Clé de Peau's New "The Mascara"

Clé de Peau has introduced a new mascara, and it has arrived in stores. Called "The Mascara" or "Mascara Integral," ($50) the company says it's "an exceptional mascara that creates the distinguished drama of length, volume, lift, and curl with a lustrous deep black." Chris Coles at Nordstrom gave me a deluxe sample to try, and I can report that it meets its promise!

Available only in black, this is a no-nonsense mascara, one that is intended to make your eyes attract attention. Isn't that ancient saying about our eyes being the windows to our souls true? Everyone reads your eyes, which say what you are really thinking. Mascara frames your eyes. It's always a don't-leave-home-without-it choice for women asked to select only one must-have makeup product.

Clé de Peau seems to be confident about The Mascara. There's no hype on the Web site or the packaging. The ingredients tell me that it contains the usual paraffins and some other materials often found in mascaras. It also contains some ingredients that will trap or enhance moisture, such as dimethicone, argan oil, and sodium acetylated hyaluronate (an ingredient developed by Shiseido that is an anchoring humectant). Shiseido is the parent company of Clé de Peau.

This mascara reminds me of Dior's DiorShow, an iconic mascara. My The Mascara sample has a large (curved) brush that does a good job of lengthening, plumping, and separating the lashes. I definitely have va-va-voom lashes when I wear it. It's a bit pricey, though. If you are a member of the Clé de Peau or Shiseido cult - and there are a lot of devotees out there - I'll bet you will find this new mascara in your shopping bag before too long. If not, I'd suggest you try it and see if you like it enough to spend $50. If you have a limited makeup budget, there are other Clé de Peau products you might find more enticing.

Photo courtesy of Clé de Peau