I'm surprised by all of the negative reviews, too. I initially didn't give this mascara much notice - it was a freebie I got from Smashbox. However, I've started using this lately - it seems really smooth, so you can put build and I think it gives me good length. It comes off *very* easily with water, one of the easiest removals of the mascaras I've tried. I would not use a mascara remover, I like the fact that I can use water and not some kind of goop around my eyes, so I can be very gentle in removing it. I wet my fingers and wet my lashes with my fingers and very gently rub to keep the mascara off of skin around my eye as much as possible, rather than rubbing onto the sensitive lower lid area. The brush, yes, is unually big and wider at either end and narrower in the center (weird). It does seem not quite right and you can't get into the corners or if you have fine lashes, it would be harder to get to them. It doesn't bother me that much, but after Carmindy recently said, "the smaller the brush, the better" I've started wondering...is that true? However, she also said to coat your lower lashes first, then the uppers, which doesn't make sense to me. I will consider buying the full size once I run out. The other mascaras I've tried are 1) Fiberwig - can get long lashes, but expensive and not buildable, runs the risk of being spidery, 2) Clinique Lash Power - awesome stuff, until you need a hammer and chisel to remove it and 3) Max Factor - now owned by Proctor and Gamble and off my buying list due to animal testing concerns.

Received this in the Sephora Lash Stash -- it's horrible! The brush is HUGE and completely unworkable. Will not consider purchasing a full size....

If you want to scratch your cornea and have your lastes look like tarantula legs buy this.

the brush is ridiculously too huge! i have very tiny, sparse asian lashes....i could barely wiggle the wand through my lashes!! i've even used a separate lash brush and the formula is still terrible...doesnt hold a curl...not volumizing...just no good!

I just bought this mascara and I love it!! I am really surprised there are so many negative reviews...it's amazing!! It separates every lash, and the black is very black. b/c it separates literally EVERY lash, it makes your lashes appear more voluminous, but still healthy looking! I was using loreal voluminous for yrs and i just found that it started drying out my lashes and although it gave volume, my lashes didn't look healthy.

If you are looking for healthy looking volume that separates every lash, I highly recommend this product.

The brush is a bit big, but nothing that I can't work with. I just make sure to wipe any excess off on the side of the tube before using.

let me start off by saying that i'm a big fan of smashbox...one of my favorites of all time, but i'm definitely not a fan of this mascara. the wand is definitely the biggest issue. it's HUGE...and bc the ends aren't tapered (quite the opposite) it's impossible to get into the corners of the eyes. it doesn't do a good job of lengthening all that much or volumizing, so i don't see what the point is. it doesn't necessarily clump, but i have experienced flaking with it. and of course...who knows if it really conditions my lashes...the formula isn't that great, the wand isn't great, and the price isn't great. do yourself a favor and go to the drugstore

The brush is awful, the helix design is just gimmicky not actually useful in applying the mascara so it goes everywhere. The mascara itself is not bad, it's a very dark color which I love, and it does make my lashes have more volume. Since the brush is so awful, it's easy to get it everywhere. The only way I would buy it again is if the brush changed.

EDIT: With practice, I have managed to apply this without it getting everywhere, and I actually like how it makes my lashes look, very full! And I feel like it makes my lashes so much darker! So I would definitely buy again, although it is rather cumbersome to take off.

I have never bought a mascara more than once but this is the one! I got it in the Sephora sampler. i was maybe the third or fourth one I used going by my scientific method of choosing (eeny-meeny-miney-MOE). And I used it and wasn't thrilled. Move to the next one. At first I didn't like the square end brush, the big bristles and all that. But for some reason I went to use it again. And thank god I did! It makes my lashes look fake - but in a good way. So lush and thick. I went out and bought the full size and now I love it even more. It doesn't flake like some (cough..cough..DIOR!) doesn't irritate my eyes. The bad thing...it's a little tough to take off. But I will definitely take that over what I was dealing with.

The other downside - I still have 3 more mascaras in my sampler. Sigh...

Update: I strayed from this mascara and totally forgot about it for a while. But I got the Sephora 500 perk bonus Smashbox eye kit and this mascara was part of it. I decided to try it out again, and really couldn't figure out why I strayed. It really does do amazing things to my lashes. If I do start straying I'm going to have to look back on this review on why I should not.

I got Lash DNA in the holiday mascara sampler @ Sephora and this was by far my favorite in the set. It's expensive on its own, but if you want volume CHOOSE THIS!

Note the cool little helix brush. I thought that was gimmicky, but they're obviously doing something right here. It delivers a good, black pigment but also is fairly clumpy, so have an eyelash comb on hand.

Pro's: Awesome brush, really makes your lashes pop and plump, good black color
Con's: Clumpy, expensive

This was the mascara that I looked forward to least in the deluxe sample set from Sephora. The double helix shape turned me off and I couldn't imagine it giving me lashes without clumping.

As I applied it on, the mascara was getting everywhere on my eyelid because the brush is so big. However this mascara coated all of my lashes nicely without any clumping and my lashes were nice and soft. They were significantly longer and thicker. It also held the curl.

I really do like this mascara but it isn't long lasting and it comes off too easily. It smudges around my eye during the day and disaster happens if I tear up.