My lashes are about average. They are neither long nor short, nor are they particularly full. For the longest time I didn't wear mascara because I didn't feel that I needed it, but after several trips to the cosmetics counters in Nordstrom and Bergdorf and Saks, I've been brainwashed into a daily application.
My biggest issue with mascara is that they be smudge-proof. When the label says "water-proof," do not think for a minute that this also indicates a lower probability of smudging. Smudging is caused by facial oils and rubbing, not water-based moisture. With my oily skin and daily application of under-eye cream, I have a serious smudge problem, both with eyeliner and mascara.
But, the other day, I threw caution to the wind and bought a tube of L'Oreal Telescopic Explosion mascara. The name makes me think of projectile vomiting or virulent diarrhea, but that unfortunate detail aside, I was intrigued by the mace-like wand. Dangerous, but possibly beautifying. And no, the label did not indicate that the product was smudge-proof. Like I said, I was throwing caution to the wind. And I'm pleased that I did - not only do I find it much easier to use the spherical brush, but also I found that this mascara does not migrate to any other portion of my face. Yay!
That's not to say that it's perfect; it lengthens my lashes just fine, but does nothing to thicken them. It does not make me look like Penelope Cruz (but I suspect most mascara commercials use some sort of trickery and enhancement) but it doesn't make me look like a sad raccoon, either. And for $10, it pleases me more than the Dior and YSL mascaras that cost 2 and 3x as much.