My experience of choosing mascaras has been, to put it mildly, an odyssey. Every time I think that I’ve chosen the Holy Grail of mascaras (or been convinced as such by advertising), there is something wrong with it, without fail. This, of course, leads me to buy more. Failing that, I blame my eyelashes. I bought this at the MAC store off Carnaby Street a few weeks ago, after receiving the email to announce its arrival. How’s that for perfect timing?

In Extreme Dimension 3D Lash

MAC describe my latest sampling as follows: “MAC’s lightweight whipped formula saturates lashes root to tip, adds volume, extends length and creates curl, while conditioning for softness and flexibility. The final result: extreme dimension that won’t smudge, clump or flake.”

Again, no ingredients list. Tut tut, MAC. Some of us contact lens wearers like to know what we’re putting near our eyes.

The packaging is shaped nicely, but the MAC emblazoned across the tube is a bit gaudy and out of the usual for MAC. Hmm. The thick bristly brush is definitely a point in its favour – it’s what first attracted me to Benefit’s Bad Gal Lash, aged about thirteen. Oddly enough, when I took the photo with flash to try and show up the detail of the brush better, the formula looks quite dry. This is not the case. Clumping is mercifully at a minimum but you do have to be quite careful what you do with your lashes for a while as it’s quite easy to smudge. This does not work in its favour when removing it, with more than a hint of the dreaded panda eyes on multiple occasions.

 In a rare move of bravery, I took the photos without curling my eyelashes or any other makeup – hello, dark circles! This is one coat on my naturally black, not very curly but rather long eyelashes. In future, I would definitely curl them (and have the Shu Uemura one on order), and apply another coat.

It costs £18, the same as Benefit’s They’re Real, which I had an absolutely horrendous experience with. I’d say that’s fair to middling value for money, and as I really like the effect this has on my lashes with even the barest of effort, it’s definitely a solid choice in my book. I even recommended it to a friend. The smudging is definitely its weakest point, so regretfully, I have to say that the search for The Perfect Mascara(tm) continues.

8/10