Mascara Review: Thrive vs. Hourglass

Today I’m sharing my reviews of two cult-favorite mascaras: Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara and Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara. 

Mascara is my desert island makeup item.

I have tried MANY mascaras over the years and have a handful of “go-to’s,” but I was never able to find one that didn’t end up smudging beneath my eyes throughout the day.

(It’s probably worth noting that, as a rule, I don’t like using waterproof mascara–it’s too difficult to remove, for me. I can’t afford to lose any lashes!). 

In the last year and a half, I have tried and LOVED both the Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara and Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara. These are two of the bet mascaras on the market, so I undertook the challenge of comparing the two for this post all too happily.

Thrive vs Hourglass Mascara Review

The reason these two mascaras are particularly exciting for me is because they both use a “tubing” formula that basically coats your eyelashes and makes them look fuller and longer. The tubing formula allows the mascara to stay put all day, until you apply some very light pressure with warm water to remove it (more on that later). 

I first tried the Thrive mascara last November. I fell in love with the formula immediately and talked about it many times on IG and my newsletter. Then, I kept hearing bloggers I trust talk about the Hourglass tubing mascara. Many said they liked it even better than Thrive! So, naturally, I had to give it a go. 

In total, I used Thrive for about 9 months and have been using Hourglass for about 3 now, so I feel comfortable comparing the two now. 

I thought it would be fun to do a full, detailed breakdown of these two products. 

For today’s post, I am going to be comparing the two mascaras on the grounds of price, ingredients, brush style, color, consistency, volume/length results, staying power, and ease of removal. Like I said, detailed. 

AND PLEASE REMEMBER: I am not a makeup artist or professional. This post, much like my blog as a whole, is just a collection of peasant opinions from an antsy stay-at-home-mom. 

Price 

Thrive’s Liquid Lash Extensions mascara costs $24, but you have to spend $35 on their site to qualify for free shipping (unless they are doing a special which happens from time to time). Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions costs $29, but you can get it from other retailers like Nordstrom (free shipping for all) and Sephora (free shipping depending on your status).

Ingredients

A win for everyone! Both of these mascaras are formulated without parabens, phthalates, sulfates and synthetic fragrance. Both brands are cruelty-free. 

Thrive’s formula contains castor oil which is said to be beneficial for lash health and length. I guess I noticed a difference in my lashes after using this for a while, but I can’t say it was for sure because of the mascara since I intermittently use a lash serum (love this one from Amazon). 

Brush

The brushes are very similar: thick with short, plastic bristles (as opposed to a longer, fuller brush). I, personally, prefer brushes like this because I am better able to manipulate my lashes with them. 

Color

Currently, Hourglass is offered only in black, whereas Thrive comes in black, brown, and blue. 

Consistency

Thrive’s formula is very wet. In fact, one tip I heard which proved true was to give the tube a few weeks to “dry out” a bit. (note: I don’t mean to leave it open for a few weeks–just to naturally let some air in as you use the product like you normally would). Once it dried a little, the consistency thickened up, and the formula became more buildable. 

Hourglass’ formula is more dry, and can even run a *tiny* bit flaky. For the most part, this formula is also very buildable, meaning you can decide how dramatic of a lash you want and layer the product as you please. 

Compared many other mascaras I’ve tried that have a messy application, both of these products go on quite easily and I rarely have to touch up with a q-tip.

Length/Volume results

Both of these mascaras are INCREDIBLY lengthening. This is where the tubing film formula formula shines, providing high impact length and lift. These mascaras add length by building around your lashes from length to tip. Both products add length beyond the length of your lash, if that makes sense.

In terms of volume, for me, Hourglass wins. I noticed that Thrive can be a little clumpy on some days, so when I’m going for more volume, Thrive can look a little spidery rather than feathery–-really hope you guys know what I mean here. Hourglass gives you that feathery, full look in addition to insane length. It does not clump as easily as Thrive. 

***When I went to make this pic collage for this post, I came to the realization that the results are actually VERY similar, lol. I sent this side by side to my sisters, and my older sister said, “I’m suddenly very bored with this comparison.”

I asked her which of the two she prefers since she has tried both too, and she said that she hated Thrive and loved Hourglass. But then my other said just the opposite! Just a couple of real world data points for us.***

Staying Power

Both of these products are marketed as being smudge free, and they both do a fantastic job staying put. If I had to choose–I think Hourglass is a bit weaker in this area. Since my eyes are so squinty, I feel like I am the perfect person to test this. And Hourglass does have some rare moments of smudging beneath my eyes, particularly on days if I’m out in the sun or squinting a lot, etc. 

For reference, though, I would not be scared to apply either of these to my lower lashes for a “full face” of makeup. 

Ease of removal

Okay, so there is a slight learning curve with removing a tubing mascara. It’s different than just wiping off normal mascara. You basically have to loosen it first, and then it peels off. What I normally do is GENTLY massage my eyes with a cleansing balm (I like Farmacy or Clean it Zero). Then I splash warm water on my face, and the mascara begins to peel off–maybe “pills” would even be a better word? It was jarring the first time I did it and can feel weird since it comes off in clumps. I have found, over time, that this method has preserved my lashes much better than removing traditional mascaras where I’d lose a few lashes every night. 

To compare the two: Hourglass does come off a bit easier than Thrive. The technique is the same, but Thrive’s formula hangs on a little tighter. Thrive removes easily once you get the hang of being patient and waiting for the formula to loosen before you try to rub it off.

Overall winner

When I first wrote this blog post, I initially chose Hourglass as the winner. But as time has passed, I’ve come to love Thrive even more.

I’ve noticed that Hourglass’ formula only “hits” for the first month, and then the quart deteriorates thereafter. Thrive provides amazing results for months on end making it a more worthwhile purchase.

Both products are truly fantastic, though, and I will never go back from tubing!

Please let me know if you try either of these!? Can’t wait to hear how you like them.

If you found this helpful (or at the very least, entertaining), I’d love to have you join my email list! I PROMISE this is not a spammy situation. I send out a newsletter every Friday morning with product recommendations, thoughts on the book I am currently reading, and links to the latest blog post. Fun, right? I like to think it has the same vibe as a friend dropping off a surprise morning latte. I would be so honored to have you!

Looking for more beauty reviews and tips? Head to the beauty hub.