I’m extremely picky when it comes to mascara.  My eyes are my favourite facial feature, and I like to highlight them with sweeping lashes.  I’m also quite fickle about whether I want my lashes to look thicker or longer.  My lash desires change depending on my mood.  So how awesome would it be if I could get one mascara that could do both?

Luckily, I found the Provocateur mascara from NYX’s Boudoir collection.  This genius product allows you to choose thicker or longer lashes with the twist of the wrist.

This nifty design has two levels in the lid of the tube.  For thicker, fuller lashes, open the tube at level one. For longer, more defined lashes, open at level two.  The opening at the top of the tube narrows or widens depending on which level you twist, controlling the amount of product that’s deposited on the brush.

Level one leaves the top of the tube quite wide, so a lot of mascara appears on the brush when you take it out of the tube.  I use this level when I want thick, dramatic lashes.

In this photo, I’ve applied one coat of the Provocateur mascara at level 1.  As you can see, my lashes appear very thick, but there are a lot of clumps and the lashes tend to stick together.  However, I found that this setting is great for using before applying false lashes, to make my natural lashes blend into the falsies a bit better.

At level 2, the brush is wiped clean, so there are fewer clumps and globs of product.  This setting is perfect for achieving defined, sweeping lashes.

Look at that length!  I tend to prefer this setting for my day-to-day makeup.  It looks much cleaner and my lashes don’t stick together as much.

In terms of longevity, the NYX Provocateur mascara performs very well.  I apply one or two coats of this in the morning and it lasts all day.  I haven’t noticed any flaking or fading.  I have worn this product a number of times with my contact lenses and it hasn’t caused any irritation of my eyes.  Although it isn’t a waterproof mascara, it seems to hold up on days when I’ve got a touch of hayfever and my eyes are lightly watering.

In addition to the awesome performance of this product, I love the fact that it’s cruelty free.

The best bit about the NYX mascara?   It costs just $6.  Seriously.  I think that makes it the best budget mascara I’ve ever tried.  It is great value for money and out-performs some of the luxury brands I’ve used in the past.

I am totally addicted to this mascara and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Have you tried any of the NYX mascaras?  What did you think?

*This is not a sponsored post.  I purchased this item with my own money and my opinions are unbiased and genuine*