This High-Drama Mascara Is Taking Me Out Of My Makeup Comfort Zone

In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, our beauty writer is testing the new ONE/SIZE Fantasize Ultimate Lifting & Lengthening Mascara.

Up until this point, I’ve lived my life thinking mascara could only be no-frills, like the shape wear of makeup. I considered it purely functional — foundational, really, necessary for looking like a human but not something that can add flair or drama or even a lot of excitement to a look. Oh, how wrong I was. ONE/SIZE’s first-ever mascara launch occupies that very necessary space between the all-out drama of falsies and the natural enhancement of a classic mascara — and coupled with its long-lasting wear time, I think ONE/SIZE Fantasize Mascara might number among the best going-out mascaras ever made.

Everything about the Fantasize Mascara seems to be going for maximum fun, a vibe I couldn’t love more this time of year. Described as “a fantasy come true”, this is a mascara designed for spectacle, for drama, for girls to come sidling up to you in public bathrooms asking if those are your real eyelashes — exactly the sort of not-too-scary beauty routine shakeup I’ve been waiting for all summer.

Over a weekend, I made the new ONE/SIZE mascara my go-to for all social occasions to see just how big of a difference it could make. Here’s what happened when I put ONE/SIZE Fantasize to the test.

Fast Facts

• Price: $25 full-size, $13 travel-size
• Best For: Dramatically lifting, lengthening, and curling lashes
• Your rating: 4/5
• Clean/Cruelty-Free?: Yes
• What we like: All-day curl hold; lash-combing wand; lash-nourishing ingredients like coconut oil right in the formula
• What we don’t like: Volume building is minimal; smears somewhat easily

About My Lashes

I’ve always liked my lashes and still do, but they ain’t what they used to be. They’re reasonably long and dense but years of mascara, extensions, and lash lifts (my newest obsession — so good) have left them thinner than in my youth. Most days, I go makeup-free or brush on a coat of brown mascara for a more natural look — but on big nights out, I’m looking for maximum everything. False eyelashes are a bit too heavy to really suit my very deep-set eyes, so a mascara that can pack even half that punch is my holy grail. My last concern is with wearability — I’m in hot-as-hell Texas where makeup needs to be at least somewhat sweat-proof to avoid major smears, even at night.

ONE/SIZE Fantasize Ultimate Lifting & Lengthening Mascara

ONE/SIZE is the beauty brainchild of social media icon Patrick Starrr. One of YouTube’s original (and most beloved) makeup gurus, Starrr built his name — and eventually, his company — on an everyone’s-invited message of inclusivity found right in the brand’s name.

As the first mascara in ONE/SIZE’s lineup, Fantasize seems to go for a truly universal approach. There’s an emphasis on eye-opening length, curl, and color, which checks the boxes of most mascara needs. The wand comes equipped with a six-pointed fan brush head to grab and coat every lash, while the formula’s proprietary peptide-powered flex gel pushes the lashes up and makes them stay there. As strong as the formula is, though, it’s also complete with argan, coconut, and castor seed oils to hydrate and protect lashes as well as keep the mascara mercifully flake-free.

First Impression Of ONE/SIZE Fantasize Ultimate Lifting & Lengthening Mascara

When I first pulled the red metallic mascara tube out of the box and unscrewed the wand, I was struck by just how unassuming ONE/SIZE Fantasize looked and felt. After getting over how lightweight it felt in my hand, it was time to examine the wand closer. The head isn’t covered in bristles like a brush — it’s covered in teeth like a comb, which always spells out the best doe-eye lashes.

When I brushed on the first coat (over dried mascara from earlier in the day, no less!), my suspicions were confirmed. Even that old mascara from the morning was no match for the six distinct points on the wand head, which lifted and separated each individual lash with a buttery glide. The other serious first-impression standout? That curl. ONE/SIZE boasts a 24-hour curl hold and the way my own lashes immediately flipped up and stayed that way, no matter how many more coats I layered on, definitely can corroborate that fact.

How I Used ONE/SIZE Fantasize Ultimate Lifting & Lengthening Mascara

A dramatic black mascara will never be my daytime choice by design — I need low-maintenance brown for my own sanity, but the evening is an entirely different story. I used (and plan on continuing to use) Fantasize as a nighttime, going-out mascara to level me up, add some contrast to my face, and make my eyes look as big as possible — my forever goal. To properly test the curl power of the mascara, I eschewed using a lash curler or touching up my lash lift and I used minimal eye makeup to really see what was happening in my lashes.

My Results

Much of the brand’s marketing materials played up the fact that just one coat can make maximum impact, and that’s exactly what happened when I tried this mascara out. One coat was all I wore but it was more than necessary to completely shellack my lashes (even the short, stubby ones towards the inner corner), comb them out, and curl them right up. I did try to build a little more length on the tips just for fun, and the lightweight formula actually layered very well. I brought the mascara along with me to various spots in case I needed a touchup, but never found it necessary — a serious victory for my itty-bitty bag.

After four hours of cavorting, I was very pleased to see my mascara’s power hadn’t decreased at all. I did have some smears under my eyes where it ran even though I used powder, but that’s bound to happen to me anyway — and it’s usually the price you pay for such a deep color payoff. My only rub with this mascara was how hard it was to remove. Even after a half-dozen makeup-removing cotton rounds, I still left spin class the next day looking like Alice Cooper. But even that is kind of a positive — it really does cling to lashes forever.

Is ONE/SIZE Fantasize Ultimate Lifting & Lengthening Mascara Worth It?

If you’re in the market for a new party mascara, ONE/SIZE Fantasize is absolutely worth it — both full-size and the travel-friendly mini. Not only is the formula buttery-smooth and deliciously dark but thanks to that lash-separating comb, it’s easy to reapply (not that you’d even really need to) without going clumpy, spidery, or flaking. The curl factor flatters all eye shapes and sizes while the inky black pigment adds so much allure. Those who live in very hot or humid climates might want to reconsider sweaty activities, but this will stay in place through all basic evening functions save for some very vigorous dancing. This is something I think even those with very short or straight lashes will appreciate.

BDG product reviews and recommendations are written and conducted by writers and editors with expertise in their fields. Testers often have specific experience with the situation or product at hand, and/or their review or recommendation is provided in consultation with experts. You can learn more about our standards here.