Every once in a while, a trend comes around that really just makes me wonder if I even know what style is. Do I actually have terrible taste? Am I devoid of creativity? Spider lashes, which now have revamped names like “chaotic lashes” and “rebel eye,” have come back from the 1960s and 1970s to slap me around and inflame my style insecurities.
The oddest part of this look becoming popular is that… no one seems to want to admit it! Other than the makeup enthusiasts, of course, who are doing their magic to turn chaotic lashes into something visually striking in a positive way. Brands, on the other hand, are pushing out products specifically for this look, then deleting or hiding their promotional evidence!This trend originated on the runways last year, and clearly people were inspired, but no one wants to talk about it. Seriously, I’ve been searching trying to find a hard and true definition of “chaotic lash” but I’m coming up with nothing.
This is the first time I’ve seen a mascara ad disclose that they’re using falsies. Huh. Go Maybelline!/Come on, Maybelline.
Maybelline released their Volum’ Express Colossal Chaotic Lash Mascara ($4.97 + free shipping) last year, but it’s tough to find many accounts of people using it. The uniqueness of the mascara extends further than the intended use; the wand is bent at the end so you can “move from side to side” and really mash your lashes together. There is apparently a “proper technique” for creating the chaotic lash look, and it involves powdering your eyelashes with a light dusting of translucent powder in between coats of mascara. Yes, really.
The only place I can find any real information about this trend is on the Maybelline website where there is lots of info about their mascara. Is this the case of a brand trying to invent a trend they just so happen to have a product for? Many skeptics posit that Maybelline made a crappy batch of mascara that induces major clumping, but didn’t want to waste the investment, so they made a new product and said “It’s a trend!” The people who believe that clearly do not understand how much money an international beauty campaign requires. Trust me, it would be better to just throw a bad batch in the trash.
So this mascara came out over a year ago, and I figured it would have some loyal users by now, but… It’s still pretty quiet on the Colossal Chaos front. If I had to guess, I’d say it was because not many people are ready to sport this look at the office. Melissa Autry did a good comparison video (below) where she applied it as Maybelline directed on one eye, and did a basic mascara application on the other. She really liked it on her “basic application” eye, so maybe the formula isn’t that different, after all!
But what about sporting it at an edgier locale – the club, or a cocktail party, or a concert? xoVain reviewed the chaotic lash trend using the Maybelline mascara and the results were… not totally unwearable. (Even though the reviewed hated it.)
I don’t think it looks that bad, myself. Wait… Am I just getting used to the look as I write this post? I don’t know. I need a sanity check. Obviously, you don’t need this special mascara to get the look of too much mascara, so you – yes, you – could recreate this editorial beauty look at home, right now. But the question is…