⚡ TL;DR: better than sex mascara
What makes this mascara tempting? Bold, buildable volume. The harder question is whether that payoff matters more than a large brush and wearer-variable flaking or smudging.
For volume-first makeup looks, the trade can make sense. If we care more about precision or highly transfer-resistant wear, a different fit is likely better.
Big, fluffy lashes keep this formula in the conversation. But the finish is only half the story.
This better than sex mascara review separates the first-look payoff from what can happen later. We are weighing volume, length, and separation apart from flaking, smudging, transfer, and curl retention.
✨ Inside This Mascara Guide
🌸 Psst…
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What the Brush and Formula Actually Do
So what creates the plush effect? Start with the large hourglass brush. It is designed to pick up and spread enough mascara for a visibly fuller look.
Too Faced directs us to work from root to tip. The brand also suggests wiggling the wand for richer deposits and layering for more intensity. That helps explain how the finish can move from defined to deliberately plush quite quickly.
The Black formula is water-based and wax-rich. It includes synthetic beeswax, paraffin, rice bran wax, and carnauba wax, plus film-forming polymers such as VP/Eicosene Copolymer and PVP.
Those ingredients support body and film formation. Acetyl Hexapeptide-1 also appears in the current formula and is discussed by retailers in conditioning terms. Conditioning is the supported claim; this research does not show that the mascara grows lashes.
And the practical variable? Brush size.
Independent reviewer Sable Yong described the full-size hourglass wand as effective on longer lashes but potentially cumbersome on shorter ones. The smaller travel-size wand offered easier control.
If separation matters, one or two light layers are a sensible start. More product can intensify the look, but it can also make the result feel too dense for a wearer who is clump-prone.
Better Than Sex Mascara Review
What are we reviewing here? The original formula only—not the waterproof or naturally derived siblings. Its appeal comes down to one tension: dramatic impact versus day-long predictability.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Volumizing Mascara
Primary Review
Want the main attraction in one phrase? Dramatic, fluffy volume. The finish looks plush and dense rather than painstakingly separated.
The large hourglass brush deposits plenty of product while catching the lash line from root to tip. That can make a bold look feel quick and intuitive.
Brand documentation and independent review coverage both support a strong volume-and-length effect. So the immediate payoff is easy to understand.
But wear is where opinions divide. Some reviewers describe a strong hold with little trouble. Others report clumping, flaking, or smudging.
That makes the fit personal: do we value the first-hit drama more than a predictable, precision-first finish?
Bottom line: Bold, plush volume suits us best when a large brush feels comfortable, and some wearer-to-wearer variability in flaking or smudging is acceptable.
- ✅ Builds clear volume and length without requiring heavy layering.
- ✅ The hourglass brush can reach and coat even smaller or awkward lashes.
- ✅ Too Faced says it is ophthalmologist tested and suitable for contact-lens wearers.
- ✅ Verified reviewer feedback says the original comes off with standard makeup remover.
- ❌ Can feel like a splurge when price carries a lot of weight in the decision.
- ❌ May clump or flake for some wearers, although others report clean wear.
- ❌ A large, product-loaded brush can demand extra control when application gets messy.
🧪 Lash Lab Notes — Engr. Nusrat (Engineer & Beauty Enthusiast)
I would keep the brush geometry in mind here. The large hourglass can coat longer lashes quickly for a plush effect, but short lashes and inner corners need more control.
- 💡 Editor’s Note: We would weigh brush fit just as seriously as the volume claim. A beautiful finish can still feel frustrating when the applicator is too large for easy inner-corner work. That trade-off tells us more than chasing a universal “good” or “bad” verdict.
Want to see how mixed the wear feedback really is? Check current Amazon reviews for Too Faced Better Than Sex.
Best for contact-lens wearers seeking dramatic volume who are comfortable with a fuller brush.
Care tip: Verified reviewer guidance says standard makeup remover is enough for the original formula.
Big payoff, variable precision. That is why wear reliability is the next question.
Volume Payoff vs. Wear Reliability
Can a mascara look great at 8 a.m. and disappoint later? Yes. Payoff is not the same as wear.
Independent testing supports the immediate case for Too Faced Better Than Sex. It can create lush volume and length, and one side-by-side comparison found it layered more evenly than L’Oréal Lash Paradise on that tester.
The same comparison also noted slight flaking. Broader reviewer feedback is mixed, too.
Flaking means dry bits breaking away. Smudging and transfer leave pigment where we do not want it. Clumping changes separation, while curl drop changes lash shape.
Calling all four “bad wear” hides the real trade-off we need to judge.
Love the dramatic effect most? Then it helps to see what other volume-led formulas prioritize. A broader volumizing guide compares that goal without turning this single-product review into a category roundup.
Wear complaints are not universal either. Some users report long, thick, full lashes without flaking. Others repeatedly mention under-eye smudging or flakes.
The evidence does not support saying either experience is guaranteed. It also does not establish one product-specific cause for why different wearers get different results.
What if transfer is the deal-breaker? Then the question is not whether this mascara creates enough volume. It is whether another formula prioritizes cleaner wear.
At that point, a smudge-focused comparison is more useful than trying to explain away a recurring concern.
