#besame

Well, I bought it, and holy shit, it's so good (for my purposes, anyway)!

It's so much less chunky and gloopy and sticky than tube mascara (which created a sensory hell that really dissuaded me from wearing mascara). It's subtle, but pretty. You just need to really follow the instructions when they say "1-2 drops" of water and then use the spoolie or a brush to mix. And don't mix too hard or you might get little flecks on the counter.

Now, in fairness, I cannot attest to "all day hold" or anything like that. And it's obviously not waterproof since you literally use water to create the paste. But waterproof stuff isn't great for your eyelashes, and taking off mascara has always been a nightmare for me, so this suits me quite well.

This one ticks the boxes of long shelf life, ability to disinfect (looks possible with a little isopropyl alcohol, even if the company would probably advise against), easy to swap wands, hypoallergenic, and the same price as the liquid stuff I usually get. Plus, I don't love the eyeliner I use once-in-a-blue-moon, so the fact that this could be both and I could easily choose an eyeliner applicator that works better for my unsteady hands is appealing...

I also think I'd be more comfortable stretching the expiry on this one not just using isopropyl, but also because it can dry out completely, which makes it hard for bacteria to grow, and I can easily swap out the wand if needed.

On the other hand...the next event I definitely want mascara for is almost a year away. On the other hand...maybe I'd wear it more if I had a different kind.