To create the commercial for Great Lash Big, Maybelline took a unique approach! BIG, the Great Lash Big mascot, trekked the streets of NYC to find charismatic, aspiring women to make a big impression (and appear in the Great Lash Big Gig)! Take a look at the some behind-the-scenes footage here, along with the final advert:

If you’re anything like me, you’re intrigued by Great Lash BIG. Well, if you want to be the FIRST it, you’re in luck!  Makeup Minute readers have the chance a Maybelline prize pack valued at $75 - it includes a branded compact mirror, full-sized samples of Great Lash BIG and other goodies too!

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post. Don’t forget to tell me what your favorite Maybelline product is! One winner will be chosen at random next week!

Good luck!

UPDATE: Comment #15, Heather, is the winner! Heather, please respond to my email with your mailing address.
Thanks to everyone who entered!

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I remember when I was first approached by b5media in the summer of 2006 to write a makeup blog for them. I was beside myself. Makeup Minute officially launched in September of that year and from the start my readers were from all around the globe and just as enthusiastic about makeup as I was. You became a part of my life and I thanked God everyday for such a loyal readership. So many of you have been with me right from the beginning. Getting more exposure as a writer helped me land a really great job at a PR firm that I am eternally grateful for. The more I get involved in the beauty industry, the more requests I get to go speak and teach beauty brands about social media…so readers, if you find yourself at Cosmoprof North America this summer, I will be there speaking.

Writing Makeup Minute has been such a blessing in my life and a great outlet to share my love of makeup with people who understand the need to have 15 lip glosses in their handbag at all times. And maybe a compact. And some blush. And a mascara or two. But I digress…

I will surely miss you all and my family at b5. I am eternally grateful to both. Thank you for the sunshine for the last 2 1/2 years.

Much love (and lipstick),

Shannon Nelson

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I didn’t really have much luck with their Buxom Lip Plumper, but I’m not one to discount a brand or product based on the review of one item alone. So Buxom Lash will be on my after-Christmas shopping list to take it for a test drive. However, if you’ve picked this up for yourself, I’d love to hear what you thought. Did it really give your lashes 300% of POW?

Photo Credit: Sephora

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oh.my.goodness. Have a mascara lover in your family? Maybe that’s you? You can now buy a collection of 10 travel sized mascara’s for the price of one (high-end) mascara! Holy smokes!

For $35 you get:

Smashbox Bionic Mascara
Sephora Atomic Volume Mascara
Vincent Longo The Curl Mascara
Tarte Light’s, Camera, Lashes
Too Faced Lash Injection Pin Point Mascara
Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara
Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara
DuWop Lash Venom Mascara
Korres Deep Colour Mascara
Cargo Texas Lash Mascara

How perfect is this? I can already hear the giddy laughter of women across the country as they open it this Holiday season. Imagine the amazing lashes you can create combining a variety of the mascara’s in this sampler set? I’m getting a makeup high just thinking about it.

*Photo Credit: Sephora

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Get ready for the big Ô! Ôscillation, Lancôme’s vibrating powermascara, launches nationwide tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 22nd. The waiting list has topped the 21,000 mark! This is one of the most anticipated mascaras ever and for a good reason. From what I have heard from my beauty blogging friends, the results are nothing short of phenomenal.

The key to great results with Ôscillation is a certain application technique. Apply in slow, straight and steady strokes.

–Don’t zig-zag and don’t wiggle!

–Don’t overpump the wand. There’s plenty of product on there for multiple coats.

–If at first you don’t succeed…don’t give up! Ôscillation takes a few tries to get the hang of it.

–Ôscillation is great for the lower lashes, so don’t forget to apply there.

Once you get your application method down, there are a few tricks you can try. Apply and then go back and re-apply to the tips alone. You can get amazing length. Or try this tip that a celebrity makeup artist shared with us. Put the wand right at the base of the lashes, activate the vibrating action and hold in place for a few seconds. Then slowly sweep to the tips of the lashes. It gives you beautiful thickness at the base and lots of oomph.

Ôscillation is available at all Lancôme counters and boutiques and www.lancome-usa.com.

*Photo Credit: Lancome

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I’m thinking of buying it, but it appears the reviews seem to indicate that the mascara wand itself is the “Phenomen” and the mascara is less than stellar.

Have you tried it yourself? Is it worth the $27 to get the most amazing lashes ever? If you have it, tell me why you love it or why you hate it.

*Photo Credit: Sephora

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This mascara did a great job lengthening and adding volume to my lashes, and although there weren’t necessarily any clumps, my lashes did bunch together–but were easily separated with the brush.

So what do you think of the results?

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Besame Cosmetics Gingerbread 1930s Waterproof Mascara

Blinc Kiss Me Mascara

Benefit BADgal Blue

Lord & Berry’s Raincoat Mascara

CoverGirl Lash Blast

Xtreme Length & Enhancing Mascara

Lancome High Definicils

Spinlash

*Photo Credit: (c) Shannon Nelson

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Even though this formula is waterproof it doesn’t leave that brittle feeling on your lashes like typical waterproof mascaras. To get any volume you do have to apply several coats. Initially lashes do look defined, but as I tried to get a more voluminous look by applying more mascara, the mascara seemed to gather at the base of my lash line.

So why would I continue to wear a mascara that really is average on the rating scale? Because it is unique in its delicious Gingerbread fragrance. This mascara smells soooo good! When the wand comes out of the tube and as you are applying it–yum–a sweet and spicy aroma. No worries though, once applied, you can no longer smell it so it shouldn’t affect even the most sensitive eyes.

While I haven’t really been too much of a fan recently of Besame’s mascara’s, I am still in love with their Lip Glazes, Enchanting Lipstick and eye shadows.

Have you used this mascara yet? How would you compare it to other mascaras?

*Photo Credit: Besame Cosmetics & Shannon Nelson

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“BIONIC is the first-ever ionic formula mascara. The primary ingredient in BIONIC is a chain molecule with a positive charge. The friction caused by sweeping the mascara brush across lashes causes a negative charge. Since opposites attract, the positively charged formula adheres to the negatively charged lashes for a dramatic effect that lasts all day.” (As described on Smashbox’s product page)

Maybe I am the only one, but that sounds a little fishy to me. Why would I need ions for my eyelashes? Is it going to volumize, define and lengthen my lashes? The description on Smashbox’s site simply says it makes lashes stronger and more voluminous.

I admit, I’m skeptical. Have you tried it?

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