Covergirl LashBlast Mascara Sample

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Mascara is a cosmetic commonly used to enhance the eyes. It may darken, thicken, lengthen, and/or define the eyelashes. Normally in one of three forms liquid, cake, or cream the modern mascara product has various formulas however, all contain the same basic components of pigments, oils, waxes, and preservatives. The Collins English Dictionary defines mascara as “a cosmetic substance for darkening, coloring, and thickening the eyelashes, applied with a brush or rod.” The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) adds that mascara is occasionally used on the eyebrows as well. The OED also references mascaro from works published in the late 1800s. In 1886, the Peck Snyder Catalogue advertises, Mascaro or Water Cosmetique For darkening the eyebrow and moustaches without greasing them and making them prominent. In 1890, the Century Dictionary defined mascara as a kind of paint used for the eyebrows and eyelashes by actors. And in 1894, N. Lynn advises in Lynn s Practical Hints for Making-up, to darken eyelashes, paint with mascara, or black paint, with a small brush. Exactly where the word mascara comes from is unclear, but it is most frequently thought to be based from the Spanish word m scara meaning mask or stain and the Italian word maschera meaning mask. The Oxford English Dictionary also cites an alternative Catalan definition that describes soot or a black smear, or a Portuguese root (the Portuguese word m scara means mask, but a similar word, mascarra, means dark stain or smut). There is even strong support for a possible source from the Arabic word maskharah or buffoon.