I mean, my lashes were almost reaching my eyebrows. The effect was so noticeable that my boyfriend asked if I was wearing falsies. Success. 

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Kaitlyn McLintock
Associate Beauty Editor

Kaitlyn McLintock is an Associate Beauty Editor at Who What Wear. Although she covers a wide range of topics across a variety of categories, she specializes in celebrity interviews and skincare and wellness content. Having lived in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, she recently relocated back to her home state of Michigan where she works remotely. Prior to Who What Wear, she freelanced for a variety of industry-leading digital publications, including InStyle, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Hello Giggles, and Coveteur. Before that, she held a long-term internship and subsequent contributor position at Byrdie. When she's not writing, researching, or testing the latest and greatest beauty products, she's working her way through an ever-growing book collection, swimming in the Great Lakes, or spending time with family.