My rafting summer of 2005 brought the sweetest and now most depressing discovery: Cover Girl's Marathon Mascara. This stuff was shower-proof, tear-proof, guide-proof, 2012-proof! It stood against the humidity test (unlike my hair). I'd slap on a layer before hitting the rapids and not have to check the mirror for those dreaded raccoon eyes mid-day. I could sport it for 2 days and not even bat an eye.
And to think, I used to be against make-up wearing during outdoor sports (Brewer High Outdoor Education instilled in me all important life lessons), but that was also when I wore rainbow toe socks with Teva sandals. C'mon, times are a-changing, folks. And I'm growing up a tad. I celebrated my FIRST 29th birthday this month.
All that said, I have moved away from the 100% organic Tara to a more Draw-attention-away-from-those-black-circles-and-accentuate-the-positive Tara. Hence, Marathon Mascara.
Let's get to the point. MARATHON MASCARA HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED! This is very bad. What was Cover Girl thinking? I've Googled, Amazoned, and eBayed my way to a nervous breakdown...almost. eBay has a tube for $20, but I refuse to buy the outrageously priced, discontinued item that some genius eBay seller posted to profit from my desperation. Nope.
Oh sure, Cover Girl has a consumer's page where we can give feedback and a consultant actually responds. However, their comments are full of false hope. Marathon Mascara is not coming back. I gotta face the facts, cut my loses and move on. SUUURE, they have a "replacement" mascara called Professional All-in-One waterproof. Don't waste your money. No comparison.
In my distress, I set out on a marathon journey for the next best thing. I've read reviews and clicked my way through endless product descriptions. Finally, I made my purchase: tarte's 4 Day Stay Lash Stain.
I know what you're thinking (especially if you are my Mary Kay Consultant Aunt Kristie, who is a fanatic about eye make-up removal). But give it a chance. I'm not planning on keeping it on for 4 days, either. The thought that it COULD withstand that kind of pressure gives me hope that it will last one day of Tara-wear.
When I got home, I layered up my lashes then jumped into the shower. Full-force water didn't touch it! I slept in it an wore it the ENTIRE NEXT DAY, too! Then I took it off for fear of my Aunt's theories coming true and ending up with lashless. (Even though I am a big naturals advocate, I can't find an eye make-up remove that comes even close to Mary Kay...so I do break my own standards every now and then. I'm not living by a law, people!) I have no doubt in 4 Day Stay's ability to hold its own against the raging waters of the Kennebec and Dead!
I am saving the next tarte application for the river this weekend. That was the major reason for the purchase, after all. I don't wear waterproof mascara any more unless I'm going out in the rain, weddings, certain emotional days for the month, or random days when I think I might cry at church.
Sorry, Cover Girl, you lost a committed consumer. Maybe this will teach you to listen to your supply and demand coach next time! (Though, I have a sneaky suspicion that the chemical composition of Marathon Mascara didn't pass some sort of health test toward the end of its life. That stuff was some rugged!)
