This Game-Changing Mascara Just Replaced Our Expensive One

I have a love-hate relationship with mascara. Some people won’t leave the house without filling in their brows, others can’t go out in public without foundation—for me, it’s all about my lashes. They have to be curled or I look sleepy. I love how full and dark they look with mascara, but I hate that it makes them fall straight down again, despite how many formulas and wands I’ve tried (I’ve lost count).

The latest mascara to land on my desk has the word curl printed right on the tube. Naturally, I feel a sense of urgency to apply it right away, so I throw it in my makeup bag and use it the next morning. The first thing I notice about Korean beauty brand Etude House’s Curl Fix wand is the double-sided bristles. One side looks like any other brush and the other has a single comb to separate lashes. The formula looks really watery, which is a problem for straight lashes. I usually look for drier formulas that darken without coating. I reluctantly decide to try it anyway.

I curl and apply. The mascara coats without clumping and instantly makes my eyes look bigger and more awake. My lashes hold the curl all day long—literally until I wash it off. And speaking of washing it off—it takes a good cleansing oil and a micellar water. But for me, that’s a small price to pay for major curl. And speaking of small price—it’s only $15. Win-win.