Who It Suits—and Who May Want to Skip It
Who is the clearest match? Someone who wants lashes to look bold, fluffy, and visibly built up, and who does not mind a substantial bristle brush.
Longer lashes may be easier to envelop with that shape. Short lashes or tight inner corners can make precision more demanding.
And the weaker fit? That is just as clear.
If tiny-brush control, crisp separation with minimal cleanup, or wear where even occasional smudging or flaking is unacceptable matters most, this formula asks us to accept the exact compromises we care about. Precision is the trade-off, not a lack of dramatic payoff.
Value depends on what we are paying for, too. This sits in the prestige tier. Its volume effect, therefore, needs to feel meaningfully better for our preferences than the lower-cost alternatives we would otherwise choose.
Alternatives If the Fit Is Wrong
Which alternative makes sense? Choose the problem we are trying to solve.
None needs to become a second full review here. Each simply answers a different brush, wear, or value concern that may push us away from Too Faced Better Than Sex.
| Alternative | Better fit when… | Applicator / performance angle | Price position |
|---|---|---|---|
| L'Oréal Lash Paradise | We want a similar plush-volume idea for less | Dense bristle brush; an independent comparison found similar lengthening and a less-messy application for one tester | Lower-cost |
| Benefit BADgal BANG! | We want drama with a slimmer brush | Slim tapered brush; lightweight, buildable volume/length positioning | Prestige |
| Maybelline Sky High | We prefer flexible-brush length and buildability | Flexible spiral brush with a length-first feel | Lower-cost |
| tarte maneater | We want a more separating molded-brush approach | 500+ bristle molded brush with longwear positioning | Prestige |
Which comparison is closest? Lash Paradise is the best-documented “similar effect for less” option in the research. Sky High takes a more flexible-brush route.
BADgal BANG! and maneater stay in prestige territory, but change the applicator geometry. If the hourglass wand is our main objection, that shape difference may matter more than brand-to-brand claim differences.
Do the lower-cost rows stand out? Then the budget may be the bigger decision than this specific formula. A drugstore-focused guide compares that price-led category without forcing four mini-reviews into this page.
Original vs. Waterproof: Do Not Mix Up the Formulas
Are the original and waterproof versions basically the same mascara? No. They are materially different formulas, not one product in different packaging.
The reviewed original is non-waterproof. The waterproof sibling starts with a different ingredient system that includes isododecane and is designed around a different wear problem.
That difference matters for curl and removal. Historical independent testing found the waterproof version more resistant to water and better at retaining curl for one tester, but it was also harder to remove.
If water resistance is our main requirement, comparing genuinely waterproof formulas makes more sense than assuming the original behaves the same way.
And Naturally Better Than Sex? That is another separate sibling. It is currently positioned around a 98% naturally derived formula with bamboo fibers and a goji berry blend.
Its claims and ingredient system should not be used as evidence for the original reviewed here.
Contact Lenses, Irritation, and Mascara Hygiene
What does “suitable for contact-lens wearers” actually mean? Too Faced states that the original is ophthalmologist-tested and suitable for contact-lens wearers. That wording is not a promise that every eye will tolerate it.
The practical rule stays simple: stop if irritation develops. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises stopping use rather than trying to push through discomfort.
If our eyes react easily, that individual-tolerance caveat changes the shopping question. A sensitivity-focused guide can compare formulas around that need without turning one brand’s suitability claim into a blanket safety guarantee.
And hygiene? That matters separately from formula performance.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes that manufacturers commonly recommend replacing mascara within roughly two to four months. It also advises discarding eye cosmetics used during an eye infection.
Those are contamination precautions, not evidence of a defect in Too Faced Better Than Sex.
Common Questions About Better Than Sex Mascara
What practical details can change how this product feels in use? A few do not need another full section. These answers keep the original formula separate from its siblings and stay within what the current evidence supports.
❓ How many coats should you use?
Start light, then build. Too Faced explicitly supports layering for intensity. If separation matters, thinner coats give us more control before the finish gets too dense for our taste.
❓ Does better than sex mascara tend to clump?
It can for some wearers, but clumping is not universal. Verified reviewer feedback is split: some describe a smooth, clump-free application, while others say the formula can become harder to apply cleanly.
❓ Is Better Than Sex mascara waterproof?
No—the original reviewed here is non-waterproof. Too Faced sells a separate Better Than Sex Waterproof formula. We should not treat the two as interchangeable.
❓ Do the conditioning ingredients make lashes grow?
The current formula supports conditioning language, not a lash-growth claim. The peptide and film-forming ingredient story does not support promises of growth, repair, or strengthening that the evidence has not established.
Final Verdict: Is Better Than Sex Mascara Worth It?
So, is it worth it? For volume-first wearers, Too Faced Better Than Sex can make sense when bold, plush, buildable volume matters more than pinpoint brush control, and we can accept that flaking or smudging varies by wearer.
If precision, lower cost, or highly transfer-resistant wear is non-negotiable, one of the problem-specific paths above is the better choice. That is the same payoff-versus-reliability trade-off that framed this review from the start.
Still want to compare the whole field? Once this single-product decision is clear, a broader category guide is the better next stop for weighing different mascara types and priorities.
If bold volume is still your priority, revisit the Too Faced Better Than Sex review above before deciding.
Last update on 2026-10-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API