AFK Cosmetics - Black Mage Mascara - Comparison & Review

When it comes to indie makeup, there are plenty of eye shadows, blushes, lipsticks, and balms to choose from. But one of the products there aren't a lot of are mascaras. So when AFK Cosmetics came out with their Black Mage mascara, I instantly placed an order for the mini tube.

My order was placed on March 28th, shipped April 10th, and delivered April 13th - a span of 2 weeks. Unfortunately, there was an issue with a batch of mascaras shipped that was dry and clumpy. AFK's owner, Dena created a post regarding the batch and encouraged anyone who received one to contact her for either a refund or a replacement. My order was a part of this batch so I reached out to her and was sent a replacement in a week.

That's seriously one of the things I love about indie brands. There's transparency and great brand owners are the ones who are able to come forward to address an issue with either their brand or their products. This is something that you will rarely get with mainstream commercial brands.

Anyway, onto the product!

What I received is a cute little tube of mascara. The packaging is neat, professional and the brand logo is tastefully placed.

But is this product worth it? To determine this, we'll need to compare it to another mascara. Since there aren't a lot of indie mascaras to compare to, or if any at all, we'll be comparing the Black Mage Mascara to Maybelline's The Colossal Volume Express ("TCVE").

This product can be purchased at any drug store or huge grocery stores like Walmart and Target. We all know the brand, seen commercials on it, and have used it at least once. This is currently the mascara I use in my daily routine and it has been treating me well. Please note that this is the waterproof version.

Comparisons

AFK's mini mascara tube is smaller than Maybelline's, but it contains enough product to last me a month depending on how often I use it. Going by that, Black Mage is the perfect size for me. Please note the general rule is that you should change your mascara after 3-5 months from opening it. You are putting bacterial into the product with each swipe of the brush against your lashes. And when lashes are your first line of defense to defend your eyes against dust, dirt, etc, you can bet that you're also putting that onto your brush.

Maybelline's The Colossal Volume Express

AFK's Black Mage

While they are both straight wands, the mascara brush in AFK's mascara is very different to Maybelline's. Maybelline's brush is made of synthetic bristles that are evenly distributed throughout the brush, AFK's brush has shorter bristles in a corkscrew pattern.

When it comes to mascara brushes, the shape of the brush head and bristles determine how the lashes are defined. Maybelline's brush is made specifically for volume. The more bristles it has, the more volume you'll get with the mascara. With AFK's, it is more geared towards definition. The short dense bristles provide great separation, but does not provide volume or length.

Maybelline's The Colossal Volume Express

AFK's Black Mage

Maybelline's The Colossal Volume Express

AFK's Black Mage

I also used a piece of paper to see how much product comes off the brush. Maybelline's formula is more of a liquid, resulting in more product coming off initially before it evens out. It's usually recommended that you swipe the mascara brush a few times in the beginning to prevent globs of clumpy mascara getting on your lashes. With AFK's formula, it's a bit more powdery which results with a more uniformed destribution.

Now onto the eyes!
Please note that I have oily lids.

Ahh my tiny little lashes...

Review
Overall, they both get the work down to define the lashes. TCVE provides more volume to the lashes depending on how many layers you put on. Black Mage provides a more natural look, subtly tinting the lashes. This is great for a more natural looking makeup and for those with long lashes.

However, I have a few vices with Black Mage. As you can see in the second-to-last picture, it smudges 5 minutes into the wear time. It takes at least twice as long as TCVE to completely dry. That will be a problem if you're doing your makeup in a rush. You can wipe it off easily, but during my time wearing it, I had to wipe my bottom lid twice. Even when it's finally dry, it still smudges a bit, so if you're not careful, you might look like a panda.

The other thing I noticed is that Black Mage's formula is heavier than TCVE's. There's a noticeable difference in the weights on my lids. My eye actually feels more fatigue with the heavier formula. This might not pose an issue with some people however, especially if they're used to wearing fake lashes.

Wear time has been alright. It's been 3 hours since I first applied the mascara and it's now that I feel like I should reapply Black Mage. I would prefer it to last longer, but my oily lids might be a factor.

So back to the question: Is Black Mage worth it?

For now, AFK's Black Mage is off to a good start. It's a good alternative for those who want to stick to indies. There's definitely room for improvement which I hope to see as Dena continues tweaking her product formulas. It's very possible that this will become a mascara comparable to mainstream brands.

However, as it is now, it's not the one for me. I do have oily lids, which might've helped contribute to the smudging and wear time. I also have the issue of it being a heavier formula. As someone who works an office job, I'm sitting most of the day staring at a computer screen. If I start nodding off, that doesn't leave a good impression. So, I'll be sticking to my mainstream mascaras for now while keeping any eye out for any new formulations.

Indies products are constantly being improved and I can't wait to see how AFK's mascara evolves. :)