I got this in thebalm "Oh So Witty!" set and I love it! It isn't a real heavy mascara, so like other reviews say it is great for daytime because it looks more natural than a "volumizing, lengthening" mascara. I have other mascaras for those purposes. And it doesn't clump!

This is a mediocre mascara for me, gave my Asian-thin sparse medium length lashes a good definition. It separates my lashes well but gets clumpy after two coats. The formula isnt too wet nor too dry. Gives a slightly added volume for a natural look. Smudges badly on my oily lids after 5 hours. I prefer mascara that gives me vavavoom lashes, this isnt it. Finishing the tube and will not be buying again. I prefer my Rimmel Volume Effect Mascara much much much better and that one is dirt cheap...Will I recommend? Unless you have non-oily lids and are looking for natural lash-effect, look elsewhere..

I love this product as a daytime mascara, or as a 'base' for a much heavier one to be applied too.

This doesn't clump at all, and in two coats it looks very nice with a natural eye for work or school or shopping.

It isn't dramatic enough for me to wear at night time, however, because it doesn't clump at all, it is the perfect base for my heavier mascaras, like diorshow, lights camera lashes and YSL shocking. It really helps them with clumping issues and makes them last longer.

The packaging is okay, but the paper sticker is peeling off which is irritating.

Overall, I would buy this again, and I plan on repurchasing this when I next see it.

This is one of the worst mascaras I've ever tried. I've been using it a few days and it's going in the trash. The brush is awful and does not coat my lashes with hardly any product and added no length or volume. Others have compared this to Maybelline Full N Soft which I completely disagree with as Full N Soft is one of my all time favorite mascaras.

Like everyone else, this mascara was included in a kit I purchased from Marshalls. I am sad to say that I am not a fan of this mascara. The brush is really big and hard to work with. Also, the mascara dries really quick so you have to work fast if you want to apply more than coat. All the other Balm products I have tried were awesome but this was one was sadly disappointing.

This is an okay mascara. I'm a sucker for anything by this brand, and was hoping to love this. I found this in a set at TJMaxx, including a makeup remover balm tin and two eyeshadows. The set was $12, I believe? I have to give them MAJOR props on the packaging execution, though, because it is too stinkin' adorable! It's Old-Hollywood glam-style art all around the tube.

*Ahem* now, on to the actual review, yes? Ok, I find this to be a drier formulated mascara, which I do like, but there's not much time for more than two coats, because this dries so quickly on the lashes when applied. So you do have to work fast if you want to build up more coats, which is unusual for me. It gives good, clean definition, and makes my lashes look nice, glossy and black. But, separation of lashes could be better.... Amount of length with this could be a little better.... Amount of volume with this could be WAYYY better. So basically, everything could be better. There's just not enough impact for me. I'm not saying it's bad, but I just prefer my trusty $5 L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black. Nothing compares to it.
I wear glasses, and 'Cheater' doesn't clump, flake, or smudge at all on me. It holds a curl quite well, and my lashes don't look or feel lopsided or brittle as it wears. No spider-lash effect with this either, so big ups to that. The brush is very basic, nothing special. Overall, not a product to write home about, but still a nice natural-looking mascara to use if you're wanting the focus to be on the artwork on your eyelids, and not having the distraction of a full, thick fringe of lashes hiding it. :) I'll give it a 3.5.

I had seen TheBalm brand at various Marshalls and TJ Maxx stores but didn't really think much of it. Truth be told, none of brand's products I've seen at the store have appealed to me (sparkly green eyeshadow? Ummm, no thanks). After reading the rave reviews about Cheater mascara here, I decided to keep my eye out for it the next time I went to Marshalls.

After quite a lengthy search on the disorganized stores shelves, I finally found the mascara. Unfortunately, it was included in a kit which contained three different products I knew I would never, ever use (blue-green glitter eyeshadow, booger green nail polish and some sort of greasy, balm eye makeup remover). Thankfully the kit itself was only about $7 so I grabbed it. I tossed the other products and tried the mascara the very next day.

Needless to say, I was not impressed by the performance of it. While this mascara isn't totally bad, it just doesn't deliver on the length or volume front AT ALL. It's not on the level of the horrid Great Lash, but it's not along the lines of say DiorShow. I'm one of those gals who need mascara and eyeliner to look alive and with Cheater it looks like I'm wearing nothing at all even if I apply three to four coats.

On the plus side, despite this not being waterproof it doesn't run or flake even if you have oily lids. I wouldn't buy this again because it just doesn't do much for me. I need a mascara that actually makes its presence known and Cheater just doesn't do that.

Here's the lowdown on this mascara. It does what it claims to do. However, while the formula is great, the brush is not (at least IMO).

The formula reminds me of my beloved Kat Von D's High Frequency mascara (discontinued, LE SAD!). Like Kat's, The Balm's Cheater mascara is super dense black, it's creamy and thick, holds curl, volumizes, lengthens, and it dries quickly. These are all musts for me in a mascara. However, I like to get into every 'nook and cranny' where lashes are concerned, and the brush is on the larger side so I do find that hard to accomplish with this brush.

I find it's pretty close to Jordana's Best Lash Extreme mascara (great mascara and a steal for $2.99 a tube). This morning I took an old brush from a tube of BLE, cleaned it and used it to apply Cheater and it worked SO much better.

Doubt I'll buy again just b/c I can get pretty much the same results with Jordana's without the extra $$$ and the inconvenience of switching the brushes (the Jordana brush is too long to have a permanent home in the Cheater tube).

hmmm, I really was hoping this would be my mascara HG after reading all the reviews, but sadly I am not wowed by this mascara. It's not a bad mascara, as it doesn't smudge or flake, but it also doesn't make my lashes look wow. This is good if you are going for more a natural type of look, but I feel as though this doesn't grab all my lashes, so my lashes don't look as full as they could be. I've been using this everyday for about 2 weeks, and not sure if I would repurchase. My hunt for my HG mascara continues!

Impressive!! My lashes look super long and so far no flakes.
Love the cute retro packaging too!