The eyes have it..

Do these much-hyped mascaras live up to their extravagant claims?

BY KATIE WRIGHT OUR testers get to grips with some of the year’s biggest make-up launches.

Mascara is a make-up essential, often helping disguise tired eyes and transform lashes from limp to lustrous.

This year, three hyped launches promise unbeatable volume, length and staying power – but do they deliver?

We put them to the test to find out.

1 HOURGLASS Claire Spreadbury tried: Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara, £29

THIS comes with lots of big promises – intense length, lift, definition, the look of extensions, while also being film-forming and smudge-proof, yet easy to wash off.

I don’t listen to a lot of the hype when it comes to mascara. We all have personal preferences, but my biggest bugbear is the black bits that sit underneath my lashes and result in panda eye. I struggle with it so much that I’ve resorted to wearing waterproof mascara on a daily basis.

On first application, I did have a few speckles of black beneath my eye, but after that, I didn’t. I’ve worn it all day and night and not needed to wipe away dark smudges at all. The wand is easy to use and the mascara goes on nicely and stays put. Most importantly, the film-forming technology really works – I’m impressed.

2 HUDA BEAUTY Sarah Marshall tried: Huda Beauty Legit Lashes, £24, Boots

THIS isn’t the easiest mascara to apply, but with a bit of effort, it delivers dramatic results. There are two brushes: one thick wand designed to build layers of volume and another finer, curved applicator to finish the look.

I’m generally slap dash when it comes to make-up, so it took me a few attempts to master a tidy, clump-free finish. I found the volume brush slightly too chunky and unwieldy, but it does thicken lashes after only a few flicks, allowing you to work quickly before unsightly spider legs form.

The curling wand was a revelation. Along with coating tips for that doe-eyed Bambi effect, it’s excellent for catching tricky corner bits and thinner lower lashes. I used it alone on these areas to get the best fluttery finish. This has to be one of the most versatile mascaras out there.

3 URBAN DECAY Liz Connor tried: Urban Decay Lash Freak, £21

URBAN Decay says its latest launch offers the wearer 23.6 times more volume and up to 40 per cent more visible lash length.

The beauty of this mascara lies in its asymmetrical brush – rather than having bristles all over, the wand is smooth on one side to help hit every nook and cranny of your lash line. The bristled tip is designed to define and separate lashes, while the curved side adds lift at the lash root.

I was impressed at how quickly I could build a false lash effect with just a few swipes of the wand – although I found that one too many gave me a clumpy Sixties look, so my advice would be to go gently.

This mascara lived up to its 20-hour guarantee – I wore it all day and managed to avoid either flaking or raccoon eyes. This is a great purchase for anyone looking to amp up their eye look this season